Emergency Response - Support Grants

The EFCSN Emergency Response Support Grants (FACTEUR) provide rapid lump-sum funding to certified fact-checking organisations and fact-checking units in EU Member States and Digital Europe Programme associated countries to support immediate crisis fact-checking and preparedness capacity-building. The scheme is divided into Emergency Fact-Checking and Emergency Capacity-Building streams, with a total budget of €450,000, approximately 30 grants expected, a maximum project cost of €30,000 and a maximum grant contribution of €15,000 at a 50% funding rate. Eligible costs include staff, monitoring and verification tools (including AI upgrades), production, translation, legal and security measures, with indirect costs capped at 10% of direct costs and retroactive eligibility from the application date if approved. The call opened 10 August 2026 on a rolling basis and remains open until 31 December 2027 or until funds are exhausted, with rapid evaluation timelines for unpredictable crises.

What it funds

Purpose

Grants support fact-checking work during information crises and preparatory capacity-building. Eligible activities include crisis fact-checking and investigative reporting, monitoring and verification tools (including AI upgrades), counter-narratives and multimedia production, organisational security and legal protection, trainings and protocols, cross-border cooperation, and analysis of disinformation ecosystems including detection of AI-generated content.

Budget & grant size:Total budget €450,000 split equally between Emergency Fact-Checking and Emergency Capacity-Building streams (€225,000 each). Maximum project amount €30,000; maximum grant paid €15,000. Funding rate 50%; grants paid as lump sums (50% on approval, 50% after final report).

1. 1Who can apply: legal entities (for-profit or non-profit) that are EFCSN-certified fact-checking organisations or can demonstrate adherence to the European Code of Standards; must publish at least four human-authored fact-checks per month on average
2. 2Geographic scope: organisations based in EU Member States or DEP-associated countries listed in Digital Europe participation documents
3. 3Number of grants: approximately 30 total (circa 15 per stream) with maximum duration 8 months
4. 4Eligible costs: direct costs (salaries, consultants, equipment, IT tools, travel, translation, production, legal) and up to 10% indirect costs; approved budgets may include retroactive costs from application date

Applications:apply via the EFCSN Grants Platform (registration required). Requests are screened for eligibility and evaluated by consortium experts on need, urgency, regional vulnerability and absorptive capacity; applications scoring at least 30 points proceed to approval. Appeals deadline 5 working days.

Contact and transparency:questions to grants@efcsn.com. Awards and recipient names, amounts and durations will be published on efcsn.com; confidentiality can be requested for high-risk cases.

Call identity, timeline and administrative facts

Call title:Emergency Response - Support Grants. Project acronym: FACTEUR (Fact-checkers for European Resilience Against Disinformation: Network for Emergency, Protection & Technology). Grant agreement number: 101269336. Call identifier: DIGITAL-2025. Opening date: 10 August 2026. Deadline model: single-stage, rolling open call until 31 December 2027 23:59 Brussels time or until funds are depleted. Expected maximum duration of funded action: 8 months. Total call budget: €450,000. The call is implemented and administered by the European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) as part of the FACTEUR project and is co-funded by the European Union Published call ¹.

Purpose and scope

Objective:Provide rapid financial support and capacity-building to certified fact-checking organisations (or fact-checking teams/units within larger organisations) so they can respond quickly and effectively to surges of disinformation during crisis events and strengthen preparedness for future information crises. The grant programme covers two complementary streams: Emergency Fact-Checking Grants (rapid operational response) and Emergency Capacity-Building Grants (preparedness, security, monitoring capability building).

Definitions and context used by the call

An information crisis is defined in the FACTEUR materials as the disruption of the information system characterized by a surge in the volume and intensity of disinformation across public and digital spaces. The call draws on a Crisis Events Taxonomy that classifies events as predictable, semi-predictable or unpredictable (examples range from periodic elections and international recurring events to emergent wars, terrorist attacks, natural disasters and cyber-attacks). The taxonomy and the FACTEUR preparedness toolkit are referenced to guide eligibility, urgency assessments and the definition of activities to be funded.

