Discretionary government grants for investments to establish sports facilities and related recreational facilities
The Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish Supervisory Agency allocates grants for projects to build sports facilities and related recreational facilities. Government grants can be awarded for supporting various types of projects related to physical activity. When government grants are considered for the construction of sports facilities, emphasis is placed on sports facilities intended for large user groups and on promoting gender equality, non-discrimination, accessibility and sustainable development.
In addition to the legislation regulating the matter, the terms of the national budget and the strategic policies of the Ministry of Education and Culture on physical activity and the construction of sports facilities are taken into consideration when processing government grants. The aim is to systematically develop national and local conditions for sports and physical activity.
The Ministry of Education and Culture is the government grant authority for projects where the cost estimate exceeds EUR 1.2 million. The government grant authority for projects with a cost estimate below EUR 1.2 million is the Finnish Supervisory Agency. The threshold value observes the euro sum laid down in the Government Decree (550/2015) in force at the time the government grant decision is made.
Grant applications are submitted using the e-services of regional administration services. The National Supervisory Authority prioritises the projects and issues a statement on them to the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Ministry of Education and Culture drafts a proposal for all the projects within its remit and requests a statement on the proposal from the National Sports Council.
The government grants are discretionary. More detailed information on government grants and the size of different grants is available in the call for applications.
Government grants for projects for research and development serving the building, maintenance or use of sports facilities
The Ministry of Education and Culture provides funding for research and development projects which aim to improve expertise in the construction of sports facilities and their quality, and which promote the safety, accessibility and environmental-friendliness of sports facilities.
Research is conducted by research institutes and higher education institutions in the field. Their findings are taken into account in urban planning and in the development, planning, construction and use of sports facilities.
Financial plan for sports facilities
Parliament has decided on an amendment to the Act on the Financing of Education and Culture (1705/2009) by which the section in the Act pertaining to the financing plan has been repealed. The amendment entered into force on 1 January 2025. The Ministry of Education and Culture therefore no longer draws up a financing plan.
Guides on the construction of sports facilities
Numerous RT Building Information files, HEVAC Building Services Information files and Infra Information files for the construction of sports facilities have been published in cooperation with Rakennustieto Oy and the Rakennustieto Foundation.
Guides on the construction of sports facilities are published in the Ministry of Education and Culture publication series on sports facilities by Rakennustieto Oy.
As part of the Healthy Premises 2028 programme, a report on upgraded concepts for physical activity conditions has been published. It comprises concepts for physical activity conditions that take into account the perspectives of sustainable development, climate change, demographic development, changes in sports and physical activity culture, adaptability of facilities, digitalisation, equality and non-discrimination (Publication in Finnish).
Guides and instructions for the construction of sports facilities are available in reports and guides produced with the financial aid of the Ministry of Education and Culture's research and development projects for the construction of sports facilities.
Inquiries
Mikko Helasvuo, Senior Ministerial Adviser (Construction), Ministry of Education and Culture, Department for Youth and Sport Policy, Division for Sport, tel. +358 295 330 422, email: firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi
