Deadline: 13-Nov-2025
The Pascal Decroos Fund is accepting applications for its Investigative Journalism Grant Programme to advance investigative journalism in Dutch-language media in Belgium.
The programme awards grants to distinctive journalistic projects. The grant gives experienced as well as young journalists the chance to execute their investigative ideas and by doing so, contribute to quality investigative journalism in Flanders. The aim of the Grant Programmes of Journalismfund Europe is facilitating investigative, crossborder and independent journalism in order to promote democracy in Europe by connecting donors and journalists without endangering the journalists’ independence.
The program is subsidized by the Flemish government, with €320,000 to be distributed in 2025 over four application rounds, which means approximately €80,000 per round. The grant is meant to give experienced as well as young journalists the chance to execute their investigative ideas. The grants can be used to cover working time and out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, visas, accommodation, and legal screening, but not for investment goods, production costs, food, or per diems.
This grant is for professional investigative journalists, both starters and seniors. Only natural persons who are professional journalists are eligible for a grant, and depending on the programme, there may be residency restrictions. Students are not eligible for all programmes. Freelance journalists can apply for a grant to cover their working time, while employed staff journalists must prove they are not receiving wages for their work on the project to apply for a working grant.
To be considered, applicants must show that their project would be unrealizable without a grant and demonstrate the project’s feasibility. A ‘Letter of Intent’ to publish from a news editor is one of the conditions to obtain a grant. Projects that are of great newsworthiness and depth, and are simultaneously original, innovative, and time-consuming, and could not be realized through regular journalism, are encouraged.
The grant selection process involves a verification of eligibility by Journalismfund Europe before the applications are sent to an independent and anonymous jury. The jury members, who are experienced in journalism, will evaluate applications based on criteria such as added value, relevance, originality, and feasibility. The jury members reach a consensus on the allocation of grants. The research subject is not reported to the board of directors until after the project is published.
Successful applicants will be notified by email approximately six weeks after the submission deadline. Journalismfund Europe will enter into a separate grant agreement with each individual team member. Two-thirds of the grant is paid after the grant agreement is signed by all team members, and the balance is paid upon evidence of publication and receipt of all financial reports and original supporting documents. Grantees are required to include a credit in the final publication, and failure to do so may result in the balance of the grant not being paid.
Applications must be submitted online and must include personal details of all team members, a description of the project, a budget, a written commitment to publish, and a CV. The application documents must be in English and budgets in EUR. Application closes on 13 November 2025.
For more information, visit Journalismfund Europe.
