International Umbrella Organization Event Competition in 2026
The aim of the support is to strengthen the international cooperation of Estonian NGOs and increase the visibility and impact of Estonia's civil society at the international level. It supports the organization of a major international umbrella organization event in Estonia by an Estonian association or its member association, which brings international partners, knowledge, and experience to Estonia and creates new cooperation opportunities.
| Agency | SA KÜSK |
|---|---|
| Region | other |
| Country | EE |
| Legal form | NGO |
| Start date | 5 Jun 2026 |
| End date | 31 Dec 2026 |
| Max funding | The maximum amount of support is up to 12,000 euros., The support may constitute up to 25% of the event's total budget., An applicant can receive support for organizing one international umbrella organization event per calendar year., Only one event taking place in Estonia per umbrella organization is supported per calendar year. |
| Budget | The joint budget for the support of foreign projects and the international umbrella organization major events competition in 2026 is 70,000 euros. |
| Coverage | The support covers up to 25% of the event's total budget. 90% of the support is paid out after KÜSK's decision to approve the application and signing the contract. 10% of the support is paid out after the submission and approval of the final report by KÜSK. |
| Applicant type | Registered non-profit associations and foundations in Estonia are eligible to apply for support. |
|---|---|
| Public interest requirement | The applicant must operate in the public interest and their activities must be public. |
| Operational period requirement | The applicant must have been operating for at least one year. |
| Annual accounts | The applicant must have submitted annual accounts on time. |
| Previous obligations | The applicant must have duly fulfilled previous obligations. |
| Tax arrears | The applicant must not have any tax debts, or they must be deferred. |
| Previous KÜSK support restriction | The applicant must not have received KÜSK support for international umbrella organization events in the previous calendar year. |
| Supported event | Support is provided for organizing an international umbrella organization event in Estonia by an Estonian association. |
| Event content |
|
| Connection with the umbrella organization | The event must be related to the activities of an international umbrella organization and the applicant must be able to prove this by a decision or confirmation of the umbrella organization. |
| Internationality requirement | The event must bring together organizations or experts from different countries. |
| Event duration | The event must last at least two consecutive days and include a substantive program on both days. |
| Event date | The event must take place in 2026. |
| Alignment with applicant objectives | The event must be in line with the objectives set by the applicant in the public interest. |
| Impact requirement | The event must contribute to international cooperation, knowledge transfer, and the international visibility of Estonian civil society. |
| Consistency with development plans | The event must support the objectives of the development plan 'Cohesive Estonia 2021–2030' and the programme 'Community Estonia 2025–2028' and contribute to their achievement. |
| Wider impact requirement | Priority is given to activities with an impact on a broader target group and which create new opportunities for cooperation. |
| Application deadline before the event | The application must be submitted at least 60 calendar days before the start of the event. |
| Eligibility period | The eligibility period must fall within 2026, and the specific eligibility period for the project is determined by the applicant in the application form based on the planned event. |
| Duration of the call for proposals | The call for proposals is open from 5 June 2026 until the funds are exhausted or until the end of 2026. |
| Processing of applications | Applications are processed on a rolling basis and support is granted in the order in which applications are received. |
| Documentation | https://kysk.ee/taotlejale/toetused-vabauhendustele/taotlusvoorud/rahs26/ |
Direct personnel costs related to organizing the event, including taxes, such as salary for the project coordinator, moderator or speaker. |
Costs of outsourced services related to project activities, such as translation services, technical production, sound, lighting, or event organization services. |
Publicity costs, such as event marketing, design, printing materials, website or social media notifications. |
Direct costs related to implementing planned activities, such as room rental, equipment rental, tools or other necessary costs for holding the event. |
General and development costs of the beneficiary up to 10% of the support, such as administrative costs of the organization, accounting, or general costs related to project management. |
Transport costs for participants arriving in and departing from Estonia up to 30% of the support, such as travel tickets for foreign participants or other travel costs to and from Estonia. |
First, KÜSK checks whether the applicant and the application comply with the requirements. |
