STEA: All Organizations

MIELI Suomen Mielenterveys ry, MIELI Psykisk Hälsa Finland rf - 6.0 M€ for a single organization.

6 M€ to a mental health organization that runs a crisis helpline (1.4 M€), crisis centres (963k€), suicide prevention (373k€) and the Sekasin chat for young people (981k€). The crisis helpline is a concrete service. But 10 separate grant items means 10 applications, 10 reports, 10 monitoring processes. Mielenterveyspooli (26k€) is joint advocacy by organizations - lobbying STM, which funds it. In the same category, MIELI Lounais-Suomi (689k€), MIELI Oulu (326k€) and Pirkanmaan Mielenterveys (329k€) do the same regional crisis work. Why four separate MIELI organizations with separate applications instead of one national organization?

Ehkäisevä päihdetyö EHYT ry, Förebyggande rusmedelsarbete EHYT rf - 4.1 M€ for a single organization.

4.1 M€ for preventive substance abuse work. General grant 1.3 M€ (31%) - just under a third of the money goes out without earmarking. STM cut 687k€ from the application and rejected two projects (502k€): a project to prevent drug deaths among young people and the Re.UNITE psychosocial support project. Substance education in schools (745k€) sounds like the schools' job. The 24/7 substance advice helpline (490k€) is concrete. Gambling harm prevention (276k€) is the same work Sininauhaliitto does with its own 368k€ Tiltti grant. Member organization grants of 73k€ are passed through EHYT - why doesn't STEA fund them directly? A-klinikkasäätiö (2.9 M€) and Sininauhaliitto (2.2 M€) do the same substance abuse work. Three big organizations, 9.3 M€ in total.

SUOMEN PUNAINEN RISTI - 3.5 M€ for a single organization.

3.5 M€. The largest grant is the youth shelter service (1.1 M€) - concrete crisis work. The Voluntary Rescue Service Vapepa (678k€) is the only volunteer activity in the rescue sector and coordinates thousands of volunteers. Loneliness work (589k€) targets the same group as Helsinkimissio's loneliness work (215k€+225k€+244k€+455k€ = 1.1 M€). Support for undocumented people (245k€) and immigrant integration (355k€) - the same work is also done by many settlements and immigrant organizations. Accident prevention (94k€) - sharing information through communications. Is a 94k€ information campaign effective? Received 99.7% of the amount requested. Practically automatic.

Mielenterveyden Keskusliitto ry, ruotsiksi Centralförbundet för Mental Hälsa rf - 3.0 M€ for a single organization.

3 M€ to support mental health rehabilitees. General grant 1.2 M€ (39%) - a large share goes to administration. The VOIMA course activity (701k€) consists of peer support groups for rehabilitees - concrete. Mental health counselling and volunteer peer support (577k€) is the same work as MIELI ry's crisis centre activity (964k€). Training professionals in mental health skills (489k€) - a task for the wellbeing services counties, not an NGO. Member organization grants of 75k€ are passed through the umbrella organization. Cf. MIELI ry 6 M€ - two large mental health umbrella organizations, 9 M€ in total. Are both needed?

NÄKÖVAMMAISTEN LIITTO RY - Got exactly 3.0 M€. No cut.

3 M€ to support visually impaired people. Got 100% of what it applied for - not a cent was cut. Regional service guidance and counselling (600k€) is concrete work that makes everyday life easier. Digital skills and accessible publishing (909k€) is the largest single item. Daisy player lending is necessary, but is 909k€ a year the right amount? Postage for the visually impaired post service is 420k€ a year. This is a pure operating cost, not development. Employment promotion (317k€) - the same work is done by the TE Office and the wellbeing services counties. General grant 727k€ (24%). Five grant items, all approved as is.

A-klinikkasäätiö sr - 2.9 M€ for a single organization.

2.9 M€ for substance abuse work. General grant 909k€ (32%). Päihdelinkki and Nuortenlinkki (407k€) are well-known online services - concrete. Katuklinikka (388k€) reaches active users in Helsinki, Pirkanmaa and North Ostrobothnia through outreach work. Effective harm reduction work. Dopinglinkki (80k€) serves a narrow target group. Gym doping is a problem, but is a separate 80k€ grant the most efficient approach? The drug checking project (303k€) was rejected - STM did not approve a drug testing service. An interesting line to draw. Lasinen lapsuus (194k€) is a long-running brand for children of families with alcohol problems. 10 grant items, 1 rejected. Broad activity, but the administrative burden is large.

SOSTE SUOMEN SOSIAALI JA TERVEYS RY - 2.8 M€ for a single organization.

2.8 M€ through two grants. General grant 1.2 M€ (42%) and targeted grant 1.6 M€. STM cut 1.8 M€ (40%) from the application - the original request of 4.6 M€ was clearly oversized. The targeted grant goes to 'utilizing the expertise of organizations in decision-making' and 'strengthening their operating conditions'. In practice SOSTE lobbies STM, which funds it. An umbrella organization whose members STEA funds separately. 2.8 M€ for coordination and advocacy with no direct service to citizens. Is this justified as a use of taxpayers' money?

Loma ja Terveys ry - 2.7 M€ for a single organization.

