Events

Media Forward Fund (MFF) will launch its third open funding call on August 11, 2025, as part of its General Funding Line – offering the chance to receive up to 400,000 euros in support. The event will provide information about the fund and the application process, along with two keynote presentations on local journalism in Eastern Germany and the DACH region.

What does "growth phase" actually mean? Why don’t we just support business as usual? What’s behind the model of the Media Forward Fund, and where is it headed?

How can media start-ups not only launch, but also grow? We joined the annual Netzwerk Recherche conference to discuss what young media projects really need to succeed, and how funding programs like the Media Forward Fund can provide targeted support.

As part of the German Foundation Day 2025 in Wiesbaden, we participated in the community session: "Foundations Funding Together: The Media Forward Fund – A Collaborative Fund for Greater Media Diversity in the DACH Region."

Journalism is at a crossroads, facing collapsing business models and growing threats to democracy. Instead of trying to “save journalism” in the traditional sense, we must support resilient media organizations that fill critical information gaps. As advertising declines and philanthropic support reaches its limits, impact investing emerges as a powerful solution, aligning private capital with media innovation to foster democracy, social cohesion, and progress.

From April 9 to 13, 2025, the 19th edition of the International Journalism Festival took place in Perugia (Italy) – Europe's largest annual media event. The Media Forward Fund was represented in three sessions.

On March 13, 2025 at 12:30 p.m., we offered those interested in our call for applications the opportunity to learn more about the Media Forward Fund, our eligibility and selection criteria, as well as the application process, and then opened the floor for questions.

On March 10, 2025 at 12:30 p.m., we offered those interested in our call for applications the opportunity to learn more about the Media Forward Fund, our eligibility and selection criteria, as well as the application process, and then opened the floor for questions.

Am 5. März 2025 um 11:15 Uhr bietet das MFF-Team in Kooperation mit der WPK Förderinteressierten die Gelegenheit, mehr über die Eignungs- und Auswahlkriterien sowie den Bewerbungsprozess für die neue Förderlinie „Wissenschafts- und Datenjournalismus“ zu erfahren sowie Nachfragen zu stellen.

During our German-language info event on our General Funding Line on February 26, 2025, we presented the eligibility and selection criteria of the Media Forward Fund, as well as the application process. Here you can watch the video of the info event again.

Für Mitglieder des VSM und VMZ hostet der Geschäftsführer des Media Forward Fund, Martin Kotynek, am 24. Februar ein digitales Info-Event am 24. Februar 2025 um 15:00 Uhr.

The financial situation in journalism continues to deteriorate, leading to frequent cuts in the journalistic landscape, as recent developments in Switzerland have once again shown. The consequences for media diversity are dramatic.

There are more than 70 business models, but media companies have so far focused mainly on two of them: Subscriptions and advertising.

During our second digital Information Session in English on Augst 27, 2024, the eligibility and selection criteria of the Media Forward Fund and the application process were presented briefly. Afterwards, we used the space to answer your open questions live. Many thanks to all participants!

During our first digital Information Session in German on July 30, 2024, the eligibility and selection criteria of the Media Forward Fund and the application process were presented briefly. Afterwards, we used the space to answer your open questions live. Many thanks to all participants!