Health from Nature — Municipal Call (Terveyttä luonnosta)

Nature's Health Benefits in Municipalities — Funding

Funds Finnish municipalities through Sitra to embed nature-based health benefits in schools, neighborhoods, and care settings.

Sitra's 2026 Nature's Health Benefits in Municipalities call is part of the national Terveyttä luonnosta (Health from Nature) programme that launched in March 2026, which runs through 2035 and designates 2027 as a national theme year. The call funds Finnish municipalities that embed nature's proven health benefits — protection against depression, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, stress relief, and immune system support — into their permanent local operations, including land-use planning, schools, daycare centres, care homes, and neighbourhood design. Sitra allocated approximately €500,000 across the call, with a maximum of €150,000 per project. Funded projects are expected to run during 2027, with all costs reportable by 31 March 2028.

The primary applicant must be a Finnish municipality holding a Finnish business ID (y-tunnus). A municipality may apply alone or as part of a consortium with other municipalities or organisations; however, the grant recipient may not sub-grant funds onward to other parties. Private individuals and sole traders are ineligible. No mandatory co-funding is required, but co-funding is viewed positively by evaluators. EU de minimis state-aid rules apply where the applicant conducts economic activity. Applications are limited to four pages and 7,000 characters, submitted in Finnish through Sitra's online portal by 17 August 2026 at noon.

The evaluation process is a scored two-stage review. After paper review, interview invitations are sent by 23 October 2026, with Teams interviews held on weeks 43–44. Sitra notifies finalists selected for contract negotiations by 20 November 2026, with contracts signed in December 2026 to January 2027. Funded projects receive a dedicated steering group and two joint meetings in February and October/November 2027. Sitra's funding decisions are final and not subject to appeal. Contact programme leads Laura Järvinen or Vesa-Matti Lahti at Sitra.