EUROPEAN JOURNALISM CENTRE,update

Hello, Welcome to the latest edition of the EJC newsletter. This time, we're bringing you a new funding opportunity for journalists and news creators reporting on global health, reflections from the investigative journalism community at UNCOVERED 2026, and an invitation to join us in Brussels to explore how trusted local information can strengthen climate resilience. €120,000 in new funding is available for journalism exploring maternal and child health and its connection to German development cooperation. €120,000 in new grants for reporting on maternal and child health The European Journalism Centre has opened the second round of its Official Development Assistance (ODA) Germany Grants, with €120,000 available to support ambitious, independent public-interest reporting for German audiences. Grants of €10,000–€15,000 will support reporting on maternal and child health and its links to development cooperation, with particular interest in stories connected to Africa. We welcome explanatory, investigative, solutions-oriented and data-driven reporting exploring issues including maternal and child survival, nutrition, infectious diseases and health innovations. Up to ten grants will be awarded. The call is open to German media outlets, Germany-based freelance journalists and news creators, and cross-border teams targeting German audiences. Projects can take many forms - from print and digital journalism to audio, video, multimedia, data and social-first formats - but must be intended for publication or distribution to German audiences. Applications are open until Friday, 23 October 2026 at 23:59 CEST. Explore the call and apply Investigative journalists from across Europe and beyond gathered in Budapest for two days of candid conversations, new connections and recognition of journalism with real-world impact. Photo Credit: Lisa-Marie Bosbach UNCOVERED 2026: Impact goes beyond publication On 17 and 18 September, 146 investigative journalists, experts and partners came together in Budapest for UNCOVERED 2026: a trusted space to speak candidly about the realities behind investigative work, from online safety and financial insecurity to mental health and reporting under pressure. This year's IJ4EU Impact Awards recognised three cross-border investigations whose consequences went far beyond publication. Factories on the Run: Inside the Global Trade that Moves PFAS Downstream, supported through the IJ4EU Freelancer Support Scheme managed by EJC, traced a former PFAS factory from Italy to India, where it was rebuilt and returned to production after being shut down in Italy for contaminating the region’s drinking water with PFAS “forever” chemicals. Freelance journalist Gianluca Liva described how the investigation came perilously close to costing team members their lives. Its publication also triggered political scrutiny and questions in the Indian Parliament. The Forever Lobbying Project, coordinated by Le Monde, investigated efforts to weaken European restrictions on PFAS, while Bad Practice brought together 50 media outlets in a major cross-border collaboration. The jury also gave special recognition to Killing for the Photo, an investigation that turned the lens on journalism itself, examining the consequences of photographs taken in moments of extreme vulnerability and the responsibilities of those documenting them. These investigations remind us what the Impact Awards celebrate: not simply exceptional reporting, but journalism that produces consequences, holds power to account, and asks difficult questions, including about our own profession. Meet the 2026 IJ4EU Impact Award winners and discover more from UNCOVERED Climate resilience needs trusted local information Climate adaptation isn't only about flood barriers, reservoirs or other physical infrastructure. Communities also need trusted, timely and locally relevant information to understand risks, prepare and respond. On 15 October, EJC will join REVOLVE and the EU-funded RESIST project at the Press Club Brussels for Accelerating Climate Adaptation through Local Media Ecosystems. EJC's Juliette Gerbais will introduce the Climate Frontline Toolkit and show how journalists and editors can put its practical resources to work when covering climate hazards. Later, Shannon Maguire will draw on examples and impact from across the Plus alliance to show how partners worldwide are turning local collaboration into climate action. In Brussels on 15 October? Join the conversation. Register for Accelerating Climate Adaptation through Local Media Ecosystems Thank you for being part of the EJC community. Whether you're exploring the new toolkit, following the latest investigations or preparing your next funding application, we hope these resources and opportunities inspire your work in the months ahead. Warmly, The European Journalism Centre team A member of the Plus alliance follow us © 2026 European Journalism Centre Capucijnenstraat 21 C10 6211RN Maastricht, The Netherlands