For some of the money, the Children and Youth Administration has built up new support structures for night hiking, where the municipality works together with non-profit associations.
- What we build up now will last in the long run, even when this project period and the grant money is over, says Karin Manole, project manager Södertälje municipality.
Pitfalls with the grant
That does not always happen.
The National Audit Office has examined targeted grants that were distributed between 2017 and 2019 and found that they risk creating a short-term perspective in the municipalities' work.
- There is a risk that you build up good operations that then disappear when the money runs out, says Emma Wallin, Audit Director at the Swedish National Audit Office.
Another risk is that targeted grants will not be relevant in the municipalities if the municipalities themselves are not allowed to participate and influence what is to be done at the local level.
- The targeted grants are needed, but it is important to think about and give the municipalities some leeway so that there are investments that can live on, says Karin Manole, project manager Södertälje municipality.
The non-profit association Better Youth is one of several that now, thanks to the grant, night walks in the municipality - "Now we look ahead and see what more we can do together".