Public Sector Productivity Programme (Julkisen sektorin tuottavuus -ohjelma)

Scaling Productivity-Improving Solutions in the Public Sector — 3rd

Supports Finnish public organisations through Sitra to scale proven productivity solutions across public services.

Scaling Productivity-Improving Solutions in the Public Sector is a funding call from Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, an independent public foundation that operates under the supervision of the Finnish Parliament. This third call funds projects that take an already-validated productivity-improving solution and deploy it to at least 10 new Finnish public-sector environments, using data and AI as enablers. The emphasis is explicitly on scaling proven solutions rather than developing or piloting new ones, so the solution must already show measured productivity results in Finnish organisations before applying.

The call uses a two-stage selection process. Stage 1 is a short PowerPoint-format application due by 11 August 2026, from which zero to six applicants are selected to proceed to Stage 2. Contracts are expected by 23 September 2026, with funded projects running from September 2026 to April 2027, roughly seven to eight months. Applicants must cover at least 50 percent of project costs, either from their own budget or third-party funding, and EU de minimis state-aid rules apply where the applicant carries out economic activity. Companies, non-profits, universities, and research organisations may apply; private individuals and sole traders cannot. Funding decisions cannot be appealed.

The award maximum is not published on the call page, so applicants should consult the Sitra funding portal for the funding ceiling. To compete, applicants should document measured productivity gains from prior Finnish deployments, present a concrete plan to reach at least 10 new environments within the project window, and confirm their 50-percent co-funding. Given that only up to six applicants advance to Stage 2, a sharp, evidence-backed Stage 1 submission focused on demonstrated impact and scalability is essential.