Applications for a second wave of the European Journalism Covid-19 Support Fund are now open. 

The fund by the European Journalism Centre and Facebook Journalism Project seeks to support hundreds of community, local and regional European news organisations and journalists affected by the coronavirus crisis.

First launched in April 2020, the $3m fund received an unprecedented 988 applications for its first round of funding which saw €1.5m awarded to 94 grantees across Europe.

For the second wave of the fund, which is now open, there are two tracks that will provide grants ranging between €5,000 and €25,000.

News organisations needing to address immediate and critical business needs can apply for the Emergency Fund which offers grants of €5,000, €10,000 or €25,000. There are also €5,000 grants for freelance journalists or groups of freelance journalists.

The support fund is also accepting applications for its Endurance Fund of €10,000 or €25,000 to provide specific support to news organisations that are pivoting their business model during the Covid-19 crisis.

The European Journalism Fund said grants could be used to cover salaries of staff members, supplement lost advertising revenue, or even hire more freelance journalists to aid news coverage of the outbreak.

Ten UK media organisations benefitted from the first round of funding including hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today and the provider of London’s independent paid-for newspaper, the Southwark News, and its news website.

Applications can be made at europeanjournalism.fund and the deadline is 11:59pm CEST on Friday 25 September 2020.