Strengthening Europe’s information infrastructure
We support quality journalism that helps people understand their world and hold power to account. Our grantees work across borders, uncover wrongdoing, track public money, and report on issues that shape daily life, from corruption and organised crime to climate, technology, and fundamental rights.
Our grantees
Strategy
Independent journalism in Europe is under increasing pressure. In some countries, political interference, legal harassment, digital attacks, or media capture make critical reporting difficult. In others, strong journalism exists, but the organisations behind it lack a stable income. Our priorities reflect where these pressures are greatest.
We focus on public interest journalism that would not survive without long-term support, particularly in countries where press freedom is under strain or funding is limited. We prioritise in-depth and investigative reporting, cross-border collaboration, and newsrooms that play a clear watchdog role within their societies. Our aim is to ensure that, across Europe, power can still be scrutinised when it matters most.
Because public interest journalism is under threat from every angle, we also support the infrastructure and conditions that allow it to function: organisations providing legal defence, safety and security, shared tools, and which protect the environment in which journalism operates.
Supporting the production of independent journalism is one part of the equation. Whether that journalism reaches the public is another. Today, a growing share of people encounter news through social media platforms whose business models reward attention and not accuracy. In that system, falsehoods spread faster than verified reporting, and coordinated disinformation can crowd out public-interest journalism altogether. If journalism is to do its job, access matters as much as investigation.
Public Interest Journalism
We prioritise public interest journalism in European countries where press freedom is under attack and/or funding is scarce.
Support for Journalists
We support organisations that strengthen journalists’ ability to do their work safely and sustainably, from legal defence to technical support.
Information Infrastructure
We fund organisations that protect the information infrastructure, including challenging technologies and policies that undermine independent reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you run open calls or accept unsolicited proposals?
No, we currently don’t run open calls or accept unsolicited proposals. With our limited budget, we are prioritising long-term support to our current grantees. To be respectful of organisations’ time, we reach out to organisations whose work closely aligns with our mission and strategy. That said, we do our best to respond to questions about our work and to stay in conversation with the sector.
How do you select organisations you support?
We combine careful desk research with conversations with local experts to understand who is active on the ground in each country. This is strengthened by ongoing dialogue with our grantees, peer funders, and insights from public events. Based on this collective knowledge and our strategic priorities, we decide which organisations to invite to apply next.
What kind of funding do you provide?
Where possible, we prioritise multi-year, flexible funding. This gives organisations room to plan, adapt, and invest in sustainability. When this adds value, we also provide non-financial support, such as convening grantees, introductions, or strategic input.
What geographic areas do you support?
Our focus is Europe. We support organisations based in Council of Europe countries, as well as international initiatives that have a strong and demonstrated impact in Europe.
What topics do you fund?
We work across two closely connected areas: 1. Public interest journalism, including investigative and cross-border reporting, newsroom protection and resilience, and enabling environment. 2. Technology and the information infrastructure, including accountability for harmful technologies, digital rights, and advocacy. These are not separate programmes. Often our grantee partners work across both areas.
Do you fund early-stage or high-risk work?
Yes, we recognise that addressing structural challenges requires experimentation and that not all work will succeed. We accept that around 10% of our funding may fail, provided risks are well understood and responsibly managed. The majority of our funding, however, supports established organisations with a proven track record. These organisations work under sustained legal, financial, and political pressure, and require stable, long-term support to continue operating at scale.
What does your due diligence look like?
We carry out thorough due diligence before entering a funding relationship. This includes assessing an organisation’s strategy, governance, and financial management, as well as speaking with their peers to better understand how their work is perceived.
How do you think about impact?
We use an impact evaluation framework to ensure our work aligns with our strategy and contributes to systemic change. We focus less on short-term outputs and more on whether organisations are strengthening the information infrastructure over time. We develop impact expectations in conversation with grantee partners. Rather than rigid targets that must be met, these are a starting point for reflection, learning and adapting where necessary.
Why can’t I receive funding, despite matching your strategy?
Many more organisations deserve support than our budget allows us to fund. Our role is not to pick “the best”, but to allocate limited resources where we believe they can contribute most effectively to a healthy, resilient information infrastructure. While we take these decisions as responsibly as possible, we inevitably have to pass up on good work deserving of funding.
Can multiple newsrooms in the same country receive your support?
Currently, we focus on supporting one newsroom per country. We understand that one newsroom alone isn’t enough to sustain a healthy information ecosystem. With our current resources, we prioritise countries where we don’t yet fund any newsrooms before considering additional support in countries where we already have a partner.
Inside the Work We Support
A closer look at our grantees, their reporting, and the difference they make.
