After an intensive period of political dialogue, the legislation has now been amended, opening up new opportunities for research.
From 1 January 2026, companies will be able to receive tax relief for donations to, among other things, scientific research, following a decision that has now been passed by the Swedish Parliament. The reform means that companies can receive tax relief of up to SEK 800,000 per year for donations to non-profit organisations, including universities and higher education institutions.
Sara Wallin, CEO of the Chalmers Foundation, has worked intensively on the issue together with Katarina Larsson, Chief Financial Officer of the Chalmers Foundation.
“I first raised this issue at Almedalen in the summer of 2024 and since then, together with Katarina, I have engaged in dialogue with the Government Offices, written opinion pieces and submitted a formal request to the Ministry of Finance. It is actually unusually fast for a legislative change, but it also shows that there is political will to strengthen the conditions for Swedish research.”
What does this mean for Chalmers?
“Of course, we do not yet know exactly how much impact the reform will have; that will depend on how many companies choose to take advantage of the opportunity. But the important thing is that we now have the tool. That in itself changes the playing field.”
The reform brings Sweden more into line with many other knowledge-driven nations, such as Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, where donations to research are a natural and often decisive complement to public funding.
A key component of the Chalmers Foundation’s long-term strategy
“One of our most important ambitions going forward is to increase the capital of the Chalmers Foundation, and thereby our long-term returns, so that we can distribute more funds to the university. The aim is to enable research at Chalmers to be conducted with greater academic freedom and under more stable conditions, independent of short-term project funding. Donations play a crucial role in this work.”
Over the past year, the Chalmers Foundation has stepped up the pace of its fundraising strategy. New structures and roles have been established to make it easier for companies and private individuals to contribute to priority research areas.
“With the new legislation, we see an even greater need to be proactive. We need to broaden the dialogue, reach more companies and clearly demonstrate the difference their engagement can make — not only for Chalmers, but for Sweden’s long-term competitiveness.”
“And we are not finished. We will now continue to work towards raising the cap further and ensuring that private individuals are also eligible for tax relief. This is how we can build a genuine culture of philanthropy in Sweden and secure long-term funding for world-class research.”