Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatens the survival of independent media in the country. Newsrooms able to support themselves before the war must now look for other sources of income to sustain their operations. Competition for support from donors has grown tremendously, as a result.
Since the start of the full-scale war in late February, some publications launched successful crowdfunding efforts targeting foreign contributors. Two campaigns — Keep Ukraine's media going and Keep the Kyiv Independent going — continue to actively raise money on GoFundMe. Spearheaded by Jakub Parusinski, managing partner of the international consulting company Jnomics and financial director of The Kyiv Independent, the campaigns have attracted support from more than 42,000 contributors combined, raising over GBP2.5 million (over US$3 million).
Ukrainian NGOs like the Media Development Foundation are also supporting journalists and media workers in the country. Their priority is to support Ukrainian newsrooms located in conflict zones, as well as media from regions of the country with little media presence.
Fortunately, there exist still more organizations eager to support independent media in Ukraine. I’ve compiled a list of organizations to which media outlets and individual journalists can apply for grant funding to support reporting initiatives.
The Institute for Human Sciences
How to apply: Journalists can apply for funding from the Institute for Human Sciences’ Documenting Ukraine initiative. Interested applicants should email ukraine@iwm.at with a brief description of their project proposal, their CV, and the name and contact information of one reference. The email subject line should be: "Documenting Ukraine."
Budget: Up to EUR5,000
Deadline: June 15
According to the project website: “Vital work is being done by those who create a record of the war in Ukraine [...] Documenting Ukraine seeks to facilitate this work by supporting journalists, scholars, artists, public intellectuals, and archivists based in Ukraine as they work on documentation projects that establish and preserve a factual record, through reporting, gathering published source material, or collecting oral testimony; or bring meaning to events through artistic interpretation and intellectual reflection.”
U.S. Embassy in Ukraine
How to apply: Interested candidates can apply for grant funding by filling out the requested information on the Embassy website. In addition to the project proposal, it is important to include resumes of key personnel who will be involved in the project, documents about the registration of your organization, and registration on www.SAM.gov. Documents must be submitted by email to KyivMDF@state.gov.
Budget: Up to US$200,000, for a period of 12 months. All grant applications are subject to available funding.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. The deadline for the next round is June 19.
The Embassy website states: “The contest aims to provide local audiences with accurate reporting and information that will help Ukrainian citizens to stay alive, organize as communities and unite to rebuild their hometowns and businesses. The U.S. Embassy is welcoming proposals from all regions of Ukraine. However, the priority will be given to media outlets remaining in or relocated from regions previously besieged by Russian troops, or in temporary occupation.”
CRDF Global
How to apply: You can apply by filling out the form on their website. The completed application, a copy of your passport, and CV should be sent to nonpro-grants@crdfglobal.org.
Budget: Up to US$5,000. Grants are a one-time, six-month award.
Deadline: July 15
The CRDF Global website reads: “CRDF Global is pleased to announce a grant opportunity to support counter-disinformation initiatives that respond to malign influence campaigns that discredit longstanding nonproliferation norms and institutions in Ukraine.”
Funding seeks to support efforts to identify Russian disinformation, as well as the development of technical solutions for identifying and countering Russian disinformation operations.
European Endowment for Democracy (EED)
How to apply: Fill out an application form on their website. Or send a completed application and budget to secretariat@democracyendowment.eu.
Budget: The average amount of support is between EUR40,000 and EUR60,000.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Emergency support is also available.
According to the European Endowment for Democracy website: "EED supports civil society organizations, pro-democracy movements, civic and political activists, and independent media platforms and journalists working towards a pluralistic, democratic political system. These can also include newly created or non-registered organizations, informal platforms, youth groups and individuals. In particular, EED supports those who cannot be supported by other donors and existing EU instruments. Support is contingent on adherence to democratic values, respect for human rights and observance of principles of non-violence."
National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
How to apply: On the organization's website, in the "Resources" section, there are templates for all the documents you need to fill out. Completed applications should be sent to europeproposals@ned.org with "Ukraine Emergency Project" in the subject line. Questions can be directed to ukraine@ned.org.
Budget: Funding details are available in the Proposal guidelines. No grant limit is indicated.
Deadline: Applications from Ukrainian organizations are accepted on an ongoing basis.
NED’s website states: "The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is an independent, nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world. Each year, NED makes more than 2,000 grants to support the projects of non-governmental groups abroad who are working for democratic goals in more than 100 countries."
The New Democracy Fund (NDF)
How to apply: All application templates can be found by following this link. To apply, one must have a partner — a Danish public organization. The application should be sent to rapidresponse@newdemocracyfund.org.
Budget: Up to DKK400,000 (about US$57,000)
Deadline: Applications from Ukrainian organizations are accepted on an ongoing basis.
The organizers promise to respond to applications within 5 weeks.
The Fund's website states: “The fund supports new and existing civil society partnerships in regard to strengthening democratic development in the Eastern Neighborhood Countries.”
Lviv Media Forum (LMF)
How to apply: Learn what kind of support this organization offers by following this link. To receive assistance, you need to describe in detail what you require and send a request to info@lvivmediaforum.com.
Budget: Funding is available to support content creation and web hosting fees.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
UA Media Support Center Chatbot
Many journalists don’t have the time or resources to acquire needed equipment for reporting from a dangerous location. They may also have difficulty finding accommodation when traveling. In April, the UA Media Support Center created a chatbot for journalists working in challenging and dangerous conditions in Ukraine, allowing them to quickly seek the help they need.
The UA Media Support Center chatbot includes the following resources:
- Checklist for journalists working in war zones,
- Resources for finding housing and transportation,
- Recommendations for actions in emergency situations,
- Important sources for finding information,
- Grant and career opportunities for journalists.
The chatbot is available on Telegram, Viber, and Facebook Messenger.
The project is a joint effort from independent media outlet The Fix, the Media Development Foundation, The Kyiv Independent, Jnomics and Reporters Without Borders. Other organizations can join the project, becoming partners or supporting financially.
This compilation of opportunities will be updated. If you know of other organizations and foundations that financially support the Ukrainian media, let us know: irahoiuk21@gmail.com.
This article was originally published in Russian and translated into English.
Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash.
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