#SustainMedia PROGRAM

Call for Project Proposals

Establishment of Media Resource Centers to Support Small and Local Media Outlets

Deadline for Applications March 15th, 2026

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in collaboration with DW Akademie, is implementing a Regional Media Assistance Program in the Western Balkans; #SustanMedia: Support to Media Freedom and Pluralism in the Western Balkans, funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

This Program aims to enhance economic sustainability and boost competitiveness of independent media organizations in the Western Balkans.

In the framework of this Program, GIZ invites media outlets, media support organizations, service providing and media consultancy companies, from the private sector or non-for profit, national and regional entities, established and operating in the region of Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo^1*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia), to apply for the establishment of Media Resource Centers, to support small and local media outlets.

1. Background of the Call

Independent professional media play a crucial role in ensuring informed citizens, accountability, and democratic development. However, many small, local, and emerging media actor face persistent structural and financial challenges that limit their ability to operate and compete in an increasingly complex, demanding and digitalized media market.

These challenges often include limited access to specialized expertise, inadequate financial and business management capacities, insufficient marketing and audience development skills, and lack of advanced digital, security and other technological services. Due to financial constraints and small staff sizes, many media outlets are unable to develop these functions internally, which undermines both their economic sustainability and the quality of their journalistic output.

To address these gaps, there is a growing need for shared supporting service models that enable smaller media organizations to access professional support through external resource centers. 

Such centers can offer cost-effective, high-quality services, including but not limited to: strengthening operational and managerial structures of media outlets; incentivize and support business development strategies, digital transformation and revenue diversification; maximize reporting potential; and ultimately enable media outlets to become more resilient, competitive, and sustainable.

2. Goal of the Call

The goal of this Call is to strengthen the economic sustainability, operational efficiency, and competitiveness of small , local media outlets and other relevant information ecosystem actors, by supporting the establishment or strengthening of Media Resource Centers that provide shared professional services tailored to the needs of small and local media outlets.

3. Specific Objectives

Projects supported under this Call are expected to contribute to the following objectives:

1. Improve access of small and local media outlets to professional services that they lack the resources to develop in-house.
2. Strengthen the business, financial, and organizational capacities of media organizations.
3. Enhance the quality, reach, and impact of journalistic content .
4. Promote innovation, collaboration, and efficiency in the media sector through shared service models.
5. Increase the long-term economic sustainability and market competitiveness of independent media outlets.
6. Strengthen local and/or emerging media initiatives’ capacity to provide reliable, relevant and accessible information to local communities.

4. Priority Areas and Directions of Support

Applicants are invited to propose projects that establish or expand resource centers offering one or more of the following priority services. 

Proposals must clearly explain what services will be offered, how they will be delivered, and how they will respond to the concrete needs of small, local and/or emerging media outlets. 

The Resource Centers might be locally or regionally established.

Priority areas for service offering from the Resource Centers:

4.1 Business Development and Organizational Management

Projects may focus on strengthening the business and organizational foundations of media outlets, including but not limited:

• Business planning and sustainability strategies
• Revenue diversification models
• Financial management and accounting services
• Project writing and fundraising support
• Governance and organizational development or optimization

Proposals should clearly explain how and to what extent these services will help media outlets improve financial stability, operational efficiency and long-term planning.

4.2 Marketing, Audience Development, and Branding

Projects may support media outlets in increasing their outreach and audience engagement through:

• Marketing and communication strategies
• Branding and rebranding services
• Audience research and analytics
• Subscription, membership, and community engagement models
• Advertising and sales support

Applicants should describe expected and measurable outcomes related to audience growth, engagement and/or revenue generation.

4.3 Digital Transformation and Technological Services

Projects may offer technical and digital services aimed at modernizing media operations, including:

• Website development and maintenance
• Content management systems and digital publishing tools
• Data analytics and SEO services
• Cybersecurity and digital safety
• Multimedia production and innovation tools, including hardware and software provision
• AI (editorial) workflow integration

Applicants should demonstrate how proposed services will improve efficiency, reach, and innovation.

4.4 Editorial and Journalistic Support Services

Projects may provide professional support to improve the quality, credibility and efficiency of news production, including but not limited to:

• Editorial mentoring and coaching
• Fact-checking and verification services
• Investigative journalism support
• Legal advice related to journalism and media law
• Ethical standards, editorial policies, and newsroom workflows
• Development of innovative formats and content adapted to new and emerging communication channels (e.g. short-form video, visual storytelling, creative infotainment formats, etc.) 

Applicants should demonstrate how these services will enhance journalistic quality, integrity and professional standards, while respecting editorial independence of participating media outlets.

