The ESTA Solidarity Fund was founded by Elspeth Iliff and now benefits from a range of donations.
Who qualifies for a grant from the ESTA Solidarity Fund?
- You have to be a string teacher or a trained player who intends to become one.
- You must be a member of an active branch of ESTA.
- To find your national branch of ESTA go to estastrings.org
- You must speak english in order to understand what is happening during the conference.
- You must write english in order to write a report (in english) of your experience during the conference.
- You have a minimum age of 20 years.
- You have to stay for the whole conference.
Who does the Solidarity Fund support?
The Solidarity Fund supports string teachers wishing to share knowledge and understanding of string pedagogy with string teachers in other European countries. Initially, due to limited funds, this support will be for teachers from Eastern Europe (the former Warsaw Pact countries), and some Southern European countries, to attend ESTA International Conferences.
How much is a Solidarity grant worth?
Grants are for a maximum of €400 and are only offered towards the cost of attendance at ESTA International Conferences. The ESTA Solidarity Fund cannot at present help with the cost of instruments, entering competitions or other courses.
Do I have to do anything in return for a Solidarity Fund Grant?
You are expected to offer a presentation for the Conference, as approved by the Conference in question. Within one month of completion of the event you are expected to submit a report about it and how you think it will help your teaching, and how you intend to spread this information among your national colleagues. This report should be sent to ESTA Secretary. ESTA reserves the right to publish this report or extracts from it.
It is hoped that you will continue to support ESTA through membership of the organisation, helping to raise money for the Solidarity Fund and by letting other potential beneficiaries know about it.
How are ESTA Solidarity Fund grants awarded?
Bursaries are awarded by the Central ESTA Solidarity Committee on a first come, first served basis, and only applications sent before the closing date (three months before the 1st day of the Conference) will be considered. For this reason it is advisable to apply early.
How often may I apply?
As an individual ESTA member, you can apply up to 3 times with at least 1 year interval in between. Example: Applications for 2024, 2026, 2028 will be accepted. As an ESTA branch there is no maximum (as long as it concerns different members).
How do I apply for an ESTA Solidarity Fund Grant?
Send the following to ESTA Secretary, using the attached form.
- A short CV.
- A statement about why you should be given a bursary to attend your chosen Conference.
- A letter of recommendation from an established member of your local branch of ESTA.
- A letter of recommendation of the school where you are teaching, or (2) from the parents of (2 different) pupils.