IJ4EU cross-border investigative journalism grants

Eligibility Criteria: Journalistic teams based in at least two European countries participating in the cross-sectoral strand of the EU’s Creative Europe Programme, which provides IJ4EU’s funding. For the freelancer support scheme, teams composed of at least two freelance journalists should submit applications . All 27 EU member states, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Ukraine.
Type of Funding: Grant
Target Region: Europe
Application Language: English

The first call of 2026 for the Investigave Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU) cross-border investigative journalism grants is currently open. The call offers two types of grants: to teams from newsrooms (Investigation Support Scheme) and to teams of freelancers (Freelancer Support Scheme).

What the grant offers

Investigation Support Scheme 

• The Investigation Support Scheme provides grants of up to €50,000 to cross-border journalistic teams of any kind.
• Legal contingency fund: IJ4EU has established a small legal contingency fund to support grantees.
• Advocacy Support: As a global press freedom organisation with more than 70 years of experience, IPI is committed to defending the rights of the IJ4EU grantees to do their work free from interference.
• Editorial Support: Investigation Support Scheme grantees will also have access to editorial support in the form of an expert adviser.
• Secure digital workspace
• Networking opportunities

Freelancer Support Scheme 

• The Freelancer Support Scheme provides teams of journalists working outside of newsroom structures with grants of up to €20,000 plus an extra cushion of tailored assistance including training, mentoring and networking opportunities.
• Each awarded team will work with one or more carefully selected mentors according to how their needs evolve as they proceed with their projects. The mentoring and training is organised by the European Journalism Centre (EJC).
• In addition to the mentoring programme, the EJC will organise online expert calls (“Ask Me Anything” sessions) with specialists to allow grantees of the scheme to gain knowledge and improve their skills in fields relevant to investigative journalism.
• Networking: In addition to the in-person networking opportunities for all IJ4EU grantees provided by the programme, EJC will organise a half-day online event bringing together each awarded cohort of the Freelancer Support Scheme at the start of their projects.

Eligibility 

• To be eligible under the Investigation Support Scheme, applications must be sent by teams of journalists and/or news organisations and for the Freelancer Support Scheme, 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.
• Team members based in countries anywhere else in the world are welcome to participate, but they must be part of teams that fulfil the core geographical criteria described above.

How to apply 

• Apply here for the Investigation Support Scheme.
• Apply here for the Freelancer Support Scheme.
• To know more about the requirements for the the Investigation Support Scheme, please visit this page.
• For more information on the Freelancer Support Scheme, please visit this page.

The last date to send applications for both grants is April 13, 2026.