€270,000 Fund for Investigative Journalists | WUIN

Application Deadline: May 17, 2026

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.

A grant can cover two types of costs:

• Expenses (both for freelance journalists and 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).
• The following expenses are NOT eligible for a grant: investment goods (such as IT equipment, cameras, …), office costs, production costs, food and beverage, and 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 calculations according to the budget template.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Both beginning (starters) and experienced journalists (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 to 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
• Please make sure you have the following documents at hand:
• copy of your ID (for Belgian residents) or passport
• CV/Resume
• 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)

Entry 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

HOW TO APPLY

Please use this link

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

In 2026, there is €270,000 to distribute over four application rounds, which means approximately €67,500 per round. The money comes from the Flemish government.

For this grant programme, there are 4 application rounds scheduled in 2026:

• The first deadline will be Thursday, 22 January 2026, at 1 pm CET.
• The second deadline will be Thursday, 23 April 2026, at 1 pm CET.
• The third deadline will be Thursday, 6 August 2026, at 1 pm CET.
• The fourth deadline will be Thursday, 1 October 2026, at 1 pm CET.

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 euros. 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 to Journalismfund Europe’s general grant rules.

About Pascal Decroos Fund

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

About Taskrika

Taskrika is a decentralised advertising platform designed to help businesses connect directly with real people, aiming to eliminate bot traffic and ad fraud in digital marketing. It functions as a platform where brands can have their stories seen, heard, and engaged with by actual users who are incentivised for their participation.

WUIN is Taskrika’s human capital development directory, where you can find information on funding opportunities in different sectors, from education, careers, entrepreneurship, technology, personal development, and more.