Pascal Decroos Fund (Belgium)

• Eligibility Criteria:
  – Both beginning (starters) and experienced journalists (seniors) can submit a project that cannot be realized through the normal channels of journalism, that has major news value and depth and that is also original, innovative, and time-consuming.
  – The applicant must be a journalist (written or audio-visual press), or be able to prove that he/she is aspiring to a career in journalism. Personal references and/or references to earlier work are essential in that respect.
  – Only natural persons can apply for a grant.
  – Projects with regard to investigative and special journalism must deal with topics that are relevant to Flanders.
  – The project must be published in a Dutch-language medium in Belgium. A letter of intent for publication from at least one professional news outlet is required for journalists with more than 2 years of experience. For starters, this is considered a plus.
  – All journalistic end products qualify for a grant: newspaper and magazine articles, radio and television documentaries and series, photo-reportages and books, podcasts, and journalistic non-fiction books.
• Type of funding: Programmatic
• Target countries: Belgium
• Application language: Dutch-language

The Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism is Journalismfund’s first and oldest grant programme to promote investigative journalism in the Dutch-language media in Belgium since 1999. These are projects that have great new value and depth, and at the same time are original, innovative, and time-consuming, and would not be realized without financial support. The Flemish government is subsidising this programme with the aim to keep the memory of Pascal Decroos alive and to continue his life’s work.

Grant types

The Pascal Decroos Fund has three types of grants::

• INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM: A working grant for investigative journalism allows the applicant to concentrate on one particular topic for a longer period of time.
• IN-DEPTH JOURNALISM: The projects must go beyond regular reporting, daily journalism or correspondence. The subject or theme must be special, or else the approach or angle.
• PRELIMINARY RESEARCH: When it is not clear whether the inquiries will yield the expected results, it is possible to apply for a grant to cover the expenses of the preliminary research.

How to apply?

Before you start, please consult the grant details, where you can find the rules, eligibility criteria, timing etc.

You can easily apply via the online application form. You’ll be asked to provide:

• personal details
• information about the project
• information about the dissemination of your story
• a detailed budget

Please make sure you have the following documents at hand:

• copy of your ID (for Belgian residents) or passport
• CV
• letter(s) of intent of (a) Flemish media outlet(s) (for journalists with less than 2 years of experience this is not a formal requirement)
• a detailed budget (please use our budget template

See here to learn more and apply.

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