The objective of the activity of the Folk Culture Endowment is to preserve, develop, enliven and support folk culture and preserve the national identity. Folk culture includes folklore movement, folk songs, folk dances, handicraft, amateur theatres, choirs, museums, nation studies.

To achieve the objectives, the Endowment supports:

• events and projects that promote international, national and regional cultural life;
• organisation of and participation in training and continued education in the area of folk culture;  
• extracurricular education related to folk culture;
• publication of printed matters in this field;
•  activity of professional associations and amateur groups;
•  participation in the top events of folk culture;
•  self-improvement or studies abroad;
•  devotion to creative work;
•  creative people involved in folk culture;  
•  commemoration of creative people in folk culture.

In order to achieve the objectives, the Folk Culture Endowment awards grants, benefits and  creative salaries and gives awards.

The Endowment awards the project benefit for the promotion, introduction, popularisation of folk culture, publication of works of folk culture, commemoration of individuals involved in folk culture, participation in the top events of folk culture etc. The Folk Culture Endowment has established that the Estonian Amateur Theatre Association (Eesti Harrastusteatrite Liit), the Estonian Choral Association (Eesti Kooriühing), the Estonian Folk Art and Craft Union (Eesti Rahvakunsti ja Käsitöö Liit), the Estonian Folk Dance and Folk Music Association (Eesti Rahvatantsu- ja Rahvamuusika Selts) and the Estonian Folklore Council (Eesti Folkloorinõukogu) can apply for the activity benefits.

In addition to project and activity benefits, the Endowment awards creative people the creative work benefit that physical and legal persons can apply for four times a year.

The Endowment supports creative persons of the area with the creator’s salary.  The creator’s salary can be applied for by natural persons.

The Folk Culture Endowment pays to meritorious individuals involved in folk culture one-time and regular life`s work benefits. The one-time life`s work benefits can be applied for four times a year, the regular life`s work benefits are awarded on the initiative of the Endowment.

Professional associations may also submit applications for award of the medicinal products benefit

The Folk Culture Endowment awards the jubilee benefit from 60th birthday every five years and from 95th birthday every year. The benefit is from 400 to 800 euros.

The Folk Culture Endowment pays the funeral benefit to compensate the costs incurred in relation to the funeral of a departed creative individual.

The awards are given to acknowledge and inspire creative people, highlight their achievements and acknowledge the organisations active in folk culture. Four awards are given:

·         The Endowment`s annual award which purpose is to acknowledge excellent achievements in folk culture, encourage the development of the field and increase the prestige of this sphere in society. The award is up to 6000 euros.

·         The life`s work award which purpose is to acknowledge a physical person`s long-term activity and contribution to the development of folk culture. The award is 15,000 euros.

·         The acknowledgement award which purpose is to recognise or inspire creative people to devote to their professional activity that has influenced the development of the area and inspire them for further professional activity.  The award is up to 3000 euros.