2026 application round for Estonian cultural heritage projects abroad is open

The National Archives of Estonia is calling for grant applications in the field of collection, preservation, and publication of Estonian cultural heritage created by expatriates or about expatriates.

The National Archives of Estonia is calling for grant applications for projects that support the collection, preservation and publication of Estonian cultural heritage created by expatriates or about expatriates. Cultural heritage refers to both oral and material heritage, including folklore, life stories and memories, musical tradition, documents, photographs, audiovisual heritage, publications, works of art, etc.

The call is within the framework of the Global Estonian Program, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. The call is financed by the Estonian Government from the budget of the Ministry of Education and Research. The total size of the fund is €118,000.  The eligibility period is January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026. Both organisations and individuals can apply for support.

The 2026 call for applications will be the last one to be held in this format. The state still considers the preservation of the cultural heritage of Estonians abroad important and will support it through other funding measures in the future.

The following activities can be funded:

• recording, indexing, describing, physically arranging, restoring, mapping and collecting (field work, acquisition actions, transport of archives), preparing for digitization, and digitizing of Estonian historical and cultural heritage created by expatriates or about expatriates in order to preserve Estonian cultural heritage and make it available to the public (on the web, in print and/or in a memory institution). NB! When applying to cover flight and accommodation costs, please include quotations with the application.
• creating data collections/databases/information portals regarding the above mentioned cultural heritage.
• preparing and conducting surveys;
• creating websites, compiling publications and exhibitions;  
• developing of cultural heritage cooperation networks (organising info sessions, seminars, and other events)
• counselling communities on practical archival work (organising trainings and professional guidance on archiving for Estonian communities outside of the country);
• cooperation projects between Estonian and foreign memory institutions in order to arrange, describe and make available Estonian historical and cultural heritage created by expatriates or about expatriates;
• research on the history and cultural heritage of the Estonian diaspora related to the collection, arrangement, or publicity of archival material or cultural heritage. NB! The application must include a list of the source materials of the proposed publication;
• publication of already completed manuscripts on the Estonian diaspora. NB! The application must include a list of the source materials of the proposed publication;
• preparation and distribution of information materials (in print or online) on the principles of work processes in archives, libraries and museums;
• research on Estonian cultural heritage created by expatriates or about expatriates.
• Ensuring the continuity of activities and development of Estonian archival centres operating abroad, whose main task is to collect, preserve, and enable access to Estonian cultural heritage (including the acquisition of archives from other organizations and individuals), as well as supporting associations and cooperation networks of organizations established to further this goal.

The results of the project must be made publicly available for non-commercial purposes, including provisions for the free use of copyright upon delivery of such results to a memory institution.

When making cultural heritage available, it is advisable to utilise the platforms developed by the public memory institutions in Estonia to facilitate the sharing of information with as many interested parties as possible.

The application deadline is February 4, 2026 at 23:59 (Estonian time). The Grant Review Committee will make its decisions within three weeks after the application deadline.

Please send your application to rahvusarhiiv@ra.ee or by mail to the following address: Rahvusarhiiv, Nooruse 3, 50411 Tartu, Estonia, quoting the reference “Global Estonian Program.“

Contact person: Kristi Ots, kristi.ots@ra.ee, +372 738 7511.

More information is available here.