Projects and Funding
The Regional Council of Southwest Finland promotes sustainable growth, vitality, and renewal in the region by coordinating EU and national project funding. The funding supports projects that strengthen employment and competence, support the green transition and innovations, and advance the objectives of the Southwest Finland 2040+ strategy. On this page, you will find the funding programmes coordinated by the Regional Council, application guidelines, and ongoing and completed projects. The Regional Council of Southwest Finland is also responsible for the secretariat and management tasks of the Central Baltic programme.
Funding for Supporting Sustainable Growth and Vitality of Regions (AKKE)
The appropriation for supporting the sustainable growth and vitality of regions (AKKE) has been used, in accordance with the decisions of the Regional Councils, to fund projects that have advanced the objectives of the Regional Programme and the Government’s regional development decision. Funding has been granted, among other things, to small-scale development, pilot, and study projects based on regional strengths and specialisation.
National development funding allocated to Regional Councils is no longer included in the state budget. As a result, the AKKE funding granted by the Regional Council of Southwest Finland has been fully utilised, and no new funding is available for application. However, previously funded AKKE projects will continue until the end of the programme period, and their payments will proceed as normal.
Further information:
Petteri Partanen, Business Development Manager
Kirsi Niemi, Payment Inspector
Lisätietoja:
Petteri Partanen, Business Development Manager
Kirsi Niemi, Payment Inspector
Innovative and Competent Finland 2021–2027 Programme
Sustainable and Competent Finland 2021–2027 is Finland’s national programme for EU regional and structural policy, supporting vitality, employment, and well-being across all regions of the country. Within the programme, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) aims to strengthen the growth and competitiveness of SMEs, promote the broad use of digitalisation, and support the transition towards a carbon-neutral Finland. The funding also advances energy efficiency, the circular economy, and climate change adaptation.
In addition to national objectives, each region has its own priorities that guide the allocation of funding to meet regional needs. In Southwest Finland, funding is directed in line with the regional strategy Sustainable Partnerships Southwest Finland 2040+ and the smart specialisation strategy, focusing on themes such as digitalisation, sustainable growth, and clean solutions.
The Regional Council of Southwest Finland prepares funding proposals for ERDF development projects in the region and processes them through its own decision-making bodies. The official funding decisions are made by the Regional Council of Uusimaa, which acts as the coordinating authority for Southern Finland. In addition to Southwest Finland, the area includes Uusimaa, Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme, Kymenlaakso, and South Karelia.
New calls for applications will continue to be opened throughout the programme period.
Further information:
Central Baltic Interreg Programme
The Central Baltic Interreg Programme funds cross-border cooperation projects in Finland, Åland, Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia. The programme supports projects that promote skills development, business growth, environmental sustainability, and cooperation between actors in the Baltic Sea region.
The Regional Council of Southwest Finland is responsible for managing the programme and making funding decisions, acting as the Managing, Certifying, and Audit Authority for Central Baltic. The Council monitors project implementation and oversees the use of funds. Coordination of the programme in Southwest Finland strengthens the region’s role in international cooperation and as a promoter of sustainable development.
Further information:
Merike Niitepõld, Administrative Manager