Who can apply and applicant requirements

Eligible applicant types:legal entities only (for-profit or non-profit). Applicants must be either independent fact-checking organisations, or fact-checking teams/units within larger organisations, able to demonstrate an evidence-based fact-checking methodology and a track record. Applicants must publish at least four human-authored, original fact-checking articles per month on average. Organisations must be EFCSN-certified fact-checking organisations OR demonstrate in practice that they comply with the European Code of Standards for Independent Fact-Checking Organisations (including transparency on funding, staff and governance).

Eligibility: Geographic scope:Applicants must be based in the European Union or DEP-associated countries (Digital Europe Programme participating countries). The DEP list includes EEA/EFTA members (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) and a set of acceding/candidate/associated or otherwise participating countries such as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Switzerland under transitional arrangements (consult the DEP list for the current authoritative version).

Consortium rules:The call accepts single applicants and consortia. All consortium members must individually comply with the eligibility criteria. Specific limits on repeat funding: any organisation can receive Emergency Capacity-Building Grants only once during the call period; any organisation can receive Emergency Fact-Checking Grants up to two times during the call period. An exception permitting a third Emergency Fact-Checking Grant can be made for unpredictable crises that affect multiple countries.

Eligible activities and purpose of grants

Two grant types with indicative eligible activities:

1. 1Emergency Fact-Checking Grants: crisis fact-checking, debunking and investigative reporting (including temporary hires), upgrading or procuring monitoring/AI and verification tools, producing counter-narratives and analyses (production and translation costs), creating multimedia content and partnerships to increase reach, and other clearly demonstrated activities directly linked to managing an information crisis.
2. 2Emergency Capacity-Building Grants: organisational security and legal protection measures, development of crisis preparedness protocols, trainings and mentorship, strengthening technical monitoring capabilities for disinformation and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) detection, ecosystem analysis to map disinformation that could be activated in crises, cross-border cooperation activities focusing on regional/cultural contexts, and building capacity to detect and debunk AI-generated content during crises.

Financial details, eligible costs and payment terms

Funding amounts and overall budget:Total available under the scheme: €450,000. Allocation split: €225,000 for Emergency Fact-Checking Grants and €225,000 for Emergency Capacity-Building Grants. Approximately 30 grants expected in total (circa 15 per stream). Maximum project amount indicated: €30,000 (exact maximum to be calculated using the provided budget template). Maximum grant amount stated: €15,000. Funding form: lump sums.

Funding rate and co-funding:The funding rate is 50%. This indicates projects should demonstrate the full project budget, with 50% to be covered by the grant and the remaining 50% coming from the applicant or other sources (co-funding). Eligible costs are detailed and include direct and indirect costs.

1. 1Eligible direct costs: salaries and compensations, volunteer costs (in line with referenced daily rates), consultants and mentors, equipment, online and IT tools, travel and accommodation, translation, legal costs, production costs (graphic design, multimedia creation), and other costs demonstrably related to the proposed activities.
2. 2Indirect/administrative costs: capped at 10% of total direct costs and intended to cover organisational overhead related to managing the request.

Payment structure and retroactivity:Payment schedule: 50% disbursed upon approval of the request; the remaining 50% following approval of the final report. Retroactive costs: if a grant is approved, costs included in the submitted budget are eligible from the time of application submission (i.e., retroactive eligibility to application date). Maximum grant duration: 8 months.

Selection, evaluation and decision process

The evaluation comprises three phases:Phase 1 eligibility and compliance check; Phase 2 expert evaluation by consortium experts; Phase 3 approval by the WP4 Consortium Decision Body. Applications scoring at least 30 points in Phase 2 advance to Phase 3 for final approval.

Processing times and appeals:Requests will be evaluated within 3 working days for unpredictable crises (rapid response) and within 30 working days for predictable and semi-predictable crises. Rejected applicants may file an appeal within 5 working days; the Governance Body delegates a final review that must be resolved within 15 working days.

