New call for applications opens for European Journalism COVID-19 Support Fund

The European Journalism Centre (EJC) and the Facebook Journalism Project (FJP) have launched Wave 2 of the European Journalism COVID-19 Support Fund.

Wave 1, launched in April 2020, saw €1,530,000 awarded to 94 news organisations and freelancers from 28 countries across Europe. Wave 2 will support hundreds more community, local and regional European news organisations and journalists.

“This support means that we can keep doing what we’re doing, and have the space to keep planning for the future. We can keep up our coverage, better support those who write for us and stay open to others getting involved, and keep developing different routes for community engagement. It couldn’t have come at a better time.” Dublin Inquirer, Ireland (Wave 1 grantee)

Grants of between €5,000 and €25,000 are available in two tracks: an Emergency Fund for critical business and community engagement needs, and an Endurance Fund to support the development of new business models. The deadline for applications is 11:59 pm CEST, Friday 25 September 2020.

Apply now!

Emergency Fund

For news organisations

• Amount: €5,000, €10,000 or €25,000
• Eligible: news organisations (that employ the equivalent of at least one full-time journalist)
• Focus: providing specific financial support to address immediate and critical business needs. These grants may be used, for example, to replace lost sales revenue including from printed and digital products/ services, to fund alternative print distribution methods, to cover key organisational costs, to hire freelancers to replace staff during illness, to maintain essential coverage and services unrelated to COVID-19 and to fund IT, software services and infrastructure support.

“Without the help of this fund, we would have had to close Star & Crescent, at least for the foreseeable future. This funding will also support our current work towards launching a Members’ Scheme, which will help us to develop a sustainable income stream, and to deepen our relationship with the local community. I cannot adequately put into words the difference this funding makes to us.” Star & Crescent, U.K. (Wave 1 grantee)

For freelance journalists

• Amount: €5,000
• Eligible: freelance journalists; groups of freelance journalists
• Focus: helping community-based, community-driven local media to engage communities and their conversations within short-term or one-off COVID-19-related initiatives. These grants may be used, for example, to launch a dedicated newsletter, create a community group, cover travel costs, cover costs of audio/visual/recording equipment to aid remote working, undertake local fact-checking, engage in community data reporting, produce short-run print material, or set-up online events.

“We want to guarantee local reporting about migrant communities. This project will help a broader reporting of realities often unnoticed. Now I feel encouraged and motivated to share these stories.” María Clara Montoya, freelance journalist, Spain (Wave 1 grantee)

Endurance Fund

For news organisations only

• Amount: €10,000 or €25,000
• Eligible: news organisations (that employ the equivalent of at least one full-time journalist)
• Focus: providing specific financial support to news organisations that have pivoted / are pivoting their business model during the COVID-19 crisis. These grants may be used, for example, to invest in resources (including technology, toolkits, people, and experts) to: build resilience within teams and leadership, facilitate effective cross-team collaboration and sharing of knowledge, create more/better pathways for community participation in the work of the news organisation, execute user-focused product development, or develop or launch reader-revenue models.

“This support is vital to our survival as we have lost a significant portion of our advertising revenue. We can continue to serve our audience through the hard times ahead, as we have done for the last 20 years.” Klubrádió, Hungary (Wave 1 grantee)

Eligibility and selection criteria

The fund is open to freelance journalists or news organisations with their principal place of business located in a country in the Council of Europe. The applicant must be serving communities on a hyperlocal, local or regional scale and/or communities of interest.

Independent experts and the EJC team will shortlist and select grantees according to the criteria laid out in the Call for Applications (Wave 2).

Previous, unsuccessful applicants from Wave 1 (April 2020) may re-apply, but must create a new application that reflects changes in circumstances since the original application. Successful news organisations and freelancers who received grants from Wave 1 are not eligible to re-apply.

Please check the new Call for Applications (Wave 2) and the updated FAQs for details.

The deadline for applications is 11:59 pm CEST, Friday 25 September 2020.

Important links

• Website
• Call for Applications (Wave 2)
• FAQ

“We want to share the joy of this award with our members: without them, Slow News wouldn’t even exist. So, we are committed more than ever to provide them journalism they support every day.” Slow News, Italy (Wave 1 grantee)

About the Fund Partners

Since 1992, the EJC has been building a sustainable, ethical and innovative future for journalism through grants, events, training and media development. It is an international non-profit, headquartered in the Netherlands, that connects journalists with new ideas, skills and people. Our focus in 2020 is building resilience into journalism.

The Facebook Journalism Project works with publishers around the world to strengthen the connection between journalists and the communities they serve. It also helps address the news industry’s core business challenges. Its trainings, programs, and partnerships work in three ways: build community through news, train newsrooms globally, and quality through partnerships.