Journalismfund European Local Cross-Border Grants 2024 [First Round ] | Apply Now

By
Kelvin Ejeta
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The goal of this program is to address the lack of independent journalism in Europe by providing grants, mentoring, and scholarships to local investigative journalism projects. Also, it aims to encourage collaboration across borders.

Journalismfund European Local Cross-Border Grants

Journalismfund European Local Cross-Border Grants

This programme will:

  • The goal of this program is to address the lack of independent journalism in Europe by providing grants, mentoring, and scholarships to local investigative journalism projects. Also, it aims to encourage collaboration across borders.
  • Encourage local journalists and small news outlets to engage in investigative journalism and collaborate with international colleagues to establish a European network of local journalists.
  • Prompt local journalists and news outlets to compare their work with other regions and cities facing similar European issues.
  • Enhance the dissemination, reach, and impact of local investigative journalism.

Benefit

  • The grant budget for 2024 is €475,000, to be divided among four application rounds at €118,750 per call.
  • The programme for 2024-2025 is supported by co-funding from the European Union, Limelight Foundation, and Vereniging Veronica.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Local cross-border investigative teams consisting of a minimum of two journalists and/or media outlets are invited to submit proposals for journalistic investigations within Europe. These projects should offer significant news value and depth, while also being original, innovative, time-intensive, and requiring financial support for realization.
  • This grant program is accessible to local journalists and media outlets based in at least two different countries. In cases where it enhances the story, team members from outside Europe may also be considered. A minimum of 80% of the requested budget should be allocated to journalists or media from EU countries.
  • Applicants must be professional freelance journalists or media outlets with a track record of personal references and previous work. Students are not eligible to apply. Media outlets must be legally established entities that have been operating for at least one year before the grant application deadline.
  • The investigative proposal should focus on local cross-border journalism, aiming to encourage local journalists and media outlets to compare their work with other regions and cities facing similar European issues and challenges.
  • The investigative findings must be published by a minimum of two professional media outlets in at least two distinct European countries, with letters of intent (LOI) for publication from these outlets being mandatory.
  • Journalists who have previously received a grant from Journalismfund Europe are permitted to reapply, with the jury taking into account the outcomes of past grants when evaluating new applications.
  • Investigative journalism produced by professional local media in any format, including print, online, broadcast, or cross-media, is considered for funding. There are a variety of types of journalism that can receive grants, including articles in newspapers and magazines, documentaries for radio and television, photo essays, books, podcasts, and non-fiction works.
  • All topics are eligible for consideration, except for those related to the environment.

Timeline

This grant program has four application rounds planned for 2024, with deadlines as follows:

  • The first deadline is on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 1pm CET
  • The second deadline is on Thursday, June 27, 2024 at 1pm CEST
  • The third deadline is on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 1pm CEST
  • The fourth deadline is on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 1pm CET.

Assessment Criteria

The jury will evaluate the applications using the following factors:

  • The contributions that go beyond typical coverage
  • How relevant the proposed project is to the program’s theme
  • The quality of the research methods and presentation/storytelling
  • The feasibility of the investigation, including the timeline and budget
  • The team’s structure and the applicants’ experience
  • The level of effort required for the project
  • The cross-border aspect of the proposal
  • The possibility of combining research capabilities and expertise.
  • The role of overseeing institutions, policies, and financial matters.

The jury will also consider the range of projects approved on a global scale, taking into account diversity in terms of:

  • region (in terms of both stories and team members)
  • topics
  • methods and approaches
  • publication forms
  • team composition

How to Apply

To get started, here’s a breakdown of the steps involved in creating an account and accessing the online application form (which is currently undergoing construction):

  • Sign up for a one-time registration to create an account.
  • Once registered, you can access the online form and navigate freely to determine the specific information required for your application.
  • The information you need to provide includes details about the team members involved in the project.
  • You will need to provide relevant company details.
  • Also, you’ll be asked to provide information about the intended investigation.
  • It’s important to include information about the intended publication channels, such as any letters of intent or interest received from news outlets.
  • A detailed budget is required for your application, which should follow the provided budget template.
  • Lastly, be prepared to upload any additional administrative documents as requested.

A single team member can initiate a draft application and invite multiple others to work together on it. The application can be saved and edited at any point during the online collaboration.

For more information visit Journalismfund European Local Cross-Border Grants. 

Application Deadline

April 25, 2024.

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