Application procedure and required templates

Application method:apply online via the EFCSN Grants Platform. Applicants must register an account on the grants platform if they do not already have one. The call is open on a rolling basis from 10 August 2026 until 31 December 2027 or until funds are exhausted.

Budget and template guidance:Applicants must use the provided budget template to calculate the exact requested amount (the call notes a template table is available for precise calculation). All budgeted costs should reflect market rates. The grant is awarded as lump sums; however applicants must still present a detailed budget breakdown showing direct and indirect costs and how the requested amount relates to the full project cost (given the 50% funding rate).

Application form structure (high-level outline based on call materials and typical EFCSN practice):

1. 1Applicant identification and legal documentation (legal status, registration, contact details, bank details if required).
2. 2Certification evidence or demonstration of compliance with European Code of Standards for Independent Fact-Checking Organisations (EFCSN certification or equivalent proof).
3. 3Project summary and crisis context (evidence of crisis event if applicable, classification of the event according to the Crisis Events Taxonomy).
4. 4Detailed description of activities to be funded and expected outputs (operational timeline within the 8-month maximum).
5. 5Budget table using the provided template: itemised direct costs, indirect costs (max 10% of direct costs), total project cost, requested grant amount and demonstration of co-funding for the remaining 50%.
6. 6Capacity statement demonstrating absorptive capacity, financial management and delivery capability.
7. 7Risk and confidentiality considerations (for applicants operating in high-risk environments: indication if confidentiality of the recipient is requested during implementation).
8. 8Monitoring, reporting and outcome indicators (final report expected within 30 days of completion).

Reporting, transparency and confidentiality

Reporting:All grant recipients must submit an outcome report no later than 30 days after completion of the project (maximum project length 8 months). Transparency: award data will be published on efcsn.com and will include recipient name, grant amount and grant duration. Exception: organisations operating in high-risk environments or handling sensitive data may request temporary confidentiality of their identity during implementation and be disclosed only after the funding cycle ends.

Operational and technical areas targeted

Primary thematic sectors targeted:media and journalism (fact-checking), misinformation/disinformation response, crisis communication, digital monitoring and verification technologies (including AI-based monitoring and detection tools), legal and organisational security, international cooperation related to information integrity, and content production and distribution for counter-narratives (including translation and multimedia production).

Practical metrics and limits

1. 1Number of grants available: approximately 30 in total (around 15 per stream).
2. 2Maximum single grant request: €15,000 (stated maximum grant amount).
3. 3Maximum project cost indicated: €30,000 (applicants should use budget template to determine eligible lump-sum amount and requested co-funding).
4. 4Funding rate: 50% (applicants must be able to cover or document the remaining 50% of project costs).
5. 5Indirect costs cap: 10% of direct costs.

Application evaluation stages and decision points

Number of application stages:3 (Phase 1 Eligibility & Compliance; Phase 2 Expert Evaluation using award criteria; Phase 3 Approval by the WP4 Consortium Decision Body). Minimum score to proceed to approval: 30 points (out of a maximum possible 40 points across the four criteria).

Expected decision timelines:Evaluation turnaround: 3 working days for unpredictable crisis requests; up to 30 working days for predictable and semi-predictable crisis requests. Appeals must be lodged within 5 working days and final review must be resolved within 15 working days.

Categorization answers (structured extraction)

