Health charity leaders’ earnings vary as Finland tightens grant rules
Thursday 12th November 2026 on 14:45 in
Finland
One leader of a Finnish social welfare and health organisation among the largest recipients of STEA grants had taxable earned income of more than 150,000 euros last year, Yle reported. The tax figures do not show how much came from the person’s work as an organisation leader.
The figures come as Social Affairs and Health Minister Wille Rydman tried to introduce stricter criteria for grants from STEA, the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations. One change that was approved limits the amount of a grant that can be allocated to an individual salary to 75,000 euros.
Yle reviewed the ten organisations that received the most STEA grants. They include the Finnish Red Cross, which runs the Blood Service; the A-Clinic Foundation, which works to reduce substance-related harm; and the Sininauhasäätiö foundation, which supports people experiencing homelessness. All the organisations are members of SOSTE, an umbrella organisation for social welfare and health organisations.
Among other well-known organisations, Milla Kalliomaa, secretary general of the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, had taxable earned income of 106,122 euros. Kaisa Leikola, secretary general of Save the Children Finland, had 93,536 euros; Janne Juvakka, chief executive of the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities, had 206,506 euros; and Sanna Kaijanen, executive director of the Finnish Federation of Hard of Hearing, had 95,660 euros.
Tax records do not specify where the income came from, so leaders may have had other sources of income. Taxable earned income is also generally lower than gross salary because of deductions.
Yle reported that leaders of labour market organisations earned more. Jyri Häkämies, who was chief executive of the Confederation of Finnish Industries last year, had taxable earned income of 447,530 euros. Jarkko Eloranta, chair of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions, had 237,808 euros.
Rydman’s taxable earned income was 157,487 euros last year. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo had 235,839 euros and Finance Minister Riikka Purra had 176,615 euros.