Grant Competition for Regional Media (Ukraine)

• Eligibility Criteria: Regional and local media of Ukraine (online media, printed publications, television and radio editorial offices)
• Type of Funding: Grant
• Target Region: Ukraine
• Application Language: Ukrainian

The Hirondelle Foundation has announced a grant competition for regional media in Ukraine to support public interest journalism at the local level and the development of constructive public dialogue in communities.

A total of 12 regional media outlets will be selected through the competition. Each selected editorial team will receive funding of 3,500 Swiss francs, which will be paid in three installments. The project implementation period will run for nine months, from April 6, 2026 to December 31, 2026.

Thematics

The program focuses on:

• Transparency in the use of public funds and reconstruction
• Monitoring local and regional budgets
• Procurement processes for reconstruction contracts
• The use of international donor funds at the community level
• Oversight of housing and infrastructure reconstruction
• Transparency and efficiency of local governments
• Access to public information
• Integration and living conditions of internally displaced persons
• Challenges of return and resettlement in affected areas
• Access to essential services such as health, education, and social support
• The role of civil society in strengthening governance and social cohesion

Eligibility 

The following are invited to participate in the competition:

• Regional and local media of Ukraine (online media, printed publications, television and radio editorial offices)
• Editorial teams that regularly create their own unique journalistic content
• Media interested in developing skills in public interest journalism and covering topics that contribute to constructive public dialogue in communities
• Editorial offices that can allocate a journalist or team of journalists to implement a grant project and participate in mentoring sessions and training.

The grant is awarded to the editorial office that submits the application and assumes responsibility for the implementation of the project. The foundation will give preference to media outlets working in frontline communities or media outlets covering issues of local community development and social cohesion.

Requirements 

During the grant period, selected editorial offices must:

• Prepare and publish a series of 10 journalistic materials dedicated to topics that provide communities with reliable and verified information, promote civic engagement and social cohesion
• Participate in monthly online mentoring sessions
• Participate in an editorial training aimed at developing topics of public interest journalism, strengthening journalistic standards, improving work with sources and data, and increasing the quality and impact of journalistic materials (the training will take place in Kyiv in late April – early May 2026; the exact date will be announced later).

How to apply 

Editorial teams wishing to participate in the competition must submit a grant application on this page. The application deadline is March 24, 2026.

For more information, please visit this page.