EFCSN Expansion Grants: Strengthening Resilience and Fact-Checking Capacity in Underserved Regions

EFCSN Expansion Grants (under the FACTEUR project, Grant agreement 101269336) fund one-year projects to strengthen fact-checking capacity and organisational resilience in underserved European regions and languages. The call opens 9 April 2026 and closes 8 May 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time with a total envelope of €134,000, awarding up to two grants of €67,000 each. Eligible applicants are legal entities (for-profit or non-profit) based in EU Member States or listed DEP-associated countries, and must be EFCSN-certified or demonstrate sincere intent to comply with the European Code of Standards; single applicants and consortia are accepted. Funding is provided as lump-sum grants at a 50% rate (50% paid on signature, 50% after final report); apply via the EFCSN application form and consult the EU Funding & Tenders Portal or grants@efcsn.com for details.

What the grant funds

One-year projects to reinforce fact-checking capacity, build operational and organisational resilience for young or small fact-checking teams, expand coverage in underserved countries and languages, support EFCSN certification efforts, and enable mentoring/knowledge exchange with established fact-checkers.

Total and per-project funding:Total call budget €134,000; maximum €67,000 per project; up to 2 grants; funding rate 50%; lump-sum payments (50% at signature, 50% after final report). ¹

Who can apply

Legal entities (for-profit or non-profit) based in EU Member States or DEP-associated countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine). Applicants must be EFCSN-certified fact-checking organisations or demonstrate sincere intent to comply with the European Code of Standards for Independent Fact-Checking Organisations. Single applicants or consortia are accepted.

Key administrative facts

1. 1Opening date: 09 April 2026
2. 2Deadline: 08 May 2026, 23:59 Brussels time
3. 3Maximum duration per grant: 12 months
4. 4Eligible costs include personnel, travel and subsistence, goods and services, and 10% indirect costs

Results expected July 2026. For the application form and official call text consult the published call page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Application form and call details are available via the EFCSN call page and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: EFCSN call page and EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Call Overview and Purpose

The European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) is launching a single-stage call for Expansion Grants under the FACTEUR project (Fact-checkers for European Resilience Against Disinformation: Network for Emergency, Protection & Technology) to grow and support fact-checking and information integrity work in Europe, with a strong emphasis on underserved regions and languages. The call opens on 09 April 2026 and closes on 08 May 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time. Expected project duration is up to 12 months.

Key Dates, Budget and Grant Structure

Opening date:09 April 2026

Deadline:08 May 2026 23:59 (Brussels time)

Total call budget:€134,000

Maximum grant per project:€67,000

Funding rate and form:50% funding rate; form of grant: lump sums

Number of grants to be awarded:Maximum 2 grants

Payment structure:50% paid on grant agreement signature, 50% following approval of the final project report

Objectives and Supported Activities

The call targets actions that strengthen fact-checking capacity and organisational resilience in underrepresented regions or regions at risk of losing fact-checking coverage. It supports early-stage or volunteer-based teams seeking professionalisation, small organisations at critical inflection points, expansion of coverage into languages or countries currently underserved, organisations pursuing EFCSN certification, and knowledge exchange and mentoring from mature fact-checking organisations.

1. 1Reinforcement of fact-checking capacity in underrepresented regions or regions in danger of losing coverage.
2. 2Development of operational and organisational resilience for young or emerging teams (operational < 3 years, volunteer-based, or small organisations seeking professionalisation).
3. 3Expansion of fact-checking coverage in countries and languages currently uncovered or limitedly covered by EFCSN-certified fact-checkers (examples provided: Central and Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, Finland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Malta).
4. 4Support for organisations seeking EFCSN certification and long-term sustainability.
5. 5Knowledge exchange and mentoring by mature fact-checking organisations (operational > 5 years).

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must satisfy the legal, geographic and standards-related eligibility conditions described below. Single applicants or consortia are allowed.

1. 1Applicant organisation must be a legal entity (for-profit or non-profit).
2. 2Applicant must be EFCSN-certified or be able to demonstrate sincere intent to comply with the European Code of Standards for Independent Fact-Checking Organisations.
3. 3Organisations must be based in the European Union or DEP-associated countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.
4. 4The call accepts single applicants or consortia of organisations.
5. 5Project duration must not exceed 12 months.

Eligible and Ineligible Costs

Costs must be reasonable, necessary and not excessive. Applicants must calculate exact amounts using the provided budget template. The eligibility rules follow the lump-sum model and include specified direct and indirect cost categories.

