IJ4EU Freelancer Support Scheme

• Eligibility Criteria
  – Applications must be submitted by teams composed of at least two freelance journalists;
  – Teams must have members based in at least two European countries that have signed up to the full cross-sectoral strand of the European Union’s Creative Europe Programme, which provides core funding for IJ4EU;
  – Eligible countries include all 27 EU member states and the following non-EU countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Ukraine;
  – Eligibility is based on residency (where you live and work) and not nationality (citizenship).
• Type of Funding: Programmatic
• Target Region: Europe
• Application Language: English

IJ4EU’s Freelancer Support Scheme provides grants to cross-border teams of journalists made up predominantly of freelancers and who can benefit from an extra layer of tailored support.

The Freelancer Support Scheme is designed to support journalists operating outside of newsroom structures who may be underserved by other journalism support schemes and who are willing and able to collaborate with others to launch investigations of importance to audiences at a local, national, regional or European level.

Investigations developed for all formats — including print, broadcast, online media, documentary filmmaking and multi-platform storytelling — are eligible to receive support.

Grantees have six months to complete their projects. During these six months, in addition to grant funding, they also benefit from non-financial support.

Eligible topics

IJ4EU is open to cross-border investigative projects on any topic. This includes, but is not limited to, corruption, illicit enrichment and financial crime, security, democracy and human rights, environment and climate change, and health. Projects must aim to reveal new information that is of relevance to the public in at least two Creative Europe countries.

IJ4EU is dedicated to supporting a diverse range of topics and teams across Europe. Projects focusing on underreported issues are welcomed. Furthermore, teams working in eligible countries where investigative journalism is under pressure, including financial and political pressure, are especially encouraged to apply.

Funding information

The Freelancer Support Scheme will provide around €500,000 in grants in 2024/25, along with training, mentoring and networking opportunities. It is managed by the European Journalism Centre (EJC).

See here to learn more and apply.

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