For applications that meet the requirements, the alignment of activities with the purpose of the support and their contribution to achieving the expected results is assessed. |
The impact of the event on international cooperation and knowledge transfer is assessed, including what new knowledge and practices are brought to Estonia and how they will be used further. |
The contribution of the event to the international visibility of Estonian civil society and its role in international cooperation is assessed. |
The event's impact on the formation of new partnerships and the development of an international contact network is assessed. |
The applicant's capacity to implement the planned activities is assessed. |
If the application is approved, KÜSK makes a decision in TMS and a grant agreement is concluded. |
Support cannot be applied for by an organization that is not a registered non-profit association or foundation in Estonia. |
Support cannot be applied for by an organization that does not operate in the public interest or whose activities are not public. |
Support cannot be applied for by an organization that has operated for less than one year. |
Support cannot be applied for by an organization with outstanding annual reports or unfulfilled previous obligations. |
Support cannot be applied for by an organization with non-deferred tax debts. |
Support cannot be applied for by an organization that received KÜSK support for international umbrella organization events in the previous calendar year. |
Support is not given for sports or cultural events, including competitions and festivals. |
Support is not given for the organization of a single training, study visit, working meeting, information day or any similar activity. |
A one-day event is not eligible for support, as the event must last at least two consecutive days. |
An applicant cannot receive support for more than one international umbrella organization event per calendar year. |
Only one event taking place in Estonia per umbrella organization is supported per calendar year. |
Costs are not eligible if covered by other public support or the same cost is covered from multiple funding sources. |
A report on the use of the support must be submitted in TMS, using the KÜSK reporting format. |
The report must describe the implementation of activities and their impact, and submit cost documentation. |
Expenses must be substantiated by documents, such as an invoice, payment order, other equivalent accounting document, or bank statement. |
Expenses must be clearly distinguishable from other beneficiary expenses and visible separately in the accounting. |
Expenses must be paid from the beneficiary's bank account during the eligibility period or within 30 calendar days after the end of the activity, but no later than the submission of the report. |
The deadline for submitting the report is 30 calendar days after the end of the project's eligibility period, with the exact deadline specified in the grant agreement. |
If deficiencies are found during the review of the report, KÜSK generally gives 15 calendar days to rectify them. |
KÜSK does not approve the report if incorrect or incomplete information has been provided in the report or related documents, or if the beneficiary has not implemented the activities in accordance with the approval decision. |
90% of the support is paid out after the decision to approve the application and signing the agreement; 10% after the final report is submitted and approved. |
The application is submitted in Estonian by the legal representative of the association or their authorized person via the Ministry of Culture's grant management information system (TMS). |
The valid KÜSK application form for the respective competition must be used when submitting the application. |
The application must be submitted at least 60 calendar days before the start of the event. |
The call for applications is open from 5 June 2026 until the funds are exhausted or until the end of 2026. |
Applications are processed on a rolling basis and support is granted in the order in which applications are received. |
If the application is approved, the KÜSK board makes a decision and a grant agreement is signed via TMS. |
If the beneficiary fails to sign the agreement within 20 working days due to reasons attributable to them, KÜSK may declare the decision invalid. |
The application must include all required data and attachments. |
The application must include the decision or confirmation from the international umbrella organization regarding the event taking place in Estonia. |
The application must include the total budget of the event. |
Only the usage of KÜSK support should be indicated in the budget on the application form. |
The total budget must clearly show the full event organization budget by types of costs and income, such as participant accommodation, catering, local transportation, venue rental, outsourced services, participation fees, co-financing, and own contribution. |
It must be clearly indicated in the total budget where the KÜSK support is planned to be used. |
The application must describe the connection of the event with the activities of the international umbrella organization, the substantive program of the event, participants, objectives, impacts, and its alignment with the applicant's publicly set goals. |
The application must be submitted at least 60 calendar days before the start of the event. |