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Legal entities (for-profit and non-profit); certified EFCSN fact-checking organisations or fact-checking teams/units within larger organisations; organisations must practise evidence-based fact-checking and publish at least four human-authored original fact-checks per month.
2. 2Funding Type: Grant (lump sums).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: Single applicants and consortia are both permitted. All consortium members must meet eligibility criteria.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): European Union and DEP-associated countries (Digital Europe Programme participating countries, including EEA/EFTA members and a list of acceding/candidate/associated countries such as Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Switzerland under transitional arrangements).
5. 5Target Sector: Media and journalism (fact-checking), disinformation/misinformation response, ICT/digital monitoring including AI tools, crisis communication, legal/security capacity building.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: European Union (unspecified member states) and DEP-associated countries. DEP list examples included in call documents: Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Switzerland.
7. 7Project Stage: Operational response and capacity-building: activities range from immediate crisis response (implementation/rapid deployment) to preparedness (capacity-building, organisational development). Maturity expected: development/implementation/demonstration rather than basic research or large-scale commercialization.
8. 8Funding Amount: Total call budget €450,000; approx. 30 grants; allocation €225,000 per grant stream; maximum project amount €30,000 (template-based); maximum grant amount €15,000; funding rate 50%.
9. 9Application Type: Rolling open call via EFCSN Grants Platform, single-stage submission.
10. 10Nature of Support: Monetary funding (grants) in the form of lump sums; non-monetary services are not the primary modality though capacity-building activities funded may include trainings and technical procurement which are implemented by recipients.
11. 11Application Stages: 3 (Eligibility & Compliance; Expert Evaluation; Consortium Decision/Approval).
12. 12Success Rates: Not specified in call materials. Approximate capacity: ~30 grants from the available applicants during the call period. No explicit success probability or historical acceptance rate is provided.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: Yes. Funding rate is 50%; applicants must therefore demonstrate co-financing for the remaining 50% of project costs (from own funds or other sources).
14. 14Templates: Applicants must use the provided budget template/table to calculate the exact requested amount and to show full project costs, direct and indirect cost breakdown, and the co-funding portion. The application form on the EFCSN Grants Platform will collect organisational information, certification evidence, crisis evidence/context, activity descriptions, timelines (within the 8-month cap), budget table, absorptive capacity statement and monitoring/reporting arrangements.

Practical advice and operational notes

Time-sensitive opportunities:for unpredictable crises, EFCSN commits to a 3-working-day evaluation target to provide fast support. Prepare an evidence package demonstrating the crisis event, urgency and local/regional vulnerability context. Demonstrate absorptive capacity clearly (accounting systems, previous grant management, ability to deliver outputs promptly). Ensure budgeted costs reflect market rates and are documented; respect the indirect cost cap of 10% on direct costs. If operating in a high-risk environment, include a confidentiality request and justification. If applying as a consortium, ensure every partner meets EFCSN eligibility and certification requirements.

How to contact:questions about the call should be sent to grants@efcsn.com. The call is also published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and additional guidance and country participation lists are provided in referenced DEP documents.

Final summary — what this opportunity is about

This EFCSN Emergency Response Support Grants call (FACTEUR) provides targeted, rapid grants and capacity-building support to certified fact-checking organisations and fact-checking units in Europe and DEP-associated countries to tackle surges of disinformation during crises and to strengthen preparedness for future information crises. It is structured to fund both immediate operational needs (staffing, monitoring tools, rapid content production and distribution, cross-border collaboration) and preparedness investments (security, legal protection, training, monitoring capability upgrades). The scheme offers lump-sum grants with a 50% funding rate, a cap on indirect costs and restrictions on the number of awards per organisation in the call period to ensure broad distribution of resources. The rolling, single-stage mechanism with accelerated timelines for unpredictable crises is specifically designed to enable fast reaction to time-critical information crises while retaining an expert-led evaluation and governance process to allocate limited resources equitably and transparently.

Applicants should review the Crisis Events Taxonomy, gather documentary evidence of crisis impact and urgency, prepare a market-priced budget using the EFCSN template, and submit via the EFCSN Grants Platform. Funding decisions for unpredictable crises will be made rapidly (target 3 working days) to allow fact-checkers to scale operations or respond immediately. The call aims to distribute approximately 30 grants totaling €450,000 across two streams of activity and is managed by EFCSN in coordination with FACTEUR project partners.

Reference to published call and further information is available from the EFCSN webpage and the original EU Funding & Tenders posting Published call. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Full call publication and details are available on EFCSN's website: efcsn.com and on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (call ID DIGITAL-2025).

