A total of 96 applications seeking a combined more than €173,000 in support were received by the Rescue Board, the authority said in a press release Monday.

As the call had a budget of €41,000, a committee scored applications on a 100-point scale, taking factors such as a project's justification, itinerary, planned results and budget into account, and ultimately chose 23 recipients to fund.

"The number of applicants was beyond our expectations, which in turn illustrates how vital Estonian communities consider self-sufficiency to be in times of crisis," said Pilleriin Kurg, adviser at the Rescue Board's Prevention Department.

Kurg noted that it was apparent based on the project applications that the nonprofits had done their homework and thoroughly considered their community's needs.

Applications were submitted from all 15 Estonian counties. Among the most frequent requests were for support for purchasing generators, either for the establishment of an local community emergency center capable of independent operations or for ensuring vital services in times of crisis, such as access to potable water.

In some parts of the country, residents have already begun improving the crisis capacity of a local community center on their own initiative; yet other villages have already drawn up their own crisis plans. Applicants demonstrated significant interest in the Rescue Board's civil defense training as well.

The Rescue Board's Prevention Department organizes a project application round open to nonprofits every year. While the main focus changes from year to year, the goal is still the same — to improve safety in Estonian society.

Click here (link in Estonian) for a full list of projects to receive support from the Rescue Board through this measure.

The deadline for implementing supported projects is September 30.

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