The International Fund for Public Interest Media has issued a new Open Call for proposals for grant support for independent media in Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia.

The call for grant proposals, entitled Strengthening What Works: Investing in the Future of Public Interest Media in Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine, aims to support independent media organisations in building more financially sustainable and resilient operations. Building on the impact of previous donor support, including by the International Fund, and on the financial stability achieved by partner media outlets, this call for grant proposals seeks to enable organisations to consolidate, refine, and expand business models that have demonstrated potential. It is also intended to allow media to test new, innovative approaches.

This Call for Proposals will support independent media operating across the region that are navigating a critical turning point: they have stabilized their financial health following the funding crisis of 2025 but remain vulnerable to backsliding into financial hardship without a continuation of external support for a further grant cycle. In launching the call, the International Fund recognizes that long term media resilience increasingly depends on having the space and ability to adapt, for organisations willing to test new approaches in response to evolving audience behaviours.

Individual two-year grants will be awarded to media organisations with grant amounts calibrated to organisational size, capacity and demonstrated need, with grants of approximately USD 200,000 on average anticipated.

As a factor for eligibility, the International Fund’s grant funding (on an annual basis) can represent no more than 30% of an organisation’s average annual turnover. Media organisations are encouraged to develop proposals and a funding request which takes this proportion into consideration and is consistent with the organisation’s financial trajectory and current size and capacity.

The selection process

Independent media interested in submitting a funding proposal are encouraged to confirm their organisation’s eligibility by submitting the secure Eligibility Verification Form

Organisations that meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to proceed to the next step of the application process. The selection process will involve the following steps:

Eligibility Form submission: Applicants submit responses to an eligibility checklist.

Full Application submission: Organisations that meet the eligibility criteria will receive an email with a link to access and submit their full funding proposal.

International Fund review: The International Fund will conduct an initial review of all proposals to confirm alignment with eligibility criteria, and to verify that all required documents were completed and submitted.

Juror review and recommendation: Following the initial review, an external panel of independent media experts will assess the proposals and recommend a set of candidate media organisations for grant support by the International Fund. The independent panel’s review will be guided by defined assessment criteria, and supported by the information provided in each proposal.

Selection criteria for juror evaluation will include the following three areas:

The applicant’s current positioning in their ecosystem and role in informing the public: whether the applicant is uniquely positioned to inform a significant proportion of the public in their country, or informs otherwise underserved communities, together with a strong track record of producing quality public interest journalism relevant to their audiences. In case of more limited reach, particular focus will be put on media working in areas most susceptible to disinformation and foreign influence.

The applicant’s plan for use of the funds: the quality, clarity and feasibility of a two-year operational plan that strengthens organisational capacity and supports the stabilization and, where feasible, diversification of revenue sources, while demonstrating adaptability to current market constraints, along with the potential of the proposed activities to strengthen financial stability and long-term resilience.

The applicant’s organisational strengths and financial situation: if supported by the Fund, the capacity to sustain operations, maintain audience relevance and ensure financial resilience under constrained market conditions,taking into account the media organisation’s limited access to long-term donor or commercial funding.

International Fund Board approval:

The final list of recommended awardees will be submitted to the International Fund’s Board for approval. Final Board approval is a standard process for all grants awarded by the International Fund.

Key dates and deadlines

July 10, 2026: Deadline to complete the eligibility form.

July 26, 2026: Deadline to submit documents on organisational profile through the International Fund portal, for eligible media organisations invited to submit proposals.

August 2, 2026: Deadline to submit full applications through the International Fund portal.

November 18, 2026: Date by which all evaluation steps will be completed and grant awards communicated to media organisations.

Partnership with the Journalism Trust Initiative

Successful applicants will also have the option to receive additional funding to prepare for and complete the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification process. JTI is an international standard initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) that helps news outlets demonstrate their transparency and their commitment to ethical journalistic practice to their audiences, funders and fellow media organisations.

Under a joint project with RSF, IFPIM will provide grantees that are interested in being certified with the opportunity to have consulting and certification fees associated with obtaining the JTI standard covered. Certification support will include funding as well as the contacts for qualified consultants and certification assessment firms.

Contacts‍

In case of questions related to technical assistance for the portal, please contact the IFPIM team at: [email protected].

For any other questions related to the process please contact IFPIM Program Associate: Kateryna Chystoforova.

The International Fund for Public Interest Media is pleased to launch this Regional Open Call for funding and encourages all eligible media organisations to apply. The Fund wishes the submitting media organisations all the best throughout the application process.