European Federation of Journalists

Local cross-border investigative journalism grant

Four European organisations are joining forces to strengthen cross-border, local investigative journalism in Europe through the “Cross-border Local” project. With financial support from the European Commission (Creative Europe), Transitions (Czech Republic), SSE Riga Centre for Media Studies (Latvia), the European Federation of Journalists (Belgium), and Journalismfund Europe (Belgium) will undertake a multifaceted, 1.3 million € programme that will impact the journalism profession in Europe.

This project will target journalists and news outlets from all Creative Europe participating countries (EU and non-EU). Cross-Border Local will revolve around three main support mechanisms:

A grant programme

Addressing the shortage of local independent journalism in many countries, this initiative will award grants to local investigative journalistic projects. A key area will be cross-border collaboration, which will allow participating journalists and/or media outlets to explore possible solutions that might be working in towns and cities in other parts of Europe. That approach will spur more critical thinking about society’s pressing problems, increase the level of debate, and foster civic engagement. The resulting stories will create awareness among local journalists and citizens that local or regional items often also have an international dimension, and vice versa, that European topics have repercussions down to the local level.

A training programmes

Since local journalists often have little resources or experience with cross-border investigative journalism, this project also foresees a training programme in various aspects of investigative journalism, local audience engagement, and safety/security. The trainings will be organised by experienced partners with a solid position in the field and a vast reach.

A mini-MBA for local news media

The need for innovative sustainable business and management models for local news media will be addressed by organising a mini-MBA for local news media.

Actions

Interview with CBLocal grantees: “Safety trainings should be compulsory for journalists, and editors too”

Journalists sometimes find themselves in high-risk environments for their physical safety, because of the nature of the assignment or because they are ill-equipped and poorly trained in safety issues. According to a 2022 EFJ survey about the risk perceptions and safety concerns of journalists in Europe, media professionals seriously lack training and awareness while threats and intimidation at work are increasing. Based on these findings, the ‘Local Cross-Border Investigative Journalism’ (CBLocal) project integrated an important element of journalists’ safety in its grant programme supporting cross-border investigations. Four journalists underwent an online safety course for two weeks with media safety expert…

EFJ organises an event on sustainable journalism for local communities

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is organising a networking event on sustainable journalism for local communities in Zagreb, Croatia, on 4-5 December 2023, as part of its Local Cross-Border Journalism (CBLocal) project, with its partners: Journalismfund Europe, Transitions and Stockholm School of Economics (SSE Riga). The exchange event will focus on sustainable funding models and the event outcome is an action plan with recommendations for local and European policymakers, media managers and professional representative organisations of journalists. It will not only provide networking opportunities for the media professionals and stakeholders to exchange ideas and good practices, but will also highlight…

Next Call for Applications for the Local Cross-Border Journalism Grant Programme

Is there a story in your local town, somewhere in Europe, that you think is worth sharing with the rest of the world? If the answer is yes, but you lack resources, we may have the solution for you: a grant to support local investigative journalists and/or local news media outlets from several European countries who want to do investigative reporting at the local level in resonance with the European level. Why local? In every nook and cranny of the world, there are many stories waiting to be told. This grant programme aims to tackle the shortage of local journalists and…

Next Call for Applications for the Local Cross-Border Journalism Grant Programme

Is there a story in your local town, somewhere in Europe, that you think is worth sharing with the rest of the world? If the answer is yes, but you lack resources, we may have the solution for you: a grant to support local investigative journalists and/or local news media outlets from several European countries who want to do investigative reporting at the local level in resonance with the European level. Why local? In every nook and cranny of the world, there are many stories waiting to be told. This grant programme aims to tackle the shortage of local journalists and…

Next Call for Applications for the Local Cross-Border Journalism Grant Programme

Is there a story in your local town, somewhere in Europe, that you think is worth sharing with the rest of the world? If the answer is yes, but you lack resources, we may have the solution for you: a grant to support local investigative journalists and/or local news media outlets from several European countries who want to do investigative reporting at the local level in resonance with the European level.  Why local? In every nook and cranny of the world, there are many stories waiting to be told. This grant programme aims to tackle the shortage of local journalists…

Next Call for Applications for the Local Cross-Border Journalism Grant Programme

Is there a story in your local town, somewhere in Europe, that you think is worth sharing with the rest of the world? If the answer is yes, but you lack resources, we may have the solution for you: a grant to support local investigative journalists and/or local news media outlets from several European countries who want to do investigative reporting at the local level in resonance with the European level.  Why local? In every nook and cranny of the world, there are many stories waiting to be told. This grant programme aims to tackle the shortage of local journalists…