Support programmes for Bulgarian communities abroad

The largest programme open directly to organisations of Bulgarians abroad is “Native Language and Culture Abroad” run by the Ministry of Education and Science (MON), for Sunday schools. The Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad (IABCh) supports communities through competitions, a publishing programme and partnerships. The programmes of the Ministry of Culture and the National Culture Fund are mainly for Bulgarian cultural organisations and artists.

per project

up to €20,000

MON, Sunday schools

per pupil

up to €125

MON, per school year

deadline

31 July

IABCh publishing programme

At a glance

Ministry of Education: “Native Language and Culture Abroad”

The programme has run since 2009. In the 2025/2026 school year it supports 129 Sunday schools. The 2026 programme has a total budget of €1,054,000 and three modules. The figures below come from the text published for public consultation in January 2026.

Module 1: teaching

• Applicants: organisations of Bulgarians registered under the law of their country; Bulgarian Orthodox church communities abroad; embassies and consulates.
• It funds: textbooks and books, rent of premises, lessons in Bulgarian language and literature, Bulgarian history and geography, university entrance preparation, folklore activities, costumes and instruments.
• Limits: up to €20,000 per project, up to €750 for rent, up to €125 per child or pupil; a teaching hour up to €15.
• Minimum: 10 children and pupils in teaching; 8 in entrance preparation or extra activities.
• Payment: 70% advance within three months of approval and 30% by 30 November.

Projects are submitted via world.mon.bg within 30 calendar days of MON publishing the conditions. You attach the registration document in an official translation, lists of teachers and pupils, bank details and a letter from the embassy. The report for the school year is due by 31 July of the following year.

Modules 2 and 3

• Module 2 — training courses for Sunday school teachers run by Bulgarian state universities. Teachers apply to the university with their organisation’s consent.
• Module 3 — forums, master classes and learning resources. Organisations whose Sunday schools are supported by MON submit proposals via world.mon.bg by 30 September.

Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad

The Agency, which reports to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, does not advertise an open grant scheme for community projects on its website. It supports communities through:

• competitions for children and young people from the communities — the “Stefan Gechev” literary competition, the “Bulgaria in my dreams” drawing competition, the “Lyubka Rondova” singing competition — and the “Bulgarian Woman of the Year – St Zlata Maglenska” award;
• a publishing programme: the Agency prints books by Bulgarian authors abroad and about the historical communities and distributes them free of charge; applications by 31 July each year to [email protected];
• partnerships with organisations abroad and in Bulgaria for forums, festivals and celebrations.

National Culture Fund

The Fund supports cultural projects through competitive programmes. Under “Mobility” 2026, for example, applicants can be Bulgarian private cultural organisations, chitalishta and individuals with Bulgarian citizenship or the right to reside in Bulgaria — for festivals, residencies and training in Bulgaria and abroad. Grants are up to €1,500 for one participant, €5,000 for 2–6 and €10,000 for 7 or more. The 2026 sessions are 3–27 July and 1–27 October.

Applications go through the ncf.bg platform, and documents must be signed with a qualified electronic signature.

Ministry of Culture

The Ministry announces competitive sessions for performing arts, books, festivals and more. Applicants are Bulgarian cultural organisations; for festivals and competitions they must be entered in the Public Register of Cultural Organisations. On 29 September 2026, for example, nine performing-arts sessions opened with a 20-day deadline.

The Ministry runs Bulgarian cultural institutes abroad — for example in Berlin, Budapest, Warsaw, Vienna, London, Paris, Prague and Rome. They present Bulgarian culture in their host country; for a joint event, contact the institute directly.