Applications Open for Invisible Life Grant Programme

Deadline: 29-Oct-2026

The Invisible Life Grant Programme supports cross-border teams of professional journalists and news outlets investigating farm animal welfare, animal living conditions and related European issues. The programme was established to address the limited amount of investigative reporting focused on the welfare of farmed animals, particularly animals raised in intensive livestock systems and commercial fish farming. By supporting collaborative investigations and cross-border journalism, the programme aims to increase transparency, raise public awareness and encourage well-informed debate about food systems, animal welfare and sustainability in Europe and beyond.

About the Invisible Life Grant Programme

The Invisible Life Grant Programme provides financial and professional support to investigative journalism teams examining issues related to farm animal welfare and European interests. The programme encourages collaboration between journalists and media organisations across national borders. Supported investigations must ultimately be published by at least two media outlets based in different countries, with at least one outlet being European and targeting European audiences. The programme seeks to strengthen investigative reporting on issues that may otherwise receive limited public attention. What Does the Programme Support? Investigations should primarily focus on the welfare and living conditions of farmed animals.

Eligible areas can include:

- Intensive livestock farming. - Commercial fish farming. - Conditions affecting chickens. - Pig welfare and production systems. - Cattle welfare. - Farmed fish welfare. - Supply chain regulation. - Transparency within food production systems. - Economic pressures affecting producers. - Alternative production models. - Agricultural and food trade flows. - Connections between animal welfare and public health. - Links between animal welfare and sustainability. The programme particularly encourages investigations into species that are numerically significant but frequently underreported.

These include:

- Broiler chickens. - Laying hens. - Farmed fish. - Pigs. What Is the Goal of the Programme? The programme seeks to strengthen public understanding of farm animal welfare and the systems surrounding food production.

Its objectives include:

- Increasing awareness of farm animal welfare issues. - Improving transparency within food and agricultural systems. - Supporting high-quality investigative journalism. - Encouraging cross-border collaboration. - Promoting public discussion about food and sustainability. - Examining the economic and regulatory factors influencing animal production. - Connecting animal welfare with broader public health and sustainability concerns. The cross-border structure can also help journalists investigate issues that extend beyond a single country’s jurisdiction or supply chain. How Much Funding Is Available? The total amount available for each call is €150,000, which is distributed among all investigations supported during that call. The programme has a total budget of €300,000 for 2026. The funding is intended to help investigative teams cover the practical costs associated with conducting their work. What Costs Can the Grant Cover? Financial assistance may support costs directly associated with an investigation, including: - Journalists’ working time. - Logistics. - Insurance. - Legal support. - Access to technology. - Access to relevant datasets and data resources. The programme can therefore help investigative teams cover both the human and technical resources required to carry out complex cross-border reporting. In addition to financial assistance, supported teams may receive mentorship support. Who Is Eligible to Apply? The programme is open to freelance journalists and media outlets forming cross-border investigative teams. The team must meet the programme’s international collaboration requirements. Eligible teams must include members who are legally resident in at least two different countries. Proposals must also demonstrate that the investigation will be published through at least two media outlets located in different countries. At least one of these outlets must: - Be based in Europe. - Target European audiences. Cross-Border Collaboration Requirement Cross-border cooperation is a central requirement of the Invisible Life Grant Programme. An eligible proposal must involve a team whose members legally reside in at least two different countries. The resulting investigation must also be published by at least two media outlets based in different countries. At least one participating media outlet must be European and target European audiences. This requirement ensures that supported investigations have a genuine international dimension and can contribute to public discussion beyond a single national market. What Must an Application Include? Applicants should provide a clearly developed investigative proposal.

The application must include:

- A clear hypothesis explaining what the investigation seeks to examine or establish. - A proposed methodology describing how the investigation will be conducted. - A detailed budget explaining the expected costs. - Information demonstrating the cross-border nature of the team. - A plan for publication in at least two media outlets located in different countries. - Confirmation that at least one participating outlet is European and targets European audiences. A well-developed methodology is particularly important for investigations involving complex supply chains, regulatory systems, datasets or multiple countries. What Makes a Strong Investigation? A strong proposal should identify an important issue that warrants deeper investigation and explain why existing reporting is insufficient.

Applicants should consider demonstrating:

- A clear and testable investigative hypothesis. - A credible reporting methodology. - Strong cross-border relevance. - Access to appropriate so