Each year, the Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia (ECFA) runs a competitive small grants round to support Estonian community activities in Australia. The total pool of funds each year is dictated by our investment earnings, which for this year was around $38,000. We had 16 applications totalling over $64,000. Needless to say, the task of deciding between the different projects and activities seeking support, especially where the applications are as strong as they were this year, is not an easy task. It is like trying to fit a size 11 foot into a size 7 shoe – even with squeezing and the best will in the world, there are going to be pain points. Not all applications were successful, and many successful applications received less funding than they sought.
The following grants will be distributed in 2026-27:
- Brisbane Estonian Society – $1,500
- Annual Midsummer Celebration (Jaanituli)
- Estonian Cultural Association in Western Australia (EstWest) – $4,500
- Children’s Playgroup – $1,000
- Folk Dancing – $1,000
- Family Camp – $2,500
- Gold Coast Estonian Society – $4,000
- Queensland Estonian Family Camp
- Gold Coasti Eesti Kool ja Mängutuba – $2,142
- Gold Coast Estonian School and Playgroup
- HEIA (Hello, Estonians in Australia) – $4,000
- Editorial and content services
- Kooskõlas (National Mixed Choir) – $1,500
- Assistance of an Estonian choir conductor for Laulupidu 2028
- Melbourne Estonian Society – $3,500
- Melbourne Estonian Children’s Camp
- Newy EestLASTE Kultuuriring – $600
- Language and Culture Club for Estonian Kids in Newcastle
- ‘Sõrve’ Estonian Children’s Summer Camp – $8,800
- Estonian Sõrve Children’s Camp – $7,000
- Hans Ots Grant for Financial Support – $1,800
- Sydney Estonian Society – $1,500
- Professional filming and documentation of the Sydney Estonian Community’s 100-year celebrations
- Sydney Mudilasring – $2,500
- Estonian Children’s Playgroup in Sydney
- Virmalised (Sydney Folk Dancers) – $2,500
- Participation in a specialised teacher training course in Tallinn
- Virmalised, Rukkililled, Lepatriinud– $1,289
- Joint application for 3 Sydney Estonian folk dancing groups for workshops in Sydney
The largest number of requests and the highest total amounts sought came from children’s playgroups and family camps, which now take place across Australia. They are an important vehicle for teaching young Australians with Estonian heritage, Estonian traditions and language skills. Each year, the ECFA Board admires the commitment of the volunteers who make these events happen, and the creativity and flair that they bring to the learning programs and activities offered. The Estonian Government, through the Estonian Institute’s (EKI) teacher funding initiative, supports Estonian language teaching by providing materials and some teacher funding. The total amount given by ECFA this year across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia comes to over $6,200 for playgroups, and $18,800 for family camps. Most family camps are of two to three days duration, although the largest and the one with the longest history, Sõrve, runs for a full week and has over 160 participants, around two thirds of whom fall between the ages of 0 and 18 years of age.
ECFA is pleased to offer total funding of over $6,200 to folk dancing groups and choirs in Sydney and Perth. With the 30th Estonian Festival in Sydney in 2027, and Laulupidu and Tantsupidu approaching Tallinn in 2028, our singers and dancers are toning their voices and honing their steps to be a part of these festivities. Most of the ECFA funding will support teacher training and instructional visits from Estonia.
The Estonian community in Brisbane will receive funding of $1,500 for their own warm-up around their annual Jaanituli celebrations, and the Sydney Eesti Society will receive $1,500 towards a film to document its 100th anniversary in 2027.
To round out our annual funding round, ECFA granted HEIA (Hello, Estonians in Australia) $4,000 towards the costs of its editorial and content services. ECFA has also been able to secure separate one-off Estonian Government support for HEIA through the Integration Foundation (Integratsiooni Sihtasutus).
In addition to the annual grant allocation outlined above, ECFA will provide a $10,000 sponsorship to the 30th Australian Estonian Festival (XXX Eesti Päevad) in Sydney in April 2027. The first Estonian Festival in Australia was also held in Sydney way back in 1954. The next festival coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Sydney Estonian Society. Should be quite the event!
For more information on the successful grant applicatsion, see the ECFA’s website: https://ecfa.eesti.org.au/grants/
