New decrees specify the rules for awarding and use of grants

The Government has issued two new decrees. They regulate grants to non-profit-making organisations and foundations for the promotion of health and social wellbeing.

The decrees are part of the reform of the Lotteries Act.

The decrees specify the rules for awarding, paying, using and supervising grants awarded for the promotion of health and social wellbeing. Changes in the use and supervision of grants are, however, minor from the grant recipients’ viewpoint. For example, organisations will be obligated to submit an auditor’s report only when the amount of a single grant is EUR 100,000 or more. Currently this limit is EUR 50,000. Organisations will also have an additional month to submit their report on how grants have been used.

The Ministry will apply the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers

Another new feature is that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will apply the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers to grants to organisations and foundations. Previously there was a separate act to regulate these so called RAY grants. The term RAY grants will no longer be used once Finland's Slot Machine Association (RAY), Veikkaus Oy and Fintoto merge into a single operator on 1 January 2017. The new gambling operator will be called Veikkaus Oy.

Grants will be processed at STEA

As RAY’s activities come to an end, the responsibility for social welfare and health organisation grants will be transferred to the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations STEA, which will be established under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. STEA will be responsible for preparing grant proposals and for paying and supervising grants.

The Government will also set up under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health an advisory board for grant-related matters and a separate assessment and grant division.

The task of the advisory board will be to provide statements to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health both on general policies and guidelines regarding grant activities as well as on how grant policies have been implemented.

The assessment and grant division will give comments on grant proposals. It may also assess the activities of the organisations that receive grants. Division members may not be in an employment relationship or any other binding relationship with organisations applying for grants.

The objective is for the Government to appoint the advisory board and the division in February 2017.

Inquiries

Raimo Ikonen, Director-General, tel. +358 2951 63517

Matti Pulkkinen, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 2951 63199

Uusi arpajaislaki vähentää järjestöjen byrokratiaa (MSAH press release 15 September 2016)

RAY:n historian suurin – ja viimeinen – avustusehdotus julkaistu (RAY press release14 December 2016)

Uuden rahapeliyhtiön aloitus 1.1.2017 vahvistettiin lailla (Ministry of the Interior press release 21 December 2016)

RAY grant activities to be transferred to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health at the beginning of 2017 (MSAH press release 22 December 2016)

Rahapelien toimeenpanoa koskevat säännökset yhteen asetukseen (Ministry of the Interior press release 29 December 2016)