Decentralisation programme

The deadline for submitting applications for the 2025 Decentralisation Programme was 3 April 2025.

The aim of the programme is to ensure good living conditions for families living in rural areas with low population density and thereby contribute to maintaining the population in these areas. The programme supports the construction of water and sanitation systems and access roads for households outside buildings. In cases where the household is not connected to the electricity network, support will also be provided for activities related to autonomous electricity systems.

The activities included in the project budget must ensure that the applicant's household has access to adequate drinking water, a system to ensure proper sanitation of wastewater generated in the dwelling, a year-round accessible access road or an autonomous electricity system that meets the needs of the household.

Natural persons who meet the following requirements can apply for support:

• The applicant's normal place of residence shall be a household in a rural area with a low population density as from 1 January of the year of application.
• The applicant's place of residence, as recorded in the Population Register, shall be the household for which the project is requested, continuously since 1 January of the year of application.
• The applicant must not be in arrears with any national taxes, unless these are overdue.

The project may also have co-applicant(s). The co-applicant is subject to the same conditions as the applicant.

Only people living in a sparsely populated area can apply. Excluded are cities as a settlement unit (Valga) and villages (Õru, Tsirguliina, Laatre) and densely populated areas with more than 50 inhabitants or areas with compact settlements.

Similarly, in the case of water supply systems, areas with a functioning collective water supply and, in the case of sewerage systems, areas with a functioning collective sewerage system are not eligible. For information on these areas in Valga municipality From the website of AS Valga Vee

Support from the programme may be granted provided that, by the date of submission of the application, the local authority has validated the report on the use of the support for a previous project relating to the same holding.

The project must be completed by 31 October of the year following the call for proposals.

The maximum grant per household under the scheme is €6,500. The amount of support received from the programme in the previous five calendar years is also counted as the support granted under the programme. The grant may not exceed 67% of the eligible costs of the project. The applicant's and co-applicant's own contribution and co-financing must be at least 33% of the eligible costs. For each sector (drinking water, sanitation, access roads and electricity), a grant may be awarded under the programme once per six calendar years.

Support is provided for activities on farms owned by the applicant, a close relative or a relative of the applicant. If the applicant is the owner of the holding, he/she is entitled to the grant provided that the holding is used on the basis of a written contract valid for at least three years from the date of application. 

Only costs incurred during the period of the project are eligible, with the exception of the costs of studies and design, owner supervision, public fees, notary fees, construction drawings and water analyses, which in certain cases are eligible before the grant agreement is signed.

The application, together with the required annexes, must be submitted:

• electronically, digitally signed by the applicant; or
• on paper, manually signed by the applicant.

The electronically signed application must be sent no later than 3 April 2025 to Valga Municipality by e-mail to the following address valga@valga.ee.

A paper application signed by hand must be:

• hand-delivered to the Valga Municipality no later than 3 April 2025 during working hours (8.00-16.30) or.
• send by registered post (postmark date no later than 3 April 2025) to Valga Municipality, Puiestee 8, Valga 68203.

The officials dealing with this area in Valga Municipality are: