Changes to funding decisions

All changes to the Research Council of Finland's funding decisions must be approved by the Research Council. Changes are applied for by the project PI via the Research Council's online services. The application must include sufficient justifications and all information needed to handle the case.

Detailed instructions on how to apply for a change in the decision are given in the Research Council's funding terms and conditions.

The following changes can be applied for:

Changing annual instalments in new funding decision

The item “Changing annual instalments in new funding decision” has been removed from the latest Research Council of Finland funding terms and conditions (1 Nov 2023–31 Oct 2024). The change of annual instalments is still mentioned in item 7.1. of the document, “Changing annual instalments in granted funding”.

It is no longer necessary to apply to change annual instalments in the Research Council’s online services. The funding can be normally used throughout the funding period without this change.

If there are significant changes to the cost estimate of the decision during the funding period, funding recipients can notify them in the online services under ‘My applications’ > ‘Decisions’ > ‘Additional information’.

This applies retroactively to previous funding decisions by the Research Council of Finland..

Extending funding period

The funding period may be extended on the basis of a project researcher’s maternity, paternity, parental or childcare leave, or military or nonmilitary service. It may also be extended for other special reasons, such as long-term illness.

Additional grant (i.e. compensation)

A project may be granted additional funding on the basis of a project researcher’s maternity leave or long-term illness. This is possible in funding opportunities that follow the additional cost model (e.g. funding for research post as Academy Professor, funding for research post as Academy Research Fellow).

Changing sites of research

The site of research may be changed if the PI transfers to another site in the middle of the funding period.

Changing Academy Professor funding decision into co-funded decision

Academy Professors may apply to change the funding of their annual salaries so that the salary or a part of it comes from other funding sources.

Changing Academy Research Fellow funding decision into co-funded decision

Academy Research Fellows may apply to change the funding of their annual salaries so that part of the salary comes from other funding sources. This requires that the externally funded salary part has been allocated to research tasks or that the researcher is part of the university’s career system.

Changing Postdoctoral Researcher funding decision into co-funded decision

This change only applies to funding decisions made from calls opened on 1 September 2020 and thereafter.

Declining research grant in full

You can apply to decline a research grant in full if you do not want to receive the funds or if you want to forgo the funds before they are used.

Declining research grant midstream

You can apply to decline a research grant midstream, i.e. while the funding period is still running.

Changing principal investigators

You can apply to change PIs in the middle of the funding period on exceptional and justified grounds. In funding schemes targeted at research organisations, the PI change is made by the main user of the organisation.

Changing decision conditions or purpose of use, substantially changing the research plan

Changes in decision conditions or purpose of use can be applied for on special grounds only. Substantial changes in research plans can be applied for on special grounds only. Minor changes in the research plan do not require approval by the Research Council.

Changing funding proportions of consortium subprojects

You can apply to change the funding proportions of consortium subprojects. The total funding for the consortium must not change.