AKKE and AIKOO funding

AKKE - Allocation to support sustainable growth and vitality of regions

AKKE funding is currently not available

AKKE funding can be applied for, in particular, to increase the region's competitiveness and for business coordination projects.

Projects funded under the call must meet at least one of the following criteria: 

• the project supports research, development and innovation activities of SMEs, thereby improving their innovative capacity; 
• the project strengthens the innovation ecosystem in the region; 
• the project broadens the range of actors involved in RDI activities; 

The appropriation for supporting the sustainable growth and vitality of the regions (AKKE) will be used, in accordance with the decisions of the regional councils, for projects promoting the implementation of the regional programme and the Government's regional development decision. This appropriation may be used, for example, for small-scale development, experimentation and study projects based on regional strengths and specialisation.

A project may be awarded aid if it has a significant impact on the implementation of the project, if the activity is non-profit making and if the results of the activity supported as a development project are generally exploitable. 

The monitoring of funded projects shall consist in particular of the following objectives/indicators:  

• A concise description of the development processes initiated 

• A concise description of possible cross-regional cooperation (the extent to which the project involves experts and business activities in different regions, such as research and training actors, development organisations and companies, and how the project promotes cooperation between actors in different regions and the utilisation of knowledge) 

• Number of SMEs involved in projects 

• Number of research and training organisations involved in projects 

• Number of other organisations involved in projects 

Conditions for granting the aid and selection criteria:

The projects to be funded must comply with the Regional Programme for Northern Ostrobothnia. In the selection of projects, priority will be given to concrete, effective and, in particular, novelty-value projects. In addition, the quality of the applications and the usability and shareability of the results are taken into account. Applications are processed in accordance with the funding decision process described in the Northern Ostrobothnia Regional Council's IMS description.

Public law bodies, such as municipalities, joint municipal authorities, municipal development companies, research and training organisations and associations, can apply for funding. The applicant must have sufficient financial and other resources to carry out the project and sufficient resources to ensure business continuity. The Regional Council cannot grant aid to an individual company for the development of its own business. 

In order to be funded, projects and their costs must comply with the laws governing their use.

As a general rule, the amount of aid does not exceed 70 % the total eligible costs. In the case of an investment included in a project, the maximum aid amount is always 70 % the total eligible costs. The applicant must also make a self-financing contribution. The project may also include other co-financing, such as municipal or corporate funding.

Under the lump sum model, the project is granted as a lump sum on the basis of a clear output identified in the financing decision. The implementation of the project and the payment of the aid may be divided into instalments if this is appropriate for the implementation of the project and a clear output has been defined for each of the instalments on which the aid is paid. Aid may not be granted in the form of a lump sum for projects carried out in the form of public procurement in their entirety.

Flat rate 40 % It is also possible. The costs are presented as follows: all project costs other than wage costs shall be reimbursed up to an amount of 40; % acceptable wage costs.

As a general rule, the duration of projects may not exceed 2 years.

Application:

The application form, attachment forms and application instructions are available on the website of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia from here.

Signed applications and their appendices must be submitted to the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia at kirjaamo@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi.

AKKE - application form can be found this one. A mandatory job description form is available for everyone this.

Additional information:

Heikki Laukkanen, Regional Development Specialist, tel. 050 918 0035