HELSINKI (Chatnewstv.com) — The Finnish government has awarded a total of €240,000 in discretionary grants to ten civil society organisations working to combat racism between 2025 and 2026, with several African and Muslim-led groups among the beneficiaries.
The funding, announced Tuesday by the Prime Minister’s Office, aims to support communities most affected by racism, enhance advocacy work, and develop new operating models to promote equality across Finnish society.
According to the government, the grants were open to organisations representing ethnic minorities. Of the 62 applications submitted—amounting to more than €2.6 million in requests—only a select number received approval, based on their capacity to meet anti-racism objectives and their alignment with Finland’s national Action Plan to Combat Racism.
Among the largest beneficiaries is the African Anti-Racism Society Finland, which received €42,000 for its “Roots and Rights” project. The initiative focuses on training, community dialogues, and engagement with policymakers to address racism faced by people of African descent in Finland.
Another recipient, the Youth Muslim Forum, was awarded €42,000 for its “ÄÄNESSÄ” project aimed at empowering young Muslims through workshops, media literacy training, and advocacy mentoring to counter discrimination and promote civic participation.
The Muslim Forum of Finland also received €10,000 to develop policy recommendations for municipalities and public bodies on promoting equality and inclusion of the Muslim population.
The Anti-Racist Forum, granted €42,000, will use its funds to upgrade Finland’s hate crime reporting and monitoring system under its DECODE project, helping to lower barriers to reporting hate crimes.
Other beneficiaries include Monaliiku Well-Being and Sports for Multicultural Women (€30,000), Moniheli (€30,000), Mixed Finns (€14,000), the POC Book Club (€10,000), the Filipino Nurses Association in the Nordic Region (€10,000), and the Finnish Roma Association (€10,000).
Government officials said the selection process prioritized projects that demonstrate a clear understanding of racism in its various forms and offer practical solutions to strengthen equality within communities.
“The goal is to empower grassroots actors working with limited resources and to advance Finland’s broader vision for an equal, inclusive society,” the statement said.
The grants were distributed under the Act on Discretionary Government Grants, and the decisions were made by public officials “subject to liability for acts in office.”
The Finnish government’s anti-racism action plan, part of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s broader equality and non-discrimination strategy, seeks to promote social cohesion and ensure that every resident—regardless of race, religion, or background—has equal opportunities to thrive.
