Deadline: 03-Oct-2025
The European Fund for the Balkans invites investigative journalists from the Western Balkans to apply for research grants to produce in-depth regional investigative stories.
The initiative invites journalists to investigate critical issues across several thematic areas. In the environment, reporters are encouraged to examine pollution, deforestation, and the social or ecological consequences of mining. Regarding public space, the focus is on how communities claim, protect, or lose these areas due to privatization or urban development. Civic rights and the rights of activists are another priority, with an emphasis on threats, harassment, or legal instruments such as SLAPP used against activists and civil society actors.
The initiative also addresses decent work, exploring challenges related to fair labor practices, unemployment, and workers’ rights. Finally, the media theme focuses on investigating limitations to media freedom and threats against journalists. Successful applicants will receive a research grant of EUR 3,000 gross per project, with up to six grants available. The funding covers research, travel, and production costs, and selected journalists will have four to six months to complete their projects.
Selected journalists will produce a long-read investigative piece, either for digital or print platforms, that explores issues within one of the thematic areas. Applications are open to individual journalists or teams who have proven experience in regional reporting and thematic expertise. Applicants must be from or report on one of the six Western Balkans countries: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, or Serbia.
Submissions will be evaluated based on the relevance of the proposed story, its originality and investigative potential, the feasibility and clarity of the methodology, potential impact and audience engagement, as well as the professional experience and track record of the applicant. The deadline for applications is 3 October 2025 at midnight.
For more information, visit EFB.