4.5 Training, Capacity Building, and Knowledge Sharing

Projects may include structured and comprehensive on-demand learning and supporting tools (covering the whole set of media outlets’ operational processes), such as:

• Training programmes and workshops
• Peer-to-peer learning and mentoring
• Toolkits, guidelines, and manuals
• Helpdesks or on-demand advisory services
• One stop shop for media support services

Capacity building and support activities should be demand-driven, practical and tailored to the real needs of small / local media outlets and/or emerging media initiatives.

5. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include:

• Media organizations
• Media support organizations and associations
• Private companies, agencies, entrepreneurs or consultancies with demonstrated expertise in media-related services
• Non-governmental or non-profit organizations working in the media relevant sectors
• Start-Ups established by professionals with expertise in media-related services.

Public broadcasters and state-controlled entities are not eligible as Lead Applicants.^2*

Applicants may apply:

• Individually, or
• As a consortium or partnership, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for each partner

Applicants may propose partnerships with a range of organizations whose expertise and capacities are relevant to the objectives of this Call and the services to be provided by Media Resource Centers.

Eligible partners may include, but are not limited to:

• Media organizations 
• Non-media actors that can contribute with relevant expertise or services, such as:
  • Academic and research institutions
  • Technology and digital service providers
  • Business and marketing entities
  • CSOs and professional associations
  • Legal, financial, or consulting organizations.
  • Etc.

Partnerships are encouraged where they add clear value, enable access to specialized knowledge or services, and strengthen the overall impact and sustainability of the proposed Media Resource Centre. The role, added value and responsibilities of each partner should be clearly described.

Applicants and their partners must demonstrate:

• Proven experience in at least one of the priority areas
• Capacity to deliver services to multiple media outlets
• Understanding of the needs and constraints of small and local media organizations

6. Key Application Requirements

Proposals must:

• Clearly identify the target group(s) of media outlets/actors to be supported
• Describe the service model, including access, pricing (if any), and sustainability
• Explain how the project ensures inclusiveness and accessibility for resource-constrained media
• Include a realistic implementation plan and budget
• Demonstrate how the resource center will continue operating beyond the project period.

7. Amount and duration of the Grant

No of Grants to be awarded: up to 15 Grants 

Grant Size: from 10,000 to 80,000 EUR

Grant Duration: up to 2 years 

Grant amounts will be determined based on the proposed intervention, number of services offered, number of media actors targeted, duration, geography covered, level of collaboration and partnerships, as well as administrative and absorption capacity of each organization.

8. Selection Criteria

Proposals will be assessed based on the following criteria:

Relevance and Strategic Alignment

• Clear alignment with the overall goal and objectives of the call
• Demonstrated understanding of the challenges faced by small and local media outlets
• Clear justification of the proposed services and their relevance to the target group
• Relevance and public interest impact of the targeted media beneficiaries

Quality of the Proposed Intervention

• Clarity and coherence of the project design
• Clearly defined services, methodologies, and delivery mechanisms
• Realistic and well-structured work plan
• Innovation and added value of the proposed approach

Capacity and Experience of the Applicant(s)

• Proven expertise and track record in media-related services or support
• Demonstrated operational and managerial capacity to implement the project
• Qualifications and experience of key staff and experts
• For joint applications: clarity of roles, responsibilities, and coordination mechanisms

Impact and Sustainability

• Potential impact on the operational capacity, competitiveness, and sustainability of beneficiary media outlets
• Clear and realistic sustainability strategy beyond the project duration
• Potential for scaling, replication, or long-term institutionalization of the services
• Potential for public interest impact of media beneficiaries

Cost-Effectiveness and Value for Money

• Reasonableness and proportionality of the proposed budget
• Clear link between costs and planned activities/results
• Efficient use of resources in relation to expected outcomes

9. Application Modalities

The interested organizations can apply using the templates provided below, until 15 of March 2026.

As part of the Application Package, the applicants will need to submit a Project Proposal, containing:

• The Application Form in word (Template: The Application Form)
• Annex 1: Budget Template in excel (Template: Budget Template) 

The respective templates need to be downloaded, filled in, signed, and sent via email, in word, pdf and excel format, to the following address: [email protected]

• Supporting Documents:
  • Certificate of legal registration of the applicant
  • CV of the organization/s applying:  A brief organisational profile, core expertise and services, relevant experience in media development, selected reference projects, etc. (If there is a partnership proposed, please include a CV/organizational profile of the partner too)
  • Professional Bios of the staff/experts that will be involved in the implementation of the Project.
  • Official Financial Reports of the applicant for 2024 and for 2025 (if available)

The supporting documents need to be sent via email to the same address: [email protected].

You might use the same email address to submit any questions or requests for clarification. 

Additionally, an Information Session will be organized online for all interested stakeholders, on February 27th, at 11.00 A.M, following this link: Join Info Session

^*1This designation is without prejudice to positions in status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence

^*2Public broadcasters and other state funded relevant Institutions can be partners in the application but not Lead Applicant.