The mission of the Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (HSSH) is to enhance methodological development, build new research infrastructures and support multidisciplinary research networks at the University of Helsinki. One element in this work is the HSSH Catalyst Grant, a yearly round of open support for research groups at the City Centre Campus. The call for the HSSH Catalyst Grant 2025 is now open and the deadline for applications is June 10th, 2024.
The Catalyst Grant provides modest but strategical support to existing and emerging research groups. Groups can apply support for a variety of needs, ideas, and cooperative initiatives. These may, for instance, include support for:
- Acquiring necessary technological devices and systems that support the shared research infrastructure at UH, particularly in the City Centre Campus,
- Collecting new data that benefits several research initiatives,
- Enabling wider and sustainable use of infrastructures that have been developed organically in research groups (e.g. data, software)
- Initiating innovative and cooperative projects that open new insights, relationships and aim at publishing such ideas,
- Building new national and international networks.
We also encourage applicants to suggest ideas other than the ones sketched above. The evaluation process pays particular attention to the following criteria: testing and developing new ideas, reaching for multidisciplinarity, the feasibility of suggested action, and promise of added value for other researchers in the SSH field (beyond the applying research group).
Eligibility
All existing and emerging research groups working in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities at the City Centre Campus can apply for the grant. The PI of the application must be affiliated (via an employment contract or a grant-funded researcher agreement) with one of the partner units of HSSH (Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Theology, Swedish School of Social Sciences, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies). There are no formal requirements for the PI on holding the title of docent, a degree or a position.
The grant is primarily directed to initiatives that enforce multidisciplinary networking, co-operation between UH research groups or initiating new research groups. Several research groups are encouraged to apply together for shared purposes.
Application instructions
Applications must include the following:
- A short description of the supported action,
- A clear description of the added value that the grant provides,
- A detailed plan for the costs, execution of the action, and time-table,
- A brief (max 50 words) public description of the initiative, to be published on the HSSH website if funded.
(No CV or other attachments are required.)
Please note that:
- The maximum amount of the grant is 15 000 € and funding decisions may be lower than the applied amount
- All salary costs must include 30 % employer side costs
- For acquired equipment the maximum limit is 10 000 €, including VAT
- All funding must be used before November 30, 2025
- If your proposal includes purchasing new equipment, please first make sure that such equipment is not already available at the HSSH Equipment Library or at HSSH Interlab.
- Completing the HSSH Research Group Survey questionnaire is a prerequisite for applying for the Catalyst Grant. Fill the questionnaire here. If your research group has already filled the questionnaire, please supply the name(s) of the persons named as the group leader/contact person in the questionnaire.
Schedule
The deadline for the 2025 HSSH Catalyst Grant applications is June 10th, 2024 at 16:00.
Decisions for the 2025 grants will be prepared by a working group led by the director of HSSH. Funding decisions will be announced on September 4th, 2024 at the latest.
All funding must be used before November 30, 2025.
More information about the Catalyst Grant funding (including the link to the application form): see here.
Further inquiries
HSSH University researcher Jouni Tuominen, jouni.tuominen@helsinki.fi
HSSH Director Risto Kunelius, risto.kunelius@helsinki.fi, 040-1904085 (you can leave an SMS request for calling back)