Grants to Support Media Business Opportunities

Business Innovation Synergizer (BIS) is implemented under the Media Innovation Europe 2026–2028 programme, co-funded by the European Union. It supports European newsrooms and media organisations through grants, business advisory services, training and mentoring. BIS helps organisations with validated business ideas move from planning to implementation, strengthen financial sustainability, accelerate digital transformation, diversify revenue streams, improve audience engagement and build sustainable business models. The programme is delivered by a consortium led by the International Press Institute (IPI) together with Thomson Media (TM), The Fix Foundation (TFF) and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN).

Eligible applicants are professional media organisations from eligible countries with validated business ideas, annual revenue above EUR 80,000, at least 5 full-time employees, and evidence of a structured business idea validation process or participation in a validation programme. Preference is given to projects that follow ethical journalistic and business standards and safeguard the rights of diverse target groups.

Key funding conditions include:

• a maximum grant amount of up to EUR 30,000;
• eligible media outlets must have annual revenue exceeding EUR 80,000 and at least five full-time employees;
• no co-financing is required from the applicant.

Projects may have a duration of up to 12 months, with implementation running from January to December 2027.

The grant programme supports media organisations with validated business ideas, strategies, or plans seeking to strengthen their sustainability, digital transformation, and business innovation capacity.

Support may be provided for activities such as:

• implementing and scaling business ideas, including new revenue models (subscriptions, membership schemes, premium content services, events, and similar initiatives);
• digital transformation, adoption of new technologies, and enhancement of websites, mobile applications, digital platforms, and audience engagement channels;
• development of innovative products, services, content formats, as well as marketing, branding, and distribution initiatives;
• improving audience engagement, client services, commercial offerings, and strategic partnerships;
• acquisition of equipment, software, licences, and digital infrastructure required to implement the proposed business plan;
• capacity building through professional development, specialised training, one-to-one mentoring, and implementation support;
• activities that strengthen financial sustainability, operational resilience, digital readiness, and the long-term viability of the applicant media organisation.

All proposed activities must demonstrate a clear link to the applicant's business plan, development strategy, or validated business idea, contribute to measurable organisational outcomes, and comply with ethical journalism and business standards.

The grant programme follows a structured process of application, evaluation, and grant agreement signature, with applicants being notified of all decisions by email.

Key milestones include:

• 16 July 2026 – launch of the call for applications;
• 27 August 2026 (11:00 CET) – information session for applicants;
• 1 September 2026 – deadline for submitting written clarification requests;
• 20 September 2026 (23:59 CET) – application submission deadline;
• 29 September 2026 – notification of the results of the administrative check;
• 15 October 2026 – notification of the results of the qualitative assessment and due diligence;
• January 2027 – grant agreement signature.

Applications are assessed through a two-stage process consisting of an administrative check followed by a quality assessment.

During the administrative check, the following are verified:

• compliance with the application deadline;
• eligibility of the applicant's country;
• completeness and accuracy of the application form and supporting documents. Applications with missing or incorrect required information may be rejected without further evaluation.

Applications that pass the administrative check are evaluated using a 100-point scoring system based on the following criteria:

• relevance of the proposal – up to 40 points (alignment with the call objectives, business model, resilience, innovation, feasibility, and definition of the target group);
• organisational capacity – up to 20 points (operational capacity, relevant experience, risk management, and commitment to professional journalism standards);
• sustainability – up to 20 points (activities and expected outcomes that strengthen the long-term sustainability of the media outlet, including revenue models and audience engagement);
• validated business idea – up to 10 points;
• financial proposal – up to 10 points (value for money, feasibility, and the reasonableness of proposed costs).

Applications receiving the highest scores will be recommended for grant funding, subject to the availability of programme funds.

Applicants are required to complete the application form in English and submit all required supporting documents.

The mandatory application package includes:

• legal entity registration documents (certificate) confirming official registration in the country of application;
• document(s) confirming that the media outlet was established before 1 January 2025, if different from the legal registration date;
• financial statements for the 2025 calendar year;
• a certificate from the relevant tax authority confirming that all due taxes have been paid, issued within the last 3–6 months before the application deadline;
• the company's organisational chart.

27 серпня 2026 року о 11:00 за центральноєвропейським часом відбудеться онлайн-інформаційна сесія.

Following the quality assessment, applicants undergo a Due Diligence process, including completion of the Due Diligence Checklist and verification of supporting documents. Missing documents or inconsistencies may result in rejection of the application.

Applicants selected for funding may receive grant support subject to successful completion of the due diligence process. Following this, a grant agreement containing the programme's terms and conditions will be signed with Thomson Media.

Key requirements include:

• a grant agreement is signed only after the successful completion of the due diligence check;
• Thomson Media follows internationally recognised standards for data protection and data management;
• personal data are processed in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) unless stricter local legislation applies;
• grant beneficiaries are expected to comply with the same minimum standards for data protection.