News Journalism Partnerships - Pluralism

• Increased resilience, pluralism and editorial independence at EU level of sectors such as local, regional and community media, investigative media or media specialised in public interest topics.
• Increased resilience of organisations active in the targeted news media sectors and protection of the news media landscape.
• Improved uptake of new technologies across the targeted media sectors in as much this contributes to media pluralism and a diverse media landscape.
• Fostering repositories of knowledge about media sectors delivering public interest news (e.g. by detecting areas with low provision of high-quality content and/or in which media pluralism is strained).
• Proposals must put in place funding schemes for news media entities and independent journalism.
• Accompanying activities may be proposed. Applicant organisations should be in a position to set up funding schemes (support to third parties) targeting news media outlets, organisations and, if needed, professionals, such as local and regional media, community media, investigative journalism and organisations delivering public interest news, and in ways that enhance pluralistic media landscapes across the European Union. Non-profit and civil society organisations are particularly encouraged to apply.

• Please read the 2026 News Journalism Partnerships Call Document to check all requirements and details.

• In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:− be legal entities (public or private bodies)− be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:− Creative Europe Participating Countries:− EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))− non-EU countries: listed EEA countries and countries associated with the Creative Europe Programme (list of participating countries).
• Proposals must be submitted either by a single applicant or by a consortium of at least two applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), from eligible countries.
• The action is open to organisations which are active in the news media sector (incl. media associations, NGOs, non-profit organisations, civil society organisations, public authorities, international organisations, universities, research centres, journalistic funds and training organisations focusing on media professionals, profitmaking entities, foundations, etc).
• Please read the 2026 News Journalism Partnerships Call Document to check all requirements and details.

Activities

• The proposed activities must focus on news media sectors of special relevance to democracy and civic participation, i.e. the role they play in enhancing democracy, shaping the public debate and bringing benefits to their audiences and communities, instead of focusing just on profit. For the purpose of this call, these sectors are in particular:
  • Local and regional media
  • Independent and investigative journalism
  • Organisations delivering public interest news/public service journalism (such as community, legal and civic journalism and media, news increasing transparency about the media)

• Applicants must present, develop and implement a funding scheme for cascading grants (i.e. regranting / support to third parties) for independent media and organisations primarily active in one or more of these sectors. They will cover as many geographical areas and news media organisations as possible.
• They shall focus on activities that contribute to sustaining, improving or transforming the work of the targeted parties. Activities can among others consist of:
  • Innovations in editorial production (e.g. formats, content), coverage and
    revenue models
  • The improvement of distribution and dissemination of news
  • The development and engagement of audiences and community-building
    strategies
  • The development of technical tools applying to the above topics
  • Training on the above topics
  • Putting in place a funding scheme is compulsory. The funding should be accompanied by active communication towards a maximum of potential stakeholders across the geographical areas covered by the proposal. It is possible to complement the funding scheme with accompanying activities, if relevant and based on a needs analysis of the chosen subsector/s. Such accompanying activities may include, e.g., the development of deontological and governance standards, budgetary readiness, development of criteria and indicators framing their support, repositories of knowledge, legal advice or trainings. The proposal must explain how the proposed activities will work towards addressing the identified challenges.
  • Proposals should focus on the European Union, and specifically areas with low provision of the specific news described above or in media markets where media pluralism is strained. The needs of smaller newsrooms may also be addressed.
  • Activities must include concrete deliverables and set clear, objectively verifiable and quantifiable performance indicators for the mid-term and the end of the project. The estimated impact must be more precise than the sum of available distribution channels, and should be substantiated by a detailed outreach plan as well as proof of interest from the target groups.
  • All projects need to respect widely accepted professional media standards.
• Please read the 2026 News Journalism Partnerships Call Document to check all requirements and details.

• Project budget (maximum grant amount) Topic 2: €2,500,000 per project.
• The grant will be a budget-based (actual costs, with unit cost and flat-rate elements). This means that it will reimburse ONLY certain types of costs (eligible costs) and costs that were actually incurred for your project (NOT the budgeted costs).
• The costs will be reimbursed at the funding rate fixed in the Grant Agreement at 80% of the total eligible costs for Topic 1 and at 90% of the total eligible costs for Topic 2.
• Please read the 2026 News Journalism Partnerships Call Document to check all requirements and details.