Financial support for communal food aid activities

Financial support for communal food aid activities can be applied for with this form until 30 March 2026. Please read the instructions below carefully before applying for the financial support.

The financial support will be distributed among all the branches that apply, up to a maximum of €700 per branch in 2026. The support is applied for for the whole year at once. The final amount granted will be determined based on the applications received.

If there is financial support left undistributed, a second call for applications will be organised during 2026.

Conditions for receiving the financial support

You may apply for the financial support if the following conditions are met:

• You use the financial support for the branch’s regular communal food aid activities. Financial support is not granted for single events. The activity cannot consist only of distributing food bags.
• You identify the needs of the area and avoid organising overlapping events. You ensure that the activity is accessible to all those in need.
• In addition to food aid, at least one other activity group in the branch participates in carrying out the activity. If the branch has no other activity groups, the activity can be organised in cooperation with another branch or other partners (e.g. municipality, parish, other organisations).
• You advertise the activity on the website www.ruoka-apu.fi/en/home/.
• You recruit new volunteers for the branch’s activities through the activity.
• You investigate the possibility of continuing the activity as a permanent form of activity.

Eligible expenses include, for example, expenditure incurred for the purchase of food: food to be served or prepared at the event, snack products, and food preparation and hygiene items. The financial support cannot be used to purchase gift cards to be distributed or to distribute the financial support in cash.

Reporting of expenses and payment of the financial support

The expenses and the activity must be reported to the headquarters once all costs covered by the financial support have been incurred or all planned events have been organised. Reporting is therefore done only once during the year. The report must be submitted no later than 15 December 2026 using the form published on this page.

The headquarters will pay the financial support to the branches for the costs incurred after the reporting has been submitted. Financial supports are paid to the branches a few times a year. Receipts are not sent to the headquarters, but they must be kept in the branch’s accounting.

More information on branch financial support can be found here.

Any questions can be sent to ruoka-apu@redcross.fi.