State cuts leave disability and patient groups facing shrinking funds
The Estonian Chamber of Disabled People will have to operate next year with 10 percent less state support, even as the government places increasing demands on patient‑advocacy nonprofits — demands that require more, not less, financial backing.
The chamber will need to carry out its work with €150,000 less than before. Its funding has remained unchanged for the past four years and, given rising living costs, should in fact be higher.
"We've calculated €1.8 million, and that number is not the result of greed. We looked at Statistics Estonia data and compared it with today's €1.5 million in support — which, as of now, will drop to €1.35 million next year. We hope to find a solution," said chamber CEO Maarja Krais‑Leosk.
"€1.8 million would be realistic — it would allow us to continue our advocacy work effectively across our network," she added.
The Ministry of Social Affairs is reducing partner funding due to state‑budget cuts. The need for savings has been known since 2024. Until now, the ministry has covered the shortfall from its own resources, but that is no longer possible.
"We've told our NGO partners that the Open Estonia Foundation will soon open an EEA‑funded civil‑society program, and they should definitely apply. We ourselves haven't stopped looking for other options. One EU funding period is ending and another is beginning. For now, we'll sign contracts based on the reduced amount, and if we can increase funding later, we will," said Nele Labi, deputy secretary general at the Ministry of Social Affairs.
The ministry plans to change its funding principles: sign longer‑term contracts, reduce bureaucracy, and prioritize key areas — including patients and people with disabilities. Still, all NGOs must prepare for funding cuts of 10 to 20 percent.
The chamber represents many smaller organizations, including groups focused on chronic illnesses. As a result, the funding reduction affects another 50 smaller unions, societies and associations.
"We have to decide what we won't be able to do. Policymakers may say 'just do less,' but people's problems don't shrink — they deepen. Eventually, the consequences of these cuts show up at the doors of local governments and state agencies, and the price tag becomes something entirely different," Krais‑Leosk said.
Cancer‑patient organizations say that if the state expects more from them, funding must increase accordingly — and Estonia must build a proper patient‑support system. They estimate that €300,000–€500,000 per year would be needed.
"We're not only saying the cuts are unreasonable — we're asking for a separate strategic partnership with stable funding alongside the national cancer‑control strategy. Without that funding, it's impossible to meet the expectations the state itself has set for patient organizations," said Kristel Leif, CEO of the NGO Onkoloogika.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Argo Ideon
