CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Deadline for your application is April 16th, 2017!

Информация на русском языке

Did you ever feel like your investigation was limited by language, geographical borders or a lack of contacts abroad?

If you are a critically thinking journalist, who works with investigative methods and is interested in becoming part of an international network of collaborating colleagues, you can now apply with your story idea!

We support your cross border investigative story with up to 2.500 Euro, legal consultation, tailor-made workshops and international networking. Journalists from the following countries can apply: Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia and the EU.

Stories need to be related to at least one of the following countries: Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine.

Topics with a focus on environmental issues are particularly welcome.

All details about how to apply you will find on the following pages.

OUR GOAL

n-vestigate aims to foster national and transnational investigative journalism within and between the aforementioned countries, the goal being to establish a transnational network which more deeply anchors investigative journalism within each country's respective society. We aim to support the production of relevant and accessible media contributions as well as to establish strong relationships between journalists, representatives of media outlets, media lawyers and FoI activists.

n-vestigate is a project by n-ost (Berlin) in association with hetq Armenia, Liberali Georgia, RISE Moldova and RDPI Ukraine,financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

WHO & WHAT

Skilled investigative journalists from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia and EU countries can apply either as a team or as an individual with their idea for a team investigation. Reporters who are experienced with Freedom of Information requests, data journalism and cross border collaboration are especially welcome. A good command of either Russian or English is required.

It is an advantage if you apply as an already existing cross border team. If you get selected as an individual, we will support you with finding partners.

Basis for our decision is that you have a good idea for an investigative cross border story and a plan how to realize your in-depth research. At least one of the concerned countries shall be Armenia, Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine. We particularly welcomestories with focus on environmental issues.

HOW

Submit your application in English or Russian using the following questionnaire until April 16th, 2017: https://goo.gl/forms/XgayfTSc7s3TcjsC3

We will select the teams and stories in a two-step procedure:

1. Shortlist: The jury will choose ca. 15 stories. Your story is one of them? That means you will have one month from now to get the investigation started and find more details in order to convince the jury that your investigation will be a success.

2. Final selection: The jury will choose up to 9 stories to be funded.

If you are among those journalists who passed the final selection, you will become member of the n-vestigate network, which involves media lawyers, Freedom of Information experts, social media activists, media representatives and investigative journalists. The network provides consultation & help in all phases of your investigation. Your investigation will be supervised by a distinguished investigative journalist.

n-vestigate offers financial support for your research expenses and fair honoraria (altogether up to 2.500 Euro per team) as well as support for visualization, translation and legal screening. You can also receive extra support for meeting with your team colleagues in order to get your team collaboration started.

Our understanding of the investigative process goes beyond the publication itself. Investigative stories matter for society, so they need to be read. That’s why we put emphasis on storytelling and visualization.

Some of the investigative stories are going to be part of a larger advocacy campaign in cooperation with NGOs, social media activists, etc. If your story gets selected for campaigning, we will pitch it to NGOs, that might start parallel research and campaign planning. This part is not a mandatory element of the n-vestigate program.

In October your team will be invited to the obligatory n-vestigate Annual Meeting in Odessa. Here you will meet the other members of the n-vestigate network. Parts of the event will be just among the group of reporters; here you will create a visualization for your story and work on storytelling and publication strategies. In the framework of the Annual Meeting of our network we provide tailor-made workshops to improve your project. Those teams whose stories are part of advocacy campaigns will meet with the campaigners. Other parts of the meeting will be devoted to collaboration & discussion with other experts of the network.

We expect journalists to attend the Annual Meeting and cooperate actively within the n-vestigate network throughout the year.

n-vestigate journalists are eligible to get support for individual international networking (participation in international events related to investigative journalism, i.e. conferences, trainings, etc.).

TIME LINE 2017 / 2018

April 16th: Application deadline

May 1st: Announcement of shortlisted stories

May 31st: Deadline for preliminary research

June (2nd half): Announcement of final selection

Sept. 31st: Your investigation should be completed

October(2nd half): Annual Meeting

January 31st: Deadline for publishing your story

QUESTIONS?

For more information please visit www.n-vestigate.net, or contact one of the coordinators of n-vestigate:

Armenia: Kristine Agalaryan, [email protected]

Georgia: Lika Zakashvili, [email protected]

Moldova: Inna Civirjic, [email protected]

Ukraine: Kateryna Ivanova, [email protected]

Russia: Anastasia Drozdova, [email protected]

Other countries: Annika Glaeser, [email protected]