2.7 M€ for subsidized holidays. The main grant of 2.4 M€ goes to social holiday activities for low-income people. HYVINVOINTILOMAT RY gets 2.1 M€ for exactly the same purpose. SOLARIS-LOMAT RY gets 1.5 M€ for the same. Three separate holiday organizations, 6.3 M€ in total for subsidized holidays. Each runs its own administration, its own applications, its own reporting. STM cut 762k€ (22%) from Loma ja Terveys ry's application and 643k€ (23%) from Hyvinvointilomat ry's. Customer register maintenance 84k€ and support person network 163k€ - administrative costs. One organization would be enough. A merger would save an estimated 500k€/yr in administrative costs.

Sininauhasäätiö sr - 2.6 M€ for a single organization.

2.6 M€ for substance abuse and homelessness work. The Nuoli support point (840k€) is a round-the-clock drop-in place for homeless people under 29 - concrete. Homelessness work is the focus: long-term homeless (309k€), homelessness among immigrants (232k€), day centre activity (365k€). Preventing drug deaths among young people, ODE 2.0 (417k€), was approved as a project - the same project was rejected from EHYT ry and SPR. Two ESF+ projects were rejected (312k€). STM cut 554k€ (18%) in total. Volunteer coordination (108k€) is an administrative cost. Cf. A-klinikkasäätiö does the same substance abuse and homelessness work in Helsinki with 2.9 M€.

Kehitysvammaisten Tukiliitto ry - 2.6 M€ for a single organization.

2.6 M€ to support people with intellectual disabilities. General grant 875k€ (34%). The Malike activity (521k€) provides activity equipment for people with severe disabilities - concrete, unique. KEHITYSVAMMALIITTO RY gets 2.4 M€ for the same target group. Two separate umbrella organizations for people with intellectual disabilities: Tukiliitto (advocacy, families) and Liitto (services, easy-to-read language). 5 M€ in total for two organizations serving the same target group. A merger would save administrative costs. Rights advocacy and legal advice (201k€) - important, but also a task for the social services of the wellbeing services counties. Three ESF+ projects were rejected (163k€). Rare diseases (Ak 6483, 6482, 6480) are fragmented into separate grant items.

KEHITYSVAMMALIITTO RY - 2.4 M€ for a single organization.

2.4 M€ for services for people with intellectual disabilities. General grant 1.2 M€ (48%) - almost half the money is not earmarked. Tikoteekki (420k€) promotes communication for people with speech impairments - concrete, specialized. Selkokeskus (367k€) produces easy-to-read material - a unique service that nobody else provides. FASD peer support (87k€) for those affected by prenatal alcohol exposure - small, targeted. Three ESF+ projects were rejected (114k€) - all employment projects. A task for the TE services? Materials and apps for people with speech impairments (375k€) and Tikoteekki (420k€) are both communication aids - why separate grants?

Pelastakaa Lapset ry - Got exactly 2.4 M€. No cut.

2.4 M€. Got 100% of what it applied for - no cut. Support persons and sports mentors (601k€) is the largest single item - volunteers for families with children. General grant 758k€ (32%). Two Perheentalo family houses (Joensuu 229k€, Kuopio 223k€) are local meeting places. Online tip-off service (118k€) - protecting children online. The international adoption service (98k€) is a statutory task. Holiday and host family activity (340k€) is the same social holiday activity the holiday organizations do (6.3 M€). 7 grant items, all approved as is. A well-known brand, but did anyone check?

MANNERHEIMIN LASTENSUOJELULIITTO RY - Got exactly 2.3 M€. No cut.

2.3 M€. Got 100% of what it applied for. The children and youth phone/online/chat service (540k€) runs every day of the year - concrete. Local volunteer child and family activity (670k€) is the core of MLL. The peer student and Koulurauha programme (342k€) - works in schools, but is this a task for the education authorities? Parents' helpline (231k€) - the same as Väestöliitto's parenting services. A Mother's Day celebration for 28k€ of public money. Should this be funded with a STEA grant? Cf. Väestöliitto 1.9 M€ - both do parenting support and child and family work. Overlap.

Sininauhaliitto r.y. - 2.2 M€ for a single organization.

2.2 M€ for substance abuse and addiction work. General grant 821k€ (38%). Tiltti (368k€) - support for gambling harms. The same work as Sosiaalipedagogiikan säätiö's Pelirajaton (472k€). Two organizations, 840k€ in total for gambling harm services. The Restart programme (172k€) for digital gaming harms - a narrow target group. Support for the loved ones of people with substance addiction (167k€) - important but overlapping with A-klinikkasäätiö and EHYT. Green Care / Vihreä veräjä (187k€) - nature-based wellbeing activity. How does this relate to substance abuse work? Member organization grants 50k€ + strengthening member organizations' operating conditions 315k€ = 365k€ passed on to members. An umbrella organization whose main work is coordination and supporting member organizations.

HYVINVOINTILOMAT RY - 2.1 M€ for a single organization.

2.1 M€ through a single grant: subsidized holidays for low-income people. The organization's entire activity is one grant item. STM cut 643k€ (23%). Exactly the same activity as Loma ja Terveys ry (2.7 M€) and Solaris-Lomat ry (1.5 M€). Three organizations, three administrations, three audits, three offices, 6.3 M€ in total. Subsidized holiday activity is valuable in itself for low-income families, but there is no systematic justification for three organizations.