CFPs: Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism (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.

Categories

• 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.

Funding Information

• In 2025, there will be €320,000 to distribute over four application rounds, which means approx. €80,000 per round.

Eligible Costs

• A grant can cover two types of costs:
  • Expenses (both for freelance journalists as for employed staff journalists).
  • These can include travel, visa, accommodation, translation, fixers, access to pay-databases, FOI requests, legal screening, etc.
  • Research time (only for freelance journalists).

Ineligible Costs

• Investments goods (such as IT equipment, cameras)
• Office costs
• Production costs
• Food and beverage
• Per diems

Eligibility Criteria

• Both beginning (starters) and experienced journalist (seniors) can submit a project that cannot be realised 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 for 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.

Assessment Criteria

• Added value compared to mainstream coverage/a forgotten story
• Relevance in society
• Originality and innovative methods
• Daringness
• Feasibility
• Newsworthiness
• Experience of the applicants, references
• Saleability
• Time-consuming

Application Requirements

• You can easily apply via their online application form. You’ll be asked to provide them with:
  • Personal details
  • Information about the project
  • Information about the dissemination of your story
  • A detailed budget
• Please make sure you have 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

For more information, visit Journalismfund Europe.