Media Forward Fund launches new funding line for science and data journalism and cooperates with the German Wissenschaftspressekonferenz

Berlin / Vienna / Zurich - January 30, 2025: Media Forward Fund, the first transnational fund for journalism funding in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, will launch its second funding round on March 10, 2025. This time, there will be two calls for proposals at the same time: in addition to the "general funding line" for all public-interest media, a separate call will be launched specifically for science and data journalism.

As part of this newly initiated funding line, five more foundations from Germany are joining the Media Forward Fund: Joachim Herz Foundation, Klaus Tschira Foundation, Madsack Foundation, the Stifterverband, and Volkswagen Foundation join the twelve initiators of the Media Forward Fund from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the U.S. to date. Together with three initiators of the fund - Rudolf Augstein Foundation, Schöpflin Foundation and ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS - they are endowing the new funding line for science and data journalism with 1.4 million euros.

Cooperation with the WPK

For the new funding line, Media Forward Fund is cooperating with the German Wissenschaftspressekonferenz (WPK), which initiated a previous "Innovation Fund for Science Journalism" and brought together relevant foundations for the funding of journalism for the first time. The WPK is responsible for the scientific journalistic support of the funding partners and quality assurance.

Funding to strengthen independent science and data journalism

Media Forward Fund is committed to contributing to more high-quality independent media with viable business models, which publish strong, trustworthy content and are sustainably financed. The aim is to strengthen diversity in public-interest journalism, and thus democracy.

Criteria in the areas of transformation, user-centricity, independence and quality were defined for the awarding of funding: The aim is to support media that want to try out new approaches to public interest business models in science and data journalism. The challenge: to bring new, well thought-out ideas to the market based on a comprehensive target group analysis that will strengthen science and data journalism in the long term. The decision on who receives the funding is made by a jury that is independent of the donors and the fund and includes science and data journalism experts from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

"Science and data journalism make a significant contribution to understand complex issues. In cooperation with the Wissenschaftspressekonferenz and the donors who are joining the Media Forward Fund, we can now provide targeted support to public-value media to develop financially viable solutions for science and data journalism," says Martin Kotynek, Founding Director of Media Forward Fund.

"Science journalism is more than just communicating facts. It is a dialog between science and society - and the first line of defense against disinformation," says WPK Chairwoman Nicola Kuhrt. "We are delighted that, following the success of our Innovation Fund, we can continue to drive forward the innovative capacity of journalism with this new funding line.”

Two-stage funding procedure

Media Forward Fund is taking a two-stage approach in the new funding line: In the call for proposals starting on March 10, one-year "Launch Grants" of 75,000 euros each will be awarded to media that want to bring a previously untested product idea to market in order to prove a product/market fit. In the second call for proposals in 2026, the fund will then - as in the "General Funding Line" - award two-year growth grants of generally up to 400,000 euros to science journalism media projects that can already demonstrate initial success on the market and now want to expand their sources of revenue in order to become more financially viable.

In parallel to the new funding line, Media Forward Fund will also be announcing the "General Funding Line" again on March 10, for which all public-value media can apply as soon as a proof-of-concept and initial evidence of a product/market fit are available. Media that fill gaps in local and national reporting are particularly eligible for funding. Particular attention is paid to target groups that have had little access to journalism to date.

About the Media Forward Fund

The first transnational fund for the promotion of journalism in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is committed to more high-quality independent media with viable business models, which publish strong, trustworthy content and are sustainably financed. The aim is to strengthen diversity in public-interest journalism, and thus democracy.

Media Forward Fund was established as a non-profit organization in July 2024 on the initiative of the Schöpflin Foundation, Mercator Foundation Switzerland, Volkart Foundation, Rudolf Augstein Foundation, ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, Allianz Foundation, Stiftung für Medienvielfalt, ERSTE Foundation, DATUM FOUNDATION for Journalism and Democracy, MacArthur Foundation (USA), the impact investor Karma Capital Group and Publix - House for Journalism & Public Sphere, and has been endowed with nine million euros to date.

At the beginning of 2025, Joachim Herz Foundation, Klaus Tschira Foundation, Madsack Foundation, Stifterverband and Volkswagen Foundation joined the Fund. The development of the fund was supported by the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media with project funding.

About the Wissenschaftspressekonferenz e.V. (WPK)

WPK was founded in 1986 by journalists to promote independent reporting on science through specially organized press conferences. Over time, this became Germany's largest association of science journalists. The aim of the WPK is to promote quality in science journalism.

WPK offers its members professional training, background discussions and research trips. It organizes public discussion rounds to stimulate dialogue between science, politics, media and society. It organizes specialist conferences (WissensWerte, SciCAR), is a co-founder of the Science Media Center (SMC) and represents the interests of its members: full-time science journalists who work - employed or freelance - for all forms of media.

Contact details for journalists:

LOEBELL NORDBERG
Annabel Loebell
Tel: +43-676-6904023
E-Mail: al@loebellnordberg.com