Pascal Decroos Fund 2025 for Investigative Journalism (€70,000 Grant)

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About Pascal Decroos Fund

The Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism is Journalismfund's first and oldest grant programme to promote investigative journalism in the Dutch-language media in Belgium since 1999. These are projects that have great news value and depth, and at the same time are original, innovative and time-consuming, and would not be realised without financial support. The Flemish government is subsidising this programme with the aim to keep the memory of Pascal Decroos alive and to continue his life's work.

They encourage starters as well as experienced journalists to apply. The results of the research must be published in a Dutch-language medium in Belgium.

Timeline

For this grant programme, there are 4 application rounds scheduled in 2025:

• The first application deadline will be Thursday 6 February 2025 at 1 pm CET.
• The second deadline will be Thursday 15 May 2025 at 1 pm CEST.
• The third deadline will be Thursday 21 August 2025 at 1 pm CEST.
• The fourth deadline will be Thursday 13 November 2025 at 1 pm CET.

• Sponsor Organisation: Journalismfund Europe

Benefits of Pascal Decroos Fund

• In 2025, there will be €280,000 to distribute over four application rounds, which means approx. €70,000 per round. The programme is subsidised by the Flemish government.

Pascal Decroos Fund Requirements

Eligibility criteria

• Both beginning (starters) and experienced journalist (seniors) can submit a project that cannot be realised through the normal channels of journalism, that has major news value and depth and that is also original, innovative and time-consuming.
• The applicant must be a journalist (written or audio-visual press), or be able to prove that he/she is aspiring to a career in journalism. Personal references and/or references to earlier work are essential in that respect.
• Only natural persons can apply for a grant.
• Projects with regard to investigative and special journalism must deal with topics that are relevant for Flanders.
• The project must be published in a Dutch-language medium in Belgium. A letter of intent for publication from at least one professional news outlet is required for journalists with more than 2 years of experience. For starters this is considered a plus.
• All journalistic end products qualify for a grant: newspaper and magazine articles, radio and television documentaries and series, photo-reportages and books, podcasts and journalistic non-fiction books.

Grant types

The Pascal Decroos Fund has three types of grants:

• INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM: A working grant for investigative journalism allows the applicant to concentrate on one particular topic for a longer period of time.
• IN-DEPTH JOURNALISM: The projects must go beyond regular reporting, daily journalism or correspondence. The subject or theme must be special, or else the approach or angle.
• PRELIMINARY RESEARCH: When it is not clear whether the inquiries will yield the expected results, it is possible to apply for a grant to cover the expenses of the preliminary research.

Which costs?

A grant can cover two types of costs:

• Expenses (both for freelance journalists as for employed staff journalists).
  These can include travel, visa, accommodation, translation, fixers, access to pay-databases, FOI requests, legal screening, etc.
• Research time (only for freelance journalists).
• Following expenses are NOT eligible for a grant: investments goods (such as IT equipment, cameras, …), office costs, production costs, food and beverage, per diems.
• By collaborating with journalists on the ground you can reduce your carbon footprint. Why travel when you can collaborate with a journalist from another country who has the know-how and knowledge?

Applications need to include budget calculation according to the budget template.

Deadlines and timing

• There are usually 4 applications rounds per year.
• After the application deadline, Journalismfund Europe checks that formalities are in order and may call for more information from applicants. This usually takes one week.
• After this the applications go to the jury who makes the final decision.
• Applicants are usually informed about the decision around 40 days after the application deadline.

Jury

• The applications are assessed by an independent jury of four people with ample experience in investigative journalism. The jury members are chosen by Journalismfund Europe. They remain anonymous until they leave the jury.
• You can find an overview of previous jury members here.
• Both Journalismfund Europe and the jury are bound to strict confidentiality – before, during and after evaluation of the proposals.
• The jury will decide on journalistic criteria:

Criteria

1. Added value compared to mainstream coverage / a forgotten story

2. Relevance in society

3. Originality and innovative methods

4. Daringness

5. Feasibility

6. Newsworthiness

7. Experience of the applicants, references

8. Saleability

9. Time-consuming

Grant Conditions

• Every grantee signs an Agreement with Journalismfund Europe that states the mutual arrangements and conditions.
• Grants are paid in two instalments: the first (2/3) upon signature of the Agreement, the second (1/3) after publication of the project and submission of the supporting documents for the expenses.
• Grants are paid in euro. They are only paid out on bank accounts, not via other money transfer services. Any bank charges for international payments are carried by Journalismfund Europe, except for exchange rates.
• Any journalistic product that is the result of the supported project explicitly has to mention the support of Journalismfund Europe.
• At all times during the term of this Agreement, the Grantee and all other persons involved in the project have to endorse the principles of the Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists as well as the national codes of ethics that are in force (see www.ifj.org)
• Applicants need to consent with Journalismfund Europes’s general grant rules.

Application Date and Process

You can easily apply via the online application form. You'll be asked to provide:

• personal details
• information about the project
• information about the dissemination of your story
• a detailed budget

Please make sure you have following documents at hand:

• copy of your ID (for Belgian residents) or passport 
• CV
• letter(s) of intent of (a) Flemish media outlet(s) (for journalists with less than 2 years of experience this is not a formal requirement)
• a detailed budget (please use our budget template)

Application Deadline

06 February, 2025

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