Grant Competition for Regional Media

The grant program is implemented by Fondation Hirondelle and aims to support regional media in Ukraine.

Key features:

• The program focuses on developing public interest journalism at the local level.
• Support is provided for producing high-quality journalistic content.
• The initiative promotes transparency and accountability of authorities.

Program objectives:

• Strengthening the capacity of local media.
• Engaging citizens in public discussions.
• Restoring trust in social information.

The following are invited to participate in the competition:

• regional and local media in Ukraine (online media, print publications, television and radio editorial teams);
• editorial teams that regularly produce original journalistic content;
• media interested in developing skills in public interest journalism and covering topics that promote constructive public dialogue in communities;
• editorial teams able to assign a journalist or a team of journalists to implement the grant project and participate in mentoring sessions and trainings.

The grant is awarded to the editorial team that submits the application and assumes responsibility for project implementation.

Preference will be given to media working in frontline communities or covering local development and social cohesion topics.

Key funding parameters:

• A total of 12 regional media outlets will be selected.
• Each selected organization will receive a grant of 3,500 Swiss francs.
• The grant will be disbursed in three installments.

Conditions:

• The grant is awarded to a media organization (editorial office) that submits the application.
• The recipient is responsible for project implementation.

Within the grant program, supported activities focus on producing journalistic materials on topics of public interest and participating in editorial professional development.

Supported content areas:

• Accountability in the use of public funds and reconstruction.
• Reconstruction procurement, allocation of responsibilities, and use of donor funding.
• Monitoring the rebuilding of housing, infrastructure, and public facilities.
• Transparency and effectiveness of local and regional authorities.
• Access to public information and officials’ responses to citizens’ requests.
• Living conditions and integration of IDPs in host communities.
• Challenges of return and resettlement in de-occupied or frontline areas.
• Access to basic services: healthcare, education, and social support.
• The role of civil society and volunteer organizations in addressing governance gaps.

Expected editorial activities:

• Production and publication of at least 10 journalistic materials.
• Participation in monthly online mentoring sessions.
• Participation in an editorial training focused on public interest journalism, journalistic standards, work with sources and data, and improving the quality and impact of journalistic materials.

The grant is awarded to the media organization (editorial team) that submits the application and is responsible for project implementation.

Key stages:

• Application deadline: March 24, 2026.
• Announcement of results: by April 6, 2026.
• Project implementation period: 9 months.

Implementation timeline:

• Start date: April 6, 2026.
• End date: December 31, 2026.

Media outlets wishing to participate in the competition must submit a grant application via the following link:
https://forms.gle/QNQa9S5QRjHBY5UFA

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• relevance of the proposed topics for the community;
• alignment with public interest journalism principles;
• potential impact of the materials on the development of public dialogue in the community;
• editorial team’s experience in producing journalistic content;
• capacity of the editorial team to implement the grant project.

Strong applications will demonstrate not only journalistic quality but also a well-thought-out approach to how the content will reach the audience and engage it.

Additional Opportunities for Grant Recipients

In the summer of 2026, an additional call for proposals will be announced among the selected grant recipients for regional media organizations interested in organizing and hosting a public dialogue event in their community.

The goal of this phase is to support local media in creating safe and constructive platforms for discussing socially important issues with the participation of the community, local authorities, and experts.