About the Foundation

The Foundation for Municipal Development was founded in 1990. The original capital, 80 million Finnish marks, was donated by the then Suomen Kunnallisliitto.

The original capital came from the sale of Kunnallispaino in 1989. The activities of the foundation are solely based on the returns on investment.

The foundation acts independently.

Foundation for Municipal Development is committed to supporting and encouraging research on municipalities. The aim is to support the self-government of municipalities as well as to improve their scopes for action. The foundation prioritizes projects whose significance is estimated to be most central for the future of municipalities.

The foundation allocates financial support on application for research projects as well as grants for researchers.

The Foundation is publishing a customer magazine ”Polemiikki” and two series of research publications: “Polemia” and “Tutkimusjulkaisut”.

The Foundation’s office is located in Helsinki.

The foundation has an executive committee of 16 members and a scientific advisory board.

Research Funding

The Foundation for Municipal Development allocates funding for research projects on municipalities as well as grants for researchers in the field. Applications are not restricted to a particular field of study or discipline.

The Application form will be filled in FINNISH language. In addition, a Finnish-language summary of the research plan has to be included.

Application B

Research projects of universities, other research institutes and municipalities (no funding for regular activities or investments of municipalities)
PhD research (one-, two- or three-year grants, including the pension and accident insurance, information from Mela (sama linkki kuin suomenkielisillä sivuilla), Postdoctoral research, Licenciate thesis research (a degree between that of master and doctor) and MA thesis research

Application B

Publication grants (funding can be allocated to a scientific publication, but not for the printing expenses of a PhD thesis)
Overseas travel grants for PhD candidates as well as post-PhD researchers

Funding will be applied on

Application form A (research projects, PhD research, postdoctoral research, licenciate thesis research and MA thesis research)
Application form B (publication or travel grant)

Your application will be sent by the deadline to toimisto(at)kaks.fi along with the required attachments (including the letters of recommendation, which do not have to be signed). The title of the e-mail will be ”APPLICATION”.

All attachments should be converted to pdf-files.

(As for research projects, CV is required for all participating researchers. If the researchers are not nominated by the application’s deadline, contact person’s CV should be included.)

The deadlines of the applications are the last workdays of February and August. The next deadlines will be:

31.8.2011

(decisions will be made in December 2011 and made public on our website: uusimmat rahoituspäätökset)

AND 29.2.2012

(decisions will be made in June 2010 and made public on our website: uusimmat rahoituspäätökset)

Detailed instructions: Application A (research projects, PhD., Post Doc, Licenciate thesis research, MA thesis research):

Section 2. What will be applied for:

The applicant should specify what he/she is applying for. PhD grants are typically one-, two-, or three-year-grants. In addition, it is possible to apply financing for research expenses (e.g. material and travel expenses). PhD grants include the compulsory pension and accident insurances.

Postdoctoral grants are typically one-year grants.

Licenciate thesis research grants are typically 2000-4000 euro. MA thesis grants are 1200-1500 euro.

Applicants must list on the application form all grants received as well as any applications that are pending at the time of applying for KAKS funding. Applications must inform KAKS without delay if she/he receives funding from any other source during KAKS’ application and processing period.

Research themes are: “management and organization”, “democracy”, “economy”, “health care”, “social services”, “education and culture”, ”business and regional development”, “community and environment”, “other”

Detailed filling instructions: Application B (publication and travel grants):

Section 2. What will be applied for:

Travel grants may cover ordinary travel expenses (not daily allowances). They will be paid in exchange of original receipts. The scholar is expected to write a travel account on the trip.

Additional information by phone: Research Agent Veli Pelkonen 0400-815527