Mercator Switzerland Foundation joins IJ4EU as co-funder

Mercator Switzerland Foundation has joined the Investigative Journalism for Europe(IJ4EU) programme as a new co-funder, helping sustain public-interest reporting across the continent and beyond.

The Swiss foundation joins the Dutch Adessium Foundation, the Norwegian Fritt Ord Foundation, and the German Free State of Saxony in providing co-funding alongside core financing from the European Union’s Creative Europe programme.

Mercator backs pioneering projects, invests in civil society organisations, and builds broad alliances to advance its vision of a democratic, equitable, and ecologically sustainable society. Its work includes strengthening journalism and ensuring people have the information they need to participate in democratic life.

Its financial contribution to the 2026-27 edition of IJ4EU will help fund activities delivered by the programme’s implementing partners: the International Press Institute (IPI) in Vienna, the European Journalism Centre (EJC) in Maastricht, and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) in Leipzig.

“A society’s ability to scrutinise power and expose wrongdoing should not depend on journalists being willing to work without pay or take risks without support,” said Timothy Large, director of journalism programmes at IPI, which leads the IJ4EU consortium.

“If we want ambitious, independent investigations, we have to make them possible in practice. Mercator’s backing helps give journalists the resources to work together across borders, the security to commit to difficult stories, and the freedom to make their own editorial judgments.”

Riccardo Ramacci, who leads Mercator’s media programme, said: “As a foundation aiming to strengthen independent public interest journalism across borders, we are very excited to support this unique European collaboration. IJ4EU demonstrates what arm’s length, effective funding of the information ecosystem looks like in practice. We are looking forward to working together with all partners involved.”

Editorial independence sacred

IJ4EU combines public and philanthropic funding while maintaining a strict separation between donors and editorial decisions. Independent juries select investigations for funding, and journalists retain control over their reporting.

A study published in the peer-reviewed journal Journalism Practice described IJ4EU as a “gold standard” for donor-funded journalism, highlighting its approach to financing watchdog reporting while protecting editorial independence.

The study noted the consortium’s role as a buffer between funders and journalists, alongside its work with freelancers and its encouragement of lasting cross-border collaboration. It also identified reliance on funding cycles as a continuing vulnerability, underscoring the importance of long-term donor commitments.

“Investigative journalism is part of the essential infrastructure of democracy. Like education or healthcare, it serves a vital public purpose: scrutinising power and holding institutions accountable,” said Vera Penêda, director of programmes and impact at the EJC, a member of the Plus alliance. 

“Mercator’s support for IJ4EU shows how philanthropy, alongside public funding, can help sustain the journalists, newsrooms, and cross-border collaborations that make this work possible.”

Now in its sixth edition, IJ4EU will distribute €1.6 million in grants during the 2026-27 funding cycle.

Its Investigation Support Scheme, managed by IPI, offers grants of up to €50,000, while the EJC-led Freelancer Support Scheme provides up to €20,000 alongside tailored mentoring and training.

An initial round has already allocated about €800,000 to 30 teams across both schemes. An independent jury awarded €610,000 to 18 investigations under the Investigation Support Scheme, while 12 teams received around €190,000 under the Freelancer Support Scheme.

The selected investigations cover subjects ranging from alleged war crimes and corporate lobbying to looted cultural heritage, environmental harm, and conflict-linked supply chains.

Demand continues to outstrip available funding. Applications to the first call in February sought a combined €6.8 million — more than eight times the amount awarded.

Holistic support

Beyond grants, IJ4EU offers legal assistance, safety training, mentoring, and opportunities for journalists to exchange expertise. Arena for Journalism in Europe contributes specialist tools and practical guidance on cross-border collaboration.

The aim is to help journalists navigate the practical, legal, and professional challenges of pursuing complex investigations across borders.

The programme’s annual UNCOVERED Conference, organised by ECPMF, brought together around 150 participants from 32 countries in Budapest in September. Panels and workshops covered political pressure, journalist safety, newsroom sustainability, and freelancers' working conditions.

The conference also hosted the2026 IJ4EU Impact Award, which celebrates excellence in cross-border investigative reporting.

“In just a few years, the Impact Award has become one of the key recognitions for investigative journalism in Europe,” ECPMF Managing Director Andreas Lamm said. “We honour the year’s most outstanding investigative work, but recognition is only one side of the medal. The award, and its prize money in particular, is meant to help journalists continue the stories that matter.”

The next call for applications to both IJ4EU funding schemes opens on December 1, 2026. See the IJ4EU website for more information.