1. 1Direct personnel costs: editorial, research, technical, administrative personnel; natural persons under direct contract; seconded persons; SME owners.
2. 2Direct purchase costs: travel and subsistence (accommodation, travel, subsistence).
3. 3Other goods, works and services: consumables; services for meetings and seminars; dissemination activities including website; publication fees; EFCSN application and membership fees; other project-related goods and services.
4. 4Indirect costs: flat rate of 10%.

Selection and Evaluation Procedure

Evaluation proceeds in three phases:Phase 1 eligibility and compliance checks by the EFCSN team; Phase 2 independent expert review by vetted external experts; Phase 3 final evaluation by a selection committee including Governance Body members and optional independent reviewers. Conflicts of interest must be declared and affected committee members recused.

Award Criteria and Scoring

An average score across reviewers will be calculated. At least 17 high-scoring proposals will advance to the final stage. The EFCSN Audit Committee will take the final selection decision based on expert evaluation results and available budget.

Application Process and Timeline

Applicants must submit the application using the EFCSN application form. The call uses a single-stage submission model. Evaluations occur in May 2026 and outcomes will be communicated in July 2026.

How to apply:Complete the online application form available from the EFCSN call page and submit before the deadline. The application form is hosted externally Application form.

For budget calculations applicants should use the provided budget template table hosted by EFCSN Budget template.

Contact, Transparency and Additional Resources

1. 1Questions about the call: grants@efcsn.com
2. 2Q&A webinar: 21 April 2026 at 11:00 CEST (registration via EFCSN website/Zoom link).
3. 3Published call on EU Funding & Tenders Portal: primary listing available via the EU portal opportunity page EU listing.
4. 4Post-award disclosure: awarded grants will be published at EFCSN fund disclosure showing recipient name, amount and duration.

Structured Answers to Categorisation and Opportunity Extraction

Eligible Applicant Types:Legal entities, both for-profit and non-profit organisations. Specifically targeted applicants include small and emerging fact-checking teams, volunteer-based organisations seeking professionalisation, small organisations at a strategic inflection point, mature fact-checking organisations for mentoring roles, research bodies and media organisations that meet EFCSN certification or intent-to-comply requirements. Consortia of eligible organisations are also accepted.

Funding Type:Grant (lump sums).

Consortium Requirement:Other: single applicants or consortia allowed. There is no mandatory consortium requirement; either single entities or consortia can apply.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Organisations must be based in the European Union or DEP-associated countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Target Sector:Information integrity and fact-checking within media and civic information sectors, including activities intersecting with media literacy, disinformation studies, and AI for information quality. Thematic focus is on fact-checking, journalism, media, civil society capacity building and digital information resilience.

Mentioned Countries:Explicitly mentioned or given as examples: Ukraine, Moldova, countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Southeast Europe, Finland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Malta. DEP-associated countries list also explicitly includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey. European Union is referenced as eligible region.

Project Stage:Development, organisational capacity-building, professionalisation and early implementation. The call targets young/emerging organisations (operational under 3 years), volunteer-based groups seeking professionalisation, small organisations at a survival inflection point, and mentoring relationships between mature and emerging organisations.

Funding Amount:Total call budget €134,000; maximum grant per project €67,000; funding rate 50%; up to 2 grants to be awarded.

Application Type:Open call via an online application form (single-stage).

Nature of Support:Monetary support: lump-sum grants payable in two instalments tied to agreement signature and final report approval. Non-financial support is implied via mentoring and knowledge exchange by mature EFCSN members but not remunerated as part of this grant.

Application Stages:Three evaluation stages for applicants: 1 Eligibility & Compliance check, 2 Independent Expert Review, 3 Final Evaluation and selection by the Governance/Selection Committee.

Success Rates:Not specified numerically in the call. The total budget and maximum grant size imply up to two projects will be funded; with an unspecified number of applicants, the success rate cannot be calculated from published material.

Co-funding Requirement:The call indicates a 50% funding rate meaning eligible project costs should be matched by other funds or in-kind contributions. No additional mandatory co-funding model is explicitly detailed beyond the funding rate; applicants must ensure total project costs align with the 50% funded portion and use the budget template to demonstrate amounts.

Templates and Application Form Structure:Applicants are required to calculate budget items using the EFCSN budget template spreadsheet and to submit the online application form. The budget template is provided as a Google Sheets file and the application form is a Google Form. Key expected sections in the application and template (based on provided materials) include: organisational details and legal status; evidence of EFCSN certification or intent to comply with the European Code of Standards; project description and objectives; workplan and timeline (up to 12 months); detailed budget breakdown by eligible cost categories (personnel, travel, goods and services, dissemination); KPIs and expected impact; geographical and language coverage justification; mentoring arrangements with mature organisations where relevant; declaration of conflicts of interest; and supporting documents where requested. Applicants must use the budget template to calculate exact lump-sum amounts and ensure costs are reasonable and necessary ¹.

