News media and newsrooms still predominantly operate nationally. However, the climate crisis and power structures that hinder the transition away from fossil fuels markedly transcend national boundaries.
The Fossil Fuel Grant Programme is therefore aimed at cross-border teams of professional journalists and/or newsrooms to investigate and document unreported activities by European fossil fuel companies and their proxies within and beyond the continent.
Next to investigations of fossil fuel industry activities that transcend borders, this programme can also support investigations that compare local industry activities or policies between two or more regions.
The resulting stories must be published in at least two outlets in two different countries, at least one must be a European media.
The grants can also offer support to preliminary work in the development of new investigative projects.
It can cover working time and expenses such as logistics, travel, insurance, access to legal support, translations, access to technology and data sets, etc.
Next to financial support, teams can also apply for an experienced mentor to provide assistance with the focus of the investigation or a specific skill or competency.
This grant is supported by the Meliore Foundation and housed under a larger programme: The Earth Investigations Programme supported by Arcadia.
More info and applications
You can apply and learn more about the eligibility and assessment criteria, timing, jury and grant conditions here. We look forward to your application!
Looking for a teammate to collaborate?
Here are some tips on how to find investigative journalists in other countries to team up with.
For who
Journalists and news outlets
Cross-border teams of at least two professional journalists and/or news outlets can submit a proposal for a journalistic investigation about an issue that concerns the European fossil fuel companies and their proxies within and beyond the continent.
How much
€50,000
The total available amount to be distributed among all supported investigations will be €50,000.
The programme is supported by Meliore.
Next deadline
25 July 2024
For this grant programme there are 20 application rounds scheduled over a period of six years (starting from January 2022).
- The last two deadlines in 2024 will be on Thursday 25 July 2024 at 1pm CET (Brussels time)
- and on Thursday 24 October 2024 at 1pm CET (Brussels time).
How to apply?
1. Before you start, please consult the grant details, where you can find the rules, eligibility and assessment criteria, timing etc.
2. After a one-time registration with your email address, you can access our online application form. You can freely navigate through the form to see which information you need to provide in your application. This includes:
- team members' details
- information about the intended investigation
- information about the intended publication channels, including letters of intent from news outlets
- a detailed budget, according to our budget template
You will also be asked to upload some administrative documents.
One team member can start a draft application. He or she can then invite multiple people to collaborate on the online draft. The online application-in-progress can be saved and further edited at any time.
Need help?
Take a look at our FAQ. Next, we're always happy to discuss your project ideas or to answer any questions you might have about your application. So don't hesitate to contact us via phone or mail, or to make an appointment for a video call.
