Announcement – Call For Proposals

The European Fund for the Balkans (EFB) is now accepting grant applications for its European Story Fund from TV journalists in the Western Balkans working on European integration issues. The European Story Fund, which has been developed in co-operation with journalists from the region, co-finance by the European Fund for the Balkans and the Balkans Trust for Democracy, aims to improve public understanding of European integration issues. It provides funding for experienced TV journalists to cover European issues in interesting and creative ways. The Fund provides small grants to contribute to the additional costs of making stories for broadcast on European issues relevant to the countries of the Western Balkans including how:

• Other Candidate/applicant countries in Western Balkans are managing EU integration processes. How does the negotiation process work?
• How the EU new member states managed key aspects of the EU integration process before they became members? What has it meant for ordinary citizens? What are the cost and benefits of EU; did EU membership pay off?
• How do EU member states manage issues like public administration reform, the environment, regional economic development?

The rules of the Story Fund are intended to be as flexible as possible.

• The stories have to cover issues of interest to audiences in the Western Balkans on the European agenda.
• There is no restriction on the content – except the basic conventions of professional journalism. Stories have to be interesting and accessible to a general audience.
• They can be shown on news programmes, or on current affairs/magazine programmes covering EU/foreign affairs on public or private TV stations in the Western Balkans.

To view stories produced in the pilot phase of the project as well as read about the background of the project click here. For more information read the guidelines. Download the project application form.