Croatia awards €1.8 million to diaspora projects worldwide

ZAGREB, 31 December 2025 (Hina) – Croatia’s Central State Office for Croats Outside the Republic of Croatia has allocated €1.8 million to around 300 projects of interest to Croatian communities abroad, as well as 91 one-off financial grants to individuals living in difficult circumstances.

The funding was awarded through the second public call of the year, supporting cultural, educational, social and community initiatives, alongside humanitarian assistance for Croats facing serious social, material or health challenges in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany and Kosovo.

Highest-funded projects

Four organisations received the maximum grant of €20,000 each:

• Argentine-Croatian Chamber of Commerce (CACIC), Buenos Aires

• Association of Croatian British Professionals CIC, London

• Croatian National Council in Serbia

• Association of Croatian American Professionals, USA

The funded projects include expanding CACIC’s strategic visibility plan, securing permanent premises for the Croatian supplementary school and joint cultural centre in London, increasing the visibility of Croats in Serbia, and organising the 10th anniversary conference of Croatian American professionals.

Cultural and community initiatives

Grants of €17,500 were awarded to:

• Croatian Cultural Centre “Srijem” – Croatian Home, Srijemska Mitrovica, for roof replacement

• Roman Catholic Parish of St Dimitrius, Srijemska Mitrovica, for a project focused on preserving Christian identity through culture

Five projects received €15,000, including initiatives supporting Croatian culture and traditions in the diaspora, educational projects in Chile, a klapa concert tour from Buenos Aires to Croatia, and assistance for Croatian families on Margarita Island.

The same amount was awarded to the Antun Gustav Matoš Foundation in Belgrade for operational support.

Grants of €14,000 went to:

• Udruga Zavjet Gospi, Čitluk, for a documentary film on the life and spiritual legacy of Friar Slavko Barbarić

• Volunteer Fire Brigade Jare, Široki Brijeg, for the purchase of a fire engine

Additional funding levels

Projects valued at €13,750 included initiatives by the “Bunjevačko kolo” Croatian Cultural Centre in Subotica and the Croatian National Council of Montenegro, focusing on the cultural heritage of Croats in the Bay of Kotor.

The Office also awarded €12,000 to eight projects, €10,000 to twelve projects, and smaller grants ranging from €750 to €1,000 for cultural events, literary translations, language days, poetry gatherings and photography exhibitions across the region and beyond.

Support for individuals in hardship

Alongside project funding, the Office provided one-off financial assistance—mostly €700, with some grants of €1,200 and €2,500—to Croats living in difficult social, material or health-related circumstances.

Earlier this year, €1.5 million was distributed through the first public call. Combined with the latest allocation, the total funding awarded in 2025 amounts to €3.3 million, underlining Croatia’s continued commitment to supporting its diaspora and strengthening ties with Croats worldwide.