Democracy Central Grants Programme

Deadline: 20-May-23

The Prague Civil Society Centre is launching the first call for applications from independent media organisations in Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Romania for the Democracy Central Grants Programme.

The Democracy Central Grants Programme aims to support and empower local actors in independent media and the civic sector in Central Europe to safeguard democratic institutions and strengthen networks of active citizens defending democratic values.

Scope of the Call

• The aim of this funding opportunity is to provide financial support that will help enhance the sustainability and impact of independent media organizations in Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Romania, enabling them to produce high-quality, fact-based, critical journalism that engages audiences and addresses important social, political, security and economic issues requiring public debate and scrutiny. Grants can be used to, for example, support ongoing activities, generate revenue streams, expand audiences, or experiment with innovative tools and approaches to reporting and managing media organisations.
• In addition to the financial support, media outlets receiving the grants will have the opportunity to attend knowledge-sharing and networking events that connect them with industry experts and peers, keeping them up-to-date with media industry trends, while facilitating partnerships and business opportunities.
• Finally, the grantees will have access to tailored consultancy support from leading media experts in the Central Europe region and beyond. This support will be available on-demand, offering media outlets personalized advice and guidance on industry-specific challenges and opportunities, from content creation and distribution to audience engagement, monetisation strategies, and general management issues.

Funding Information

• The maximum term of the project may not exceed 12 months.
• Supported projects will start no later than September 1, 2023.
• The budget may not exceed 50,000 EUR.

Eligibility Criteria

• Registration and operations requirement
  • The program aims to support media outlets that have been in operation for more than two years, and are located in the countries targeted by the program.
    • Formal registration: This grant Program is open to legal entities (for-profit or nonprofit) with a registered seat in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovenia.
    • Date of registration: The media outlets must be legal entities officially incorporated before April 30, 2021.
    • Ongoing operations: Media outlets should have made journalistic content available to the general public before April 30, 2021.
• Type of media outlets that can apply
  • The program aims to support small to medium-sized media outlets that have a strong digital presence at national or regional level, and meet the following criteria:
    • Digital first: Applicants should primarily operate as a digital-first media organisation. – Full-time staff: Applicants must have at least 5 full-time staff members.
    • Coverage: Media outlets should be aimed at national or regional audiences in the country where they have a registered seat.
    • Revenues: Applicants must have an annual turnover of at least 200,000 EUR.
    • Editorial orientation: Only independent media outlets that focus on news, social, political, economic and cultural issues, and aim to serve broader public interest by providing impartial information and analysis are eligible to apply.
• Independence criteria
  • The program aims to support media organisations that demonstrate financial and editorial independence from government, political, and business interests, thus meeting the following criteria:
    • Financial independence: Media outlets should not depend on income from a government, government funded or affiliated entities, public institutions, or state-owned companies. They should also not depend on the income from a single commercial source or connected business.
    • Ownership structure: Political parties, government institutions, public institutions, public companies, or other organizations that are in any form controlled or funded by the government cannot have a direct or indirect (through third parties) ownership interest or decision-making influence over the applicant.
• Professionalism
  • The program aims to support media organizations that adhere to generally accepted standards of professional reporting and ethical journalism, in accordance with the following criteria:
    • Journalism principles: Applicants should demonstrate adherence to core journalism principles, providing reporting that is fact-based, accurate, independent, fair, impartial, and accountable.
    • Inclusive coverage: Applicants show no intentions to systematically discriminate or target marginalized and underrepresented communities, such as minorities and vulnerable groups.
• Sustainability
  • The program aims to support independent media outlets that have demonstrated their financial viability and capacity to function on the market. This pertains to the following criteria:
    • Diversification of income: Applicants’ income should not rely on a single source and should come from diverse sources of funding such as advertisements, subscriptions, grants, crowdfunding, and other revenue streams. Applicants should demonstrate a genuine strategic effort to diversify sources of funding away from international donors.

Criteria

• The grants will be awarded to well-defined projects that aim to enhance competitiveness and sustainability and improve the ability of the applicants to serve their audiences.
• By submitting their proposals applicants also express their readiness to attend knowledge-sharing and networking events that connect them with industry experts and peers, exchange ideas, and share best practices, keeping them up-to-date with media industry trends, technologies and innovations, while also facilitating partnerships, collaborations, and business opportunities.
• Only one project application is possible per applicant.

For more information, visit Prague Civil Society Centre.