Fonds Pascal Decroos Low Countries Grant Programme (Belgium and Netherlands)

In this way, cities in Belgium and the Netherlands could mutually strengthen each other (e.g. by forming each other’s benchmark) and as such increase the impact of the supported publications.

This project aims at strengthening local cross-border, independent and investigative journalism in order to increase the availability of qualitative local news, and at making citizens more aware of local – and often interrelated and global – issues and possible solutions. As such it aims to contribute to citizens’ critical thinking, and well-informed debates/decisions and to foster civic engagement.

Funding Information

• For this round there’s €100,000 available. The funds come from the Flemish Government (Department of Culture, Youth and Media).

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 for obtaining 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.