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MuniFin’s Happiness Grant

The Happiness Grant invests in Finland’s communal happiness. Finland has ranked first in the UN’s World Happiness Report for nine years in a row, and through the grant, MuniFin aims to inspire concrete actions to maintain and strengthen the foundations of Finnish happiness.

Supporting communal happiness in Finland

MuniFin’s Happiness Grant supports local initiatives that strengthen communal happiness in Finland. Each year, we allocate EUR 100,000 to a project that improves well-being, strengthens communities and contributes to a sustainable and inclusive society.

The grant reflects our broader mission: financing the foundations of everyday life in Finland. With the Happiness Grant, we extend this mission by supporting new ideas that improve people’s everyday lives at the community level.

Through its core mandate, MuniFin finances the very foundations of happiness – schools, daycare centres, public transportation and affordable housing. We hope the Happiness Grant will inspire people to think positively about the future and to co-create bold and creative local projects with the potential to support Finland’s growth and development.
Esa Kallio, President and CEO.

Esa Kallio

President and CEO

Why happiness?

Finland has ranked the happiest country in the world in the UN World Happiness Report for several consecutive years. Finnish happiness is often linked to strong institutions, social trust, safety, equality and functioning public services. However, happiness is also built locally through communities, shared spaces and everyday encounters.

The purpose of the Happiness Grant is to encourage new initiatives that strengthen these foundations and to spark a broader conversation about what creates communal happiness in Finland.

About the Happiness Grant

Grant eligibility and selection process

The Happiness Grant supports initiatives that strengthen communal well-being and improve everyday life in Finnish communities. Projects are evaluated based on research-driven criteria. Proposals should take into account community spirit, inclusion and safety. In addition, they are expected to have a long-term impact, promote ecological sustainability and highlight inventive ways to improve well-being. Projects can be small or large, but they must have a tangible effect on everyday life at the community level.

The Happiness Grant is intended for MuniFin’s customers. Our customers include Finnish mainland municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, joint county authorities and corporate entities under their control, and non-profit organisations and projects nominated by the Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction.

The grant cannot be allocated to activities operating in a competitive market.

Applications are evaluated by an independent panel of experts. In 2025 the panel includes representatives from MuniFin as well as Creative Director Jani Halme, innovation policy expert Jayla Tammiharju and author and social media professional Julia Thurén. Dr Jennifer De Paola serves as the panel’s scientific advisor. Projects are evaluated based on the Happiness Grant criteria.

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