Applications open for Pascal Decroos Fund (Belgium)

The aim of the Grant Programmes of Journalismfund Europe is facilitating investigative, crossborder and independent journalism in order to promote democracy in Europe by connecting donors and journalists without endangering the journalists’ independence.

Funding Information

• In 2024, there is €280.000 to distribute over four application rounds, which means approx. €70.000 per round. The money comes from the Flemish government.

Costs Covered

• Grants can cover working time and out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, visa, accommodation, translation, fixers, access to pay-databases, FOI requests, legal screening, etc.
• Only freelance journalists can apply for a grant to cover their working time. Employed staff journalists can only apply for a working grant if they can provide a reason and prove that they are not receiving any wages for their working time on this project.
• The grants cannot cover following expenses: investments goods (such as IT equipment, mobile phones, software, …), production costs, food and beverage, per diems, etc.

Eligibility Criteria

• Only natural persons are eligible for a grant. Depending on the Grant Programme restrictions can be made based on the residency of the applicant(s).
• The applicant(s) must be working as professional journalists. Furthermore, references from individuals (editors, publishers, journalists, professors) and/or references to earlier work are essential. Journalismfund Europe reserves the right to contact references (while respecting the confidentiality of the proposal).
• Students are not eligible in all Grant Programmes.
• Journalists who were previously allocated a Journalismfund grant can reapply, but the jury can include the result of previous grants in their evaluation of the new application.
• The applicant(s) must demonstrate convincingly that the project would be unrealisable without a grant. In other words, the reason why the applicant is appealing to Journalismfund should be explained.
• The applicant(s) should be able to demonstrate the feasibility of the project. A basic commitment in the form of a ‘Letter of Intent’ to publish the product from a news editor is one of the conditions to obtain a grant.

Application Requirements

• The applications have to include the following information:
  • Personal details of all the team members, including the individual bank account numbers and coordinates;
  • Indication of the intended medium;
  • Description of the project, both content and method;
  • Explanation of why the applicant is appealing to Journalismfund;
  • Timing, including when the publication is expected;
  • Budget, including statement of other sources of financing, according to the budget template available on the application website;
  • An editor’s written commitment to publish (copies Letter(s) of Intent);
  • Experience/references/C.V;
  • A copy of the identity card/passport of all applicants/team members.

For more information, visit Journalismfund Europe.