DISSERTATION GRANTS

Grant applications are submitted in the Cancer Foundation Finland’s electronic system at https://cancer.apurahat.fi/. This year, a grant is also available a dissertation grant from the Urho Känkänen Foundation.  A research protocol and a list of the principal researcher’s publications from 2018–2028 shall be appended to the application. Applications can be submitted between 1 June and 23 August 2024. The grant application system closes on 23 August at the end of the day. Applications cannot be supplemented after the deadline. Late applications will be rejected, as will applications that do not comply with the instructions.

In the review of applications, particular attention will be paid to, among other things, the scientific quality and feasibility of the protocol, the applicant’s scientific merits and the project’s relevance to cancer research. Grants are only awarded for research that has a clear connection to cancer or cancer prevention, detection, treatment or rehabilitation. The applicant must demonstrate this connection in the application.

Only one application per applicant will be considered. A researcher may have only one Cancer Foundation Finland research grant at a time.

Grants are awarded to support research conducted in Finland. The dissertation grants are intended for researchers whose dissertation work is already well advanced.

The Cancer Foundation Finland does not award research grants to researchers or research teams that have funding from the tobacco industry. The tobacco industry includes any company or group of companies that derives a major portion of its income from the manufacture or marketing of tobacco or other nicotine products.

The Board of the Cancer Foundation Finland decides the grants to be awarded based on proposals from the Grants Committee.

Applications are completed in English.

The Cancer Foundation Finland emphasises that the research protocol must clearly indicate the purpose of the grant. A general description of the research area is not a research protocol. Only applications that clearly express the objective will be considered.

PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS

The Board of the Cancer Foundation Finland decides the grants to be awarded based on proposals from the Grants Committee. When reviewing and deciding on applications, account is taken of the conflict of interest principles approved by the Board.

Awarded grants will be announced in November 2023.

For more information on the Cancer Foundation Finland’s grant process, see our website: Cancer Foundation Finland’s Grants.

FUNDING OPEN FOR APPLICATION

The dissertation grants are intended for researchers whose dissertation work is already well advanced. On the application form, the applicant shall enter only the articles included in the doctoral thesis; other publications are entered in the list of publications. In 2023, the dissertation grant comes to 4,000 euros. The grant will not be awarded if the applicant’s doctoral degree is approved before the application deadline expires. The Cancer Foundation Finland’s dissertation grants are awarded on a one-off basis only.

CLASSIFICATION OF DISSERTATION GRANT APPLICATION ACCORDING TO FIELD OF RESEARCH

Applicants indicate their main field of research on the application form. The alternatives are: basic research or clinical research (incl. epidemiological research). The application may be transferred to be reviewed under another field in order to ensure the most expert review possible.

APPENDICES TO APPLICATION FOR DISSERTATION GRANT

1. Research protocol of no more than three pages including references. The font size must be no less than 12 pt.

Indicative structure for research protocol:

a. Background
b. Research objective
c. Research implementation and methods
d. Schedule
e. Division of labour among research team members
f. Basis for cost estimate
g. Ethical considerations.

2. List of principal researcher’s publications from 2018–2023. The publication must have been printed or published electronically in 2018 or thereafter. A publication may be “in press”, but in this case it must have been approved for publication. “Submitted” does not yet count as a publication. On the application form, the applicant shall enter only the articles included in the doctoral thesis. A more complete list of publications is appended to the application.

GRANT PAYMENT

After the award decision, the applicant shall submit their payment details through the grant application system. They must also notify related party affiliations as required by the Finnish Foundations Act. Dissertation grants are paid in January 2024.

Grant money that remains undrawn will be transferred back to the fund that awarded it one year after the award decision was notified, unless otherwise agreed with the researcher.

GRANTEES’ SOCIAL SECURITY AND NOTIFICATION OBLIGATION

If a grantee resident in Finland works on a grant of at least 1,429 euros for more than four (4) consecutive months, they can take out social security insurance.

 Mela, the Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution of Finland, provides comprehensive pension cover and social security to farmers and recipients of scientific or artistic grants and scholarships. The Cancer Foundation Finland notifies Mela of all grants of 1,429 euros or more where the grantees have notified that they will work for at least four (4) consecutive months on the grant. More information www.mela.fi/en

NOTIFYING THE TAX AUTHORITIES

The Cancer Foundation notifies the tax authorities of the amount in euros of grant money it pays and the personal data of the grantee.

A notification to the tax authorities requires that the recipient has a Finnish personal identity code. The personal identity code is provided with the payment details via the grant application system. More information on grants and tax: https://www.vero.fi/en/individuals/tax-cards-and-tax-returns/income/earned-income/grants/

ACCOUNTS STATEMENT AND REPORTING

The Cancer Foundation Finland’s dissertation grants are personal grants. Grantees are not required to provide an accounts statement on the use of the grant.

Dissertation grants are reported on by sending a permanent link to the doctoral dissertation by email to [email protected] once the dissertation has been approved and published. Researchfish reporting does not apply to dissertation grant recipients.

COMMUNICATIONS GUIDELINES

When referring to the grant in their communications, we hope that grantees take into account the following:

The grant has been awarded by Cancer Foundation Finland sr (in Finnish Syöpäsäätiö sr, in Swedish Cancerstiftelsen sr).

Sometimes grantees should also acknowledge the specific fund from which the grant has been awarded, for example the Juhlatoimikunta. Grantees should also acknowledge a party that has donated the grant money to the Cancer Foundation Finland, if the party wants their name to be mentioned.

We hope that grantees will also notify interesting research results to the Cancer Foundation Finland’s Communications Department at [email protected].