A new €2.75 million project seeks to transform European journalism by connecting media professionals with academic experts and industry specialists to improve the quality and sustainability of news reporting across the continent. This funding also helps to continue the award-winning European Cross-border Grant programme's mission.
The Expert Journalism Initiative, led by Journalismfund Europe and the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) in Riga, will run for 24 months. It aims to address critical challenges facing local, regional, and investigative media outlets through a combination of grants, training programmes, and expert collaboration.
Journalismfund has been providing cross-border grants to European journalists and media since 2009. Our service in this area is becoming increasingly sophisticated. This grant programme is the most ambitious that we have ever set up." Ides Debruyne, managing director, Journalismfund Europe.
The project draws inspiration from successful investigative journalism ventures such as the Forever Pollution project, which mapped contamination from "forever chemicals" across Europe. That investigation, which involved close collaboration between journalists and seven scientific experts, has since been cited in research papers, court cases, and presentations to the European Commission and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.
As a key partner in this EU initiative, we will leverage our expertise in media, education, and policy advisory to foster dialogue, empower future media professionals, and ensure the development of impactful training solutions." Edgars Spuravs, director for Centre for Media Studies SSE Riga
Three-Pronged Approach
The initiative consists of three main components.
- First, it will provide grants for cross-border investigative journalism projects, with funding covering both journalistic work and expert consultation.
- Second, it will deliver training programmes for media managers, focusing on project management, storytelling, editing, and budgeting.
- Third, it will ensure the wide dissemination of supported stories and establish a scholarship programme to improve accessibility.
'Expert-reviewed journalism offers the media a transformative opportunity by bridging the gap between journalistic practice and specialised expertise,' said Ides Debruyne, managing director of Journalismfund. Experts will provide peer review and linguistic validation to ensure articles meet high standards of accuracy and reliability.
The approach mirrors academic peer-review processes whilst adapting them for journalistic purposes. Journalists will gain access to specialist knowledge in fields such as environmental science, public health and governance, enabling them to tackle complex topics with greater authority.
What's new?
The European Cross-border Grants programme now offers structured expert support to help teams strengthen their investigations and improve overall project quality. This new support comes in the form of Project Advisors and Experts, who work closely with grantees throughout their project.
Watch the Introductory Webinar
Project Advisor: your guide throughout the project
Teams can now request a Project Advisor if they want help connecting with relevant experts or navigating the development of their investigation.
The Project Advisor:
- Acts as a mediator between journalists and experts
- Supports the team throughout the entire project development
- Will come from a pool of advisors with diverse professional backgrounds, often with media expertise
- Is assigned by SSE Riga, in consultation with the team
- Is paid by SSE Riga, not by the grantee
Project Advisors are experienced project managers and communicators who ensure that collaborations with experts run smoothly and effectively.
Experts: specialised knowledge for stronger investigations
With the guidance of the Project Advisor, teams can also work with subject-matter experts who bring additional depth and expertise to the investigation.
Key points about Experts:
- Experts are selected based on the topic of the investigation
- The final choice is made by the journalistic team, with support from the Project Advisor
- Experts are only involved when a Project Advisor is assigned
- All projects with experts must therefore also include a Project Advisor
- Experts are paid by Journalismfund Europe
Building on Success
The Forever Pollution project demonstrates the potential of expert-journalist collaboration. The investigation's methodology, published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal, has generated debate across journalistic, scientific, and regulatory circles. The database created through the project has been used in ten different research projects.
Stéphane Horel, who led the Forever Pollution project, emphasises that successful collaboration requires mutual trust and benefit. Scientists need reassurance that their reputations won't be compromised, whilst journalists must demonstrate expertise and preparation when approaching potential expert partners.
The new initiative will expand this model across Europe, with participating journalists required to work alongside experts throughout their investigations. The consortium's vast network of journalism professionals across Europe will facilitate these partnerships.
Addressing Media Challenges
The project comes at a time when European media face significant pressures. Local and regional outlets often lack resources for in-depth coverage, whilst disinformation and polarised narratives threaten public trust in journalism. The Media Pluralism Monitor 2025 highlights that access to free and independent media remains essential for informed democratic participation.
Community and investigative media play a particularly vital role in democracy due to their close relationships with local audiences, according to research cited by the project. However, these sectors face challenges ranging from external pressures to resource constraints.
The initiative aims to build repositories of knowledge about media needs and challenges, contributing to a more resilient media ecosystem. By fostering collaboration between experts, journalists, and media organisations, it seeks to improve both editorial quality and business fundamentals.
Long-term Impact
The project's goal is also to strengthen the financial sustainability of European media outlets. Through strategic capacity building, it aims to create an environment conducive to a pluralistic and independent media presence across the EU.
By promoting editorial independence, resilience and pluralism, the initiative seeks to ensure public access to reliable, well-researched information. This experimental approach could establish new benchmarks for journalistic excellence, particularly in an era when accurate verification and quality assurance have become increasingly crucial for maintaining audience trust.
The Expert Journalism Initiative represents a significant investment in European media's future, recognising that collaboration between journalists and experts may be essential for addressing the complex challenges facing contemporary journalism.
Timeline
The first public open call deadline for the European Cross-border grant programme is on Thursday, 19 March 2026 13:00 CET (Brussels). The following deadline will be 21 May 2026.
Find further grant information and the application portal here.
The project is co-funded by the European Commission (Creative Europe). It starts on the 1st of January 2026 for 24 months. Six calls for proposals will be published between January 2026 and mid-2027.
