Independent media outlets across Europe, including five Western Balkan countries, can apply for grants of up to €60,000 under a new EU-backed programme aimed at strengthening struggling newsrooms, improving business sustainability and rebuilding public trust in journalism.
BRUSSELS, Nov. 2 — Journalismfund Europe, International Media Support (IMS) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have launched a €1.625 million funding initiative to support independent journalism in European communities where local news coverage is declining, and media pluralism is under pressure.
The 24-month programme, called Sustainable Media for Democracy (SM4D), began on Nov. 1 and aims to support approximately 45 local, regional, community and investigative media outlets.
Co-funded by the European Union through Creative Europe and the Limelight Foundation, the initiative will provide individual grants ranging from €5,000 to €60,000, combined with tailored mentoring, peer learning and organisational development.
Two calls for proposals are scheduled to open in December 2026.
The programme is open to eligible media organisations in all 27 EU member states, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The initiative focuses on so-called news deserts — communities where independent local journalism is disappearing or becoming increasingly difficult to sustain — as well as areas where media pluralism faces significant challenges.
The programme builds on three previous EU-supported initiatives: Local Media for Democracy (LM4D), Pluralistic Media for Democracy (PM4D) and the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI).
Funding alone is not enough, Debruyne says
Journalismfund Europe will manage the financial grants, while IMS will coordinate a tailored capacity-building and peer-learning programme.
The assistance will focus on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, editorial and audience strategies, innovative business models and access to new sources of capital.
Participating outlets will also exchange experiences and develop practical responses to shared challenges, including declining revenues, changing audience behaviour and technological disruption.
Ides Debruyne, managing director of Journalismfund Europe, said the programme reflected lessons learned from earlier initiatives supporting independent media.
“Local journalism is the foundation on which trust in the news is built, community by community. Our experience with LM4D and PM4D has shown us that funding is most effective when combined with business innovation and external expertise. SM4D builds on this approach and gives local media the recognition they deserve.”
The approach reflects growing recognition among media development organisations that grants for individual reporting projects may provide short-term relief but are not necessarily sufficient to secure the long-term survival of independent newsrooms.
Reporters Without Borders to strengthen editorial transparency
A separate component of SM4D will focus on improving professional standards, editorial transparency and public trust.
Media organisations that previously participated in LM4D and PM4D will receive support through the Journalism Trust Initiative, developed by Reporters Without Borders.
Through group sessions and individual guidance, participating outlets will assess their editorial procedures against JTI standards for ethical and reliable journalism.
They will also have the opportunity to publish transparency reports explaining their editorial practices, governance and accountability mechanisms.
Around 10 outlets are expected to proceed to full JTI certification through an independent external assessment.
Benjamin Sabbah, Director of the Journalism Trust Initiative at Reporters Without Borders, said:
“We are proud to contribute to SM4D, a programme that recognises the essential role of independent media in sustaining democratic societies. Through the Journalism Trust Initiative, we aim to help participating outlets strengthen their editorial transparency, demonstrate their commitment to ethical and reliable journalism, and build trust with their audiences. By embedding recognised standards into broader efforts to improve media sustainability, SM4D offers a valuable opportunity to reinforce both the credibility and the resilience of public-interest journalism across Europe.”
The certification component is designed to help media organisations demonstrate their commitment to recognised professional standards and strengthen their credibility with audiences and potential supporters.
IMS: Independent journalism cannot survive without sustainable media
International Media Support will lead the programme’s organisational development activities, including mentoring, business innovation and collaboration between participating newsrooms.
The programme will address the financial and operational pressures facing independent media, particularly smaller organisations that struggle to generate sufficient revenue while maintaining editorial independence.
Gulnara Akhundova, Regional Director for the Europe Department at IMS, said:
“Independent journalism cannot strengthen democracy if the media producing it cannot survive. With SM4D, we want to move beyond financial support and help public-interest media build the resilience, audiences, and sustainable and innovative models they need for the future.”
The initiative will also produce openly accessible knowledge resources and encourage cooperation among media organisations across national borders.
A Media for Democracy Summit will bring together news organisations and other stakeholders to identify practical responses to challenges affecting independent journalism.
Applications to open in December
Two calls for proposals will be published in December 2026, inviting applications from local and regional news outlets, community media, investigative journalism organisations and public-interest media operating in areas where media pluralism is under strain.
Full eligibility criteria, application procedures and selection requirements will be announced when the calls open.
An introductory webinar explaining the funding opportunities, mentoring arrangements and capacity-building activities is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2026, at 14:00 CET.
The programme will run for 24 months, starting Nov. 1, 2026.
For independent news organisations in the Western Balkans, SM4D offers an opportunity to secure financial support while building more sustainable operations, strengthening audience engagement, and adopting new technologies.
The programme’s broader ambition is to help independent media move beyond dependence on short-term project funding and build the financial, organisational and editorial resilience needed to serve their communities over the long term.