Conference Dates: 28 to 31 May 2026
Location: Mechelen, Belgium
Eligible countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia.
Number of individual grants: 22
About the Grant
Journalists are invited to apply for a grant to attend Dataharvest 2026 – The European Investigative Journalism Conference, one of Europe’s major annual events dedicated to investigative, data, and collaborative journalism. Over the course of the event, participants will engage in practical training, workshops, expert sessions, and networking, with the aim of enhancing professional skills and fostering collaboration across countries and media organisations.
The grant is designed to support journalists whose participation in international professional events may be limited by financial or logistical constraints. By enabling their attendance at Dataharvest, we want to strengthen professional skills, facilitate international networking, and encourage cross-border collaboration within the European investigative journalism community.
Who Can Apply
The call is open to professional journalists, with particular encouragement for freelance journalists and those working in small or independent media outlets, based in the following countries:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia.
What the Grant Offers
Each selected journalist will receive a lump-sum grant of €700, which is intended to cover:
- Travel costs to and from the conference;
- Daily expenses (per diem) during the conference.
In addition, the following will be arranged and covered directly by the conference organisers:
- Conference registration;
- Accommodation (three nights, 28, 29, and 30 May);
- All necessary practical information to participate in the event.
Kindly note that the grant covers the registration for and accommodation during the main programme of the conference (29 – 31 May 2026), and not the full-day masterclasses on 28 May 2026. The ticket for masterclasses needs to be purchased separately if one wishes to attend.
How to apply
All interested journalists are encouraged to apply by completing the online application form.
Applications must be submitted by 2 February 2026, 17:00 CET. Successful candidates will be notified mid-February 2026.
Online presentation
Join us for the presentation, and get a comprehensive overview of Dataharvest, including its professional development and networking opportunities, as well as detailed information on grant-supported participation. Participants will learn what to expect from the 2026 conference, how to strengthen their grant applications, and how to make the most of this opportunity.
The session will be hosted by Jelena Prtorić, Dataharvest Director and Project Coordinator.
Date: Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Time: 11:00 AM CET
Registration link (registration required; the access link will be shared ahead of the event): https://docs.google.com/forms/
A dedicated Q&A session will allow participants to ask questions about the programme, participation, grants, and other practical aspects of the conference.
Selection Process and Criteria
Applications will be reviewed by a selection panel and assessed based on the following criteria:
- Years of relevant professional experience and areas of journalistic work;
- Motivation to participate, including the clarity and relevance of the applicant’s interest in the conference;
- The applicant’s potential contribution to the conference programme, discussions, and peer exchange.
Final selections will be made collectively by the panel, taking into account the overall quality of applications and ensuring a balanced representation of countries of residence among selected participants.
We look forward to receiving your applications!
Should you have any questions about the grant or the application process, please contact us at: [email protected]