Grants for media outlets to investigate key issues of public interest

ERIM and CU SENS are looking for 11 media outlets, that cover issues of regional and local importance, to receive content production grants. Selected media outlets will produce journalistic materials that will cover key issues and topics of public interest relevant to the audiences in Moldova using investigative journalism and/or fact/checking techniques.

“Supporting Independent Media and Reliable Information in Moldova” (SIMR)  is a two-year project run by Equal Rights and Independent Media (ERIM), with its partner CU SENS, and funded by the European Union. The project aims to support independent media, journalists, and civil society organizations (CSOs) to continue to provide quality information to the public and promote democratic values in Moldova.

Number of media outlets: up to 11

Number of grants: up to 11

Minimum grant size: EUR 7,000

Maximum grant size: EUR 10,000

Implementation: 12 months, starting from July 2024

1.    Brief description

ERIM and CU SENS intend to select 11 media outlets to provide content production grants, ranging from EUR 7,000 to EUR 10,000, to cover key issues and topics of public interest. The media outlets should use investigative journalism and/or fact/checking tools to explore and present key issues of public interest, including but not limited to, minority discrimination, environmental justice, public finance management, corruption, conflict of interests, money laundering, and other related public interest issues. Media outlets’ journalists/reporters who are already part of the project through other activities will have a priority to receive the grant. However, this does not guarantee that the media outlets of participating journalists will automatically receive the grant.

2.    About organisers:

Media Project NGO CU SENS is a Moldovan non-profit, women-led, independent investigative media outlet founded four and half years ago from a crowdfunding campaign. CU SENS’s mission is to bring high-quality, fact-based, and fact-checked video products (investigations, reportages, explainers, etc.) to the public of Moldova. Most of its high-quality journalistic materials are focused on topics of public interest, which aim to expose corruption, organized crime, conflict of interests, human rights violations, and other illegalities affecting Moldova’s citizens.

ERIM Equal Rights and Independent Media (IREX Europe doing business as ERIM), is a French-based non-profit organization promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms. ERIM empowers citizens to better access accurate and objective information and critically engage with the media and information consumed.

3.    Project background:

Supporting Independent Media and Reliable Information in Moldova (SIMR) project intends to maintain a supportive environment for the media entities from Moldova by providing legal support, targeted capacity building, in particular in digital technology and fact-checking, financial sustainability, and by supporting joint initiatives with civil society actors so that society at large better understands media’s role in providing information of public interest.

4.    Eligibility criteria (essential)

• You are an independent media outlet from the Republic of Moldova
• Your independent media outlet is a registered entity
• You have been active for at least 2 years
• Your editorial policy is independent of political and commercial influence; being the signature of the Journalists’ Code of Ethics represents an advantage
• You have not received any financial resources from any political party from Moldova and abroad
• You have organizational and managerial capacities to absorb the grant

5.    Selection criteria

• The quality of the proposed project to produce journalistic content using investigative and/or fact-checking techniques to explore topics of public interest relevant to the society of Moldova (20P).
• You have a track record of producing journalistic materials in any form using investigative and/or fact-checking tools that explore and cover topics of public interest relevant to the society of Moldova. Your materials are publicly available and can be verified by the selection committee (15P).
• The quality and engagement of journalistic materials produced and submitted by the applicant for selection (20P).
• Audience outreach in terms of the number of followers and viewers (10P).
• You have a track record of producing journalistic materials covering regional/local issues. Your materials are publicly available and can be verified by the selection committee (30P).
• Your employees or affiliated staff have taken part in any other activity within the Supporting Independent Media and Reliable Information in Moldova (SIMR) project (5P).

6.    Eligible costs of the projects:

• Salaries of staff members involved in the implementation of the project;
• Travel costs to produce journalistic materials;
• Equipment costs that will be used to produce journalistic materials;
• Supplies costs;
• Service provision costs relevant to the implementation of the project;
• Other direct costs (i.e., rent, bank fees, google ads, social media ads, etc.).

Deadline: 31 May 2024

7.    Application:

If you are interested in applying, please submit the following documents to projectparticipation.cusens@gmail.com:

1. Completed application template (Use Template 2. SIMR_Content Grant_Application Template);
2. Completed budget template (Use Template 3. SIMR_Conten Grant_Budget Template);
3. Registration document issued by relevant authorities in Moldova;
4. Links or copies of the most pertinent journalistic materials. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit journalistic materials that use investigative and/or fact-checking techniques and tools.

Any other documents supporting the candidacy are welcomed.