The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom’s (ECPMF) Voices of Ukraine project offers grants to support a wide range of independent Ukrainian media.
These grants fund training programmes that enhance journalistic quality and resilience, supporting independent media outlets to continue their work safely and sustainably under high-risk conditions.
*Note: The grant can also be used for training individual members of the editorial team.
Voices of Ukraine is the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom’s (ECPMF) project to support Ukrainian journalists, offering assistance in eight areas and implemented in collaboration with six other organisations. The project is part of the broader SAFE programme under the Hannah Arendt Initiative and is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. We provide emergency grants for media and journalists, short-term and long-term residencies, equipment support, insurance for journalists on the front lines, special support for female journalists, as well as training grants and publication support.
Who Can Apply:
The call is open to independent Ukrainian media. Training grants are provided on a competitive basis, taking into account the risks and working conditions journalists face.
Priority is given to:
- Frontline & High-Risk Zones: Regional, local, and hyperlocal media outlets operating in frontline areas or relocated from temporarily occupied territories, as well as journalists and fixers regularly working in high-risk zones.
- Challenged Regional Media: Regional media outlets across Ukraine facing significant financial, logistical, or security challenges.
- National Independent Media: Small and mid-sized national independent editorial teams pursuing a clear public interest mission and with limited access to other sources of support.
- Priority will be given to outlets that focus on:
- Coverage of the full-scale war.
- Counteracting Russian propaganda and disinformation.
Eligible Activities for Funding:
- The training programmes must take place before 30 December 2025.
- The training programmes must target primarily media workers affiliated with the applying media outlet. Eligible topics include, but are not limited to:
- Mental health
- Physical safety
- Digital security
- Journalistic and editorial skills enhancement
- Capacity building aimed at improving journalistic quality and the overall strength of the outlet
Grant Amount
Up to €5,000 per training program
Deadline
November 9, 2025
Application Submission
- Applicants must submit a proposal form outlining
- Basic information about the applying outlet
- The purpose of the grant outlining the clear objectives of the training and its expected impact.
- The relevance of the planned training to the challenges of reporting from the frontline regions.
- Budget, including a breakdown of costs for the proposed training.
Selection Process
After an initial screening for eligibility, an evaluation process will be conducted by ECPMF with the assistance of the Voices of Ukraine Programme partners according to the following criteria:
- Urgency (high importance): How critical and time-sensitive the training is in addressing immediate needs of journalists in frontline or high-risk areas.
- Relevance to Challenges (high importance): How well the proposal addresses the specific needs of journalists.
- Feasibility (high importance): Practicality and realism of the proposed budget and implementation plan.
- Impact Potential (medium importance): The potential of the training to improve journalistic quality and resilience.
- Sustainability (medium importance): Long-term benefits of the proposed training to ensure lasting impact.
Communication of Results
Successful applicants will be notified within 15 days after the proposal deadline.
Disbursement of Funds
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU):
- Selected applicants will sign an MoU that outlines the terms and conditions of the grant, including reporting requirements.
- Payment Schedule:
- The grant will be disbursed in two installments:
- First Instalment: 50% of the total grant within 2 weeks upon signing the MoU.
- The grant will be disbursed in two installments:
Second Instalment: 50% of the total grant upon submission of a short mid-term report, typically at the halfway point of the project’s implementation.
Reporting Requirements
Final Report
A comprehensive report detailing the training outcomes, financial expenditure, and impact must be submitted to ECPMF by 15 January 2026.