“Deutsche Postcode Lotterie” supports Media Forward Fund with 750,000 euros
At the start of the second funding round on March 10th, the non-profit social lottery is supporting the fund with 750,000 euros
Friederike Behrends, Managing Director of Deutsche Postcode Lotterie and Martin Kotynek, Founding Managing Director of the Media Forward Fund
Berlin / Vienna / Zurich – March 10th 2025: To coincide with the launch of the second round of funding for the Media Forward Fund the 10th of March, 2025“, the German Postcode Lottery is sending a strong signal in support of independent quality journalism by donating €750,000. This endowment of the Media Forward Fund, the first cross-border fund for the promotion of journalism in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, means that a total of nine million euros is now available for the funding of journalism oriented towards the public good.
The “Deutsche Postcode Lotterie” not only enables entire neighborhoods to win together, it also helps them to help together. At least 30 percent of all lottery ticket revenues go to projects in the areas of equal opportunities, social cohesion, and nature and environmental protection. Since its foundation in 2016, the Postcode Lotterie has already supported around 6,500 green and social projects in Germany with more than 325 million euros. An advisory board chaired by Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger and Prof. Dr. Rita Süssmuth decides on the selection of projects. The German Postcode Lottery is part of the family of international postcode lotteries that already exist in five European countries. The Postcode Lottery Group has already provided more than 14.5 billion euros for charitable causes, making it one of the largest private funding organizations in the world.
‘Especially in today's world, it is important to strengthen democracy and enable solutions for independent, diverse and high-quality journalism,’ says Friederike Behrends, Chair of the Management Board of the German Postcode Lottery. ’And that's why we are very pleased that, thanks to our participants, we can expand this fund with our support, because together we can do better.’
‘By supporting independent journalism, the German Postcode Lottery is sending an important signal for democracy and social cohesion,’ says Martin Kotynek, founding director of the Media Forward Fund. ’Together with our now 18 partners, we want to help strengthen journalism that is oriented towards the common good.’
Second funding call: Applications can be submitted until 23rd March
On March 10th 2025, the MFF will launch its second funding call: in addition to the ‘General Funding Line’ for all media oriented towards the common good, this time there will also be a separate call specifically for science and data journalism. Further topic-related funding lines are planned for the future, including climate, environmental and health journalism. The application phase ends on 23rd March 2025. Further information is available at: https://www.mediaforwardfund.org/en/apply
About the Media Forward Fund
The first cross-border fund for journalism funding in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is committed to ensuring that there are more independent quality media outlets with viable business models that publish strong, trustworthy content and are sustainably financed in the long term. This should strengthen diversity in journalism oriented towards the common good and thus strengthen democracy.
The Media Forward Fund was established as a non-profit fund in July 2024 by the Schöpflin Foundation, Stiftung Mercator Schweiz, Volkart Foundation, Rudolf Augstein Foundation, ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, Allianz Foundation, Foundation for Media Diversity, ERSTE Foundation, DATUM Foundation for Journalism and Democracy, the MacArthur Foundation (USA), the impact investor Karma Capital Group, and Publix – Haus für Journalismus & Öffentlichkeit – was established as a non-profit fund in July 2024. As part of a new funding line for science and data journalism, five additional foundations from Germany – the Joachim Herz Foundation, the Klaus Tschira Foundation, the Madsack Foundation, the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft and the Volkswagen Foundation – joined the MFF in January 2025. In March, the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie joined. The development of the fund was supported by the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media with project funding. To date, the MFF has been endowed with nine million euros, of which 1.4 million euros is allocated to the new funding line for science and data journalism.
The first funding call took place in the second half of 2024: four media outlets, two from Switzerland and two from Austria, were each awarded funding of up to 400,000 euros by the independent jury.
Enquiry note for journalists
Agency LOEBELL NORDBERG
Annabel Loebell
Tel: +43-676-6904023
E-Mail: al@loebellnordberg.com
