Funding for community events

Up to 10 applications per semester will be funded. The applications are evaluated by the Talent Boost team. The final decision is made by the Talent Boost steering board. The successful applicants will be notified via email.

Evaluation criteria and evaluation component weight

• Potential impact: 30%
• Composition of the organising team and their commitment to the action: 15%
• Feasible and smart budget plan: 15%
• Feasibility of the presented event/activity production plan: 20%
• The novelty of the idea or concept: 10%
• Prospects for attracting and engaging the attendees and solid marketing plan: 10%

In the budget, the costs must be divided into the following categories and defined with justifications.

• Rents of premises/facilities
• Materials
• Payments to third-party service providers (e.g. to a performer, speaker, or photographer)
• Food and beverages (no alcohol can be served)
• Marketing and promotion
• Other costs (clarification needed)

Total budget cannot exceed 1500 €. The final funding amount will be discussed separately with each team – the full amount is not automatically the maximum sum. The budget must be in line with the scale of the fundable activity.

Please note that no funds can be spent before the budget is approved and locked by the University of Oulu. Successful applicants will receive a separate message once the budget is approved. Please keep all the receipts - the refunds will be carried out only against receipts. The confirmed budget should not be exceeded.

Responsibilities of the organising team

The responsibility of the organizer (meaning the successful applicant) is to organize a high-quality and safe event or activity. The activity must correspond to the activity described in the application. The organizers submit a report on the event or activity they have organized. The successful applicant(s) will also provide updates on the progress as requested by the Internal Talent Boost Bottom-up Initiative Funding Call coordinators and will create a report at the end of the action.

No changes can be made to the proposal and/or the event or activity plan after approval. Before the approval, you can enquire about the possibility of making changes to your application by contacting your Internal Talent Boost Bottom-up Initiative Funding Call coordinator. Each successful application will be assigned a contact person. The requests should be sent well in advance.

The organisers must follow the normal process and guidelines for purchases of the University of Oulu. The details are discussed and agreed upon at the beginning of the project between the successful applicant and the Internal Talent Boost Bottom-up Initiative Funding Call coordinator after the application is approved.

The organisers will attend the interim meetings on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. The schedules are made and agreed upon directly with successful applicants as the timelines of the projects vary.

If necessary, a separate channel for communication will be created in Microsoft Teams or other platform by the University of Oulu for every team of successful applicants. The successful applicants will receive and share relevant information with coordinators using the channel.

The organizers are also encouraged to share their experiences with funding and the process of applying for it, as well as the realization of their event idea. The applicant is also responsible for ensuring that the origin of the funding is openly visible in the activity's communication materials, e.g. "(Name of the event or activity) event is supported by Talent Boost Bottom-up Initiative internal funding 2022/23.

Support and guidance for organisers

The internal funding coordinators will support the organizers when necessary, e.g. in the creation and development of the activity concept, the creation of the registration and/or pre-registration form for the event, the reservation of spaces at the university campuses, and organising peer support meeting and to support the sharing of good practices. Please note that the main responsibility for the marketing of the event or activity lies with the organizers.

For more information and help with funding and application process, send an email to talentboost(at)oulu.fi