The Prague Civil Society Centre is launching the first call for applications from independent media organisations in Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Romania for our Democracy Central Grants Programme.

The aim of this funding opportunity is to provide financial and technical support that will help enhance the sustainability and impact of independent media organisations, enabling them to produce high-quality, fact-based, critical journalism that engages audiences and addresses important issues requiring public debate and scrutiny.

What we’re looking for:

Grants will support projects aimed at generating revenue streams, expanding audiences, or experimenting with innovative tools and approaches to reporting and managing media organisations. The grants will be awarded to well-defined projects that aim to enhance competitiveness and improve the ability of the applicants to serve their audiences.

The kinds of projects we’ll support:

We want to support projects that address important organisational needs and challenges or are exploiting available opportunities for growth and organisational improvement. Proposals that demonstrate a clear plan for sustaining the project results beyond the grant period and that fit logically into the broader long-term strategy of the organisation will be prioritised.

What is included:  

Grants of up to 50,000 euros will be awarded for a period of 12 months.

In addition to the financial support, media outlets receiving a grant will have the opportunity to connect with industry experts and peers, and to access on-demand personalised advice on industry-specific challenges and opportunities from a network of leading media practitioners.

Who can apply:

Eligible applicants must be a legally registered entity (for-profit or non-profit) that has been operating for at least two years as an independent media outlet based in Hungary, Poland, Slovenia or Romania.

Grants are available to small to medium-sized independent media outlets that have a strong digital presence at the national or regional level.

For full information on eligibility criteria please refer to the Guidelines for Grant Applications.

How to apply:

Fill out the application form

The form consists of a series of questions and 6 annexes that must be uploaded to the form:

• Project proposal
• Project budget
• Registration document: A scanned copy of court/official registration document(s) stating the founding entities/persons and ownership structure;
• Organisational chart;
• Financial statement for 2021;
• Financial statement for 2022.

Only complete applications that have been submitted in accordance with the Guidelines for Grant Applications will be considered.

The application deadline is May 20, 2023.

Selection procedure:

Applications will first be reviewed by the Prague Civil Society Centre programme team. Applications will then be assessed by a selection committee composed of independent media experts.

For details on the selection process, please refer to Guidelines for Grant Applications.

Decision on the grants to be awarded will be made by July 14, 2023.

Supported projects will start no later than September 1, 2023.

Contact information:

In case you have any questions after reviewing the Guidelines for Grant Applications and Frequently Asked Questions, please send an email to: cep@praguecivilsociety.org

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This call for applications is a part of our newly launched Democracy Central Grant Programme aimed at supporting and empowering local actors in independent media and the civic sector in Central Europe to safeguard democratic institutions and strengthen networks of active citizens defending democratic values.  Learn more about the Democracy Central Grants Programme.

The current call for applications is made possible with the support from USAID.

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