For links to application resources use the EFCSN pages and documents:EFCSN call page and news item on the EFCSN website, the budget template spreadsheet, and the Google Forms application link provided above. The call is also published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU listing.

Summary: What is this opportunity about and how to explain it

The EFCSN Expansion Grants call provides targeted, short-term (up to 12 months) lump-sum grants to strengthen fact-checking capacity and organisational resilience in underserved European regions and languages. Funded under the FACTEUR project with a total envelope of €134,000, the call will award up to two grants of up to €67,000 each at a 50% funding rate. Eligible applicants are legal entities based in EU Member States or specified DEP-associated countries; both single organisations and consortia can apply. The call focuses on capacity-building activities for emerging fact-checking teams (including volunteer-based groups seeking professionalisation), expanding coverage in under-resourced languages and countries, supporting organisations seeking EFCSN certification, and enabling mentoring relationships with mature fact-checking organisations. Applications are evaluated through a three-phase process including compliance checks, external expert review against objectives, impact and geographical focus criteria, and a final committee decision. Applicants should prepare project narratives, KPIs, a 12-month workplan, and a detailed budget using the EFCSN template, and submit via the online application form before the May 8, 2026 deadline. Awarded grants and recipient details will be publicly disclosed on the EFCSN fund page.

Footnotes

1. 1Budget template and application form links: Budget template spreadsheet: docs.google.com. Application form: docs.google.com.

This cascade funding opportunity under the FACTEUR project (Grant agreement 101269336) supports the expansion of fact-checking activities in Europe, focusing on underserved regions. It is managed by the European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) and published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Key Dates and Budget

Opening Date:9 April 2026.

Deadline:8 May 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time (single-stage submission).

Total Budget:€134,000. Maximum 2 grants to be awarded, up to €67,000 per project.

Duration:Maximum 12 months.

Objectives and Activities

The grants aim to enhance fact-checking and information integrity, particularly in underserved areas, through the following supported activities:

• Reinforcement of fact-checking capacity in underrepresented regions or those at risk of losing coverage.
• Development of operational and organisational resilience for young or emerging fact-checking teams (less than 3 years operational, volunteer-based seeking professionalisation, or small organisations at a strategic inflection point).
• Expansion of coverage in under-served countries and languages, including Central and Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, Finland, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Malta.
• Support for organisations pursuing EFCSN certification and long-term sustainability.
• Knowledge exchange and mentoring by mature fact-checking organisations (more than 5 years operational).

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must satisfy all criteria:

• Legal entity status (for-profit or non-profit).
• EFCSN-certified or able to demonstrate sincere intent to comply with the European Code of Standards for Independent Fact-Checking Organisations.
• Based in the European Union or DEP-associated countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.
• Open to single applicants or consortia.

Funding Details

Funding Rate:50% of eligible costs.

Grant Form:Lump sums. Costs must be reasonable, necessary, and not excessive; calculated using the provided budget template.

Eligible Costs:Direct personnel costs (editorial, research, technical, administrative, others; natural persons under contract, seconded persons, SME owners); direct purchase costs (travel/subsistence, goods/services including meetings, dissemination, website, publication fees, EFCSN fees); indirect costs at 10%.

Payment Structure:50% upon grant agreement signature; 50% after final project report approval.

Evaluation and Selection Procedure

Three-phase process:

1. 1Phase 1: Eligibility and compliance check by EFCSN team.
2. 2Phase 2: Independent expert review (disinformation studies, AI for information quality, media literacy experts) scoring on three criteria (max 10 points each): Objectives (relevance, budget soundness, needs demonstration, mentoring capacity); Impact (KPIs, post-project strengthening); Geographical focus (underserved areas/languages, evidence of risk). At least 17 highest-scoring proposals advance.
3. 3Phase 3: Final decision by selection committee (Governance Body members, optional reviewers), with conflict-of-interest recusal per EFCSN Statute Article 15.3.

Application Process

Submit via the dedicated application form. Evaluations in May 2026; results in July 2026. Also published on EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding Portal. Primary source: Official Call.

For questions:grants@efcsn.com. Q&A webinar: 21 April 2026 at 11:00 CEST Register. Budget template and application form available via EFCSN links.

Additional Context

This call is part of the FACTEUR project (Fact-checkers for European Resilience Against Disinformation: Network for Emergency, Protection & Technology), funded under DIGITAL-2025 with a €5 million grant to EFCSN and partners. Funded grants will be disclosed on EFCSN Funding Page (organisation name, amount, duration).¹

Footnotes

1. 1EFCSN promotes highest standards via the European Code of Standards for Independent Fact-Checking Organisations. Full details on EFCSN site: EFCSN Website.