This call provides rapid, cascade funding for fact-checking organisations to respond to disinformation during crisis events and to strengthen preparedness before crises occur. It is part of the FACTEUR project led by EFCSN and is open from 10 August 2026 on a rolling basis until 31 December 2027 or until funds are exhausted.[2][3]

What the funding is for

The call is split into two grant types. Emergency Fact-Checking Grants support immediate crisis work such as debunking, investigative reporting, extra staff, monitoring tools, translation, production costs and outreach. Emergency Capacity-Building Grants support preparedness activities such as organisational security, legal protection, protocols, training, mentorship, technical tools, cross-border cooperation and detection of AI-generated content.[2]

Who can apply

Applicants must be legal entities, for-profit or non-profit, and must be fact-checking organisations, fact-checking teams or fact-checking units within larger organisations. Eligible applicants must be EFCSN certified or be able to demonstrate practical compliance with the European Code of Standards for Independent Fact-Checking Organisations, including transparency of funding, staff and governance, and must publish at least four human-authored original fact-checking articles per month on average.[2]

Organisations must be based in the European Union or in Digital Europe Programme associated countries. The call is open to single applicants and consortia, but every consortium member must meet all eligibility criteria.[2]

Funding amount and financial terms

The financial design means applicants may budget up to €30,000, but the grant contribution itself is capped at €15,000 because the funding rate is 50 percent.[2]

Eligible activities and costs

• Crisis fact-checking, debunking and investigative reporting, including additional journalists and fact-checkers.[2]
• Upgrading monitoring, verification and AI tools to track disinformation and FIMI activity.[2]
• Publishing counter-narratives, analyses and multilingual crisis coverage.[2]
• Multimedia production, audience engagement and cooperation with other media or creators.[2]
• Security, legal protection, protocols, training, mentorship and preparedness work.[2]
• Travel, accommodation, consultants, mentors, translation, legal costs, equipment and online or IT tools.[2]

Retroactive costs are allowed from the time of application submission if the grant is approved, provided the costs are included in the budget and are market based.[2]

Duration and application limits

The expected project duration is 8 months, and the final outcome report must be submitted no later than 30 days after completion.[2]

An organisation can receive support for Emergency Capacity-Building Grants only once during the call period. An organisation can receive Emergency Fact-Checking Grants twice during the call period, with a possible third grant for unpredictable multi-country crises.[2]

Selection and evaluation

Applications go through three stages:eligibility and compliance screening, expert evaluation, and final approval by the WP4 Consortium Decision Body. Expert evaluation is based on need, urgency, regional vulnerability and absorptive capacity, with each criterion worth up to 10 points. Applications need at least 30 points to advance to approval.[2]

Timeline and service standards

• Opening date: 10 August 2026.[2]
• Deadline: 31 December 2027 at 23:59 Brussels time, or earlier if funds are depleted.[2]
• Unpredictable crises are evaluated within 3 working days.[2]
• Predictable and semi-predictable crises are evaluated within 30 working days.[2]
• Rejected applicants may appeal within 5 working days.[2]
• Appeals must be resolved within 15 working days.[2]

Transparency and contact

The call states that funded organisations, amounts and grant duration will be disclosed on EFCSN funding pages, although high-risk recipients or organisations handling sensitive data may request confidentiality during implementation and disclosure after the funding cycle ends.[2]

Applications are submitted through the EFCSN Grants Platform, and questions are directed to grants@efcsn.com.[2]

Practical takeaways for applicants

1. 1Show a clear link between the crisis event and the requested support, especially for Emergency Fact-Checking Grants.[2]
2. 2Demonstrate urgency and the consequences of not acting quickly.[2]
3. 3Explain why the operating environment makes the organisation vulnerable, especially in countries with weaker press freedom or heightened political risk.[2]
4. 4Provide a realistic budget that uses market rates and fits the lump sum structure.[2]
5. 5Make sure the team can manage the grant quickly and report on time, because absorptive capacity is explicitly assessed.[2]
6. 6If applying as a consortium, ensure every partner meets the eligibility rules.[2]