Fritt Ord Call for Applications to Support Norwegian Journalism (Norway)

Deadline: 23-Oct-2026

Fritt Ord’s Norwegian Journalism call provides funding for journalism projects intended for audiences in Norway, with up to NOK 25 million available annually. The call is open to independent, editor-controlled publications, editorial offices, journalists, editors and editorial teams working on specific journalistic content that can contribute to public debate and reach a broad audience.

About the Fritt Ord Norwegian Journalism Call

The Fritt Ord Norwegian Journalism call supports journalism projects designed for Norwegian media audiences. The programme is administered by the Fritt Ord Foundation and aims to strengthen high-quality journalism and encourage projects that contribute meaningfully to public discussion. There are no restrictions on the subject matter of proposed journalism projects. Applicants can determine the topic, editorial approach and format of their work. Fritt Ord places particular emphasis on projects that: - Contribute significantly to public debate. - Reach a broad audience. - Produce specific journalistic content for publication. - Address topics of relevance to Norwegian media users. - Experiment with new forms of journalistic collaboration. - Use appropriate publishing platforms and multimedia formats. The call has an annual funding allocation of up to NOK 25 million. What Does the Programme Support? The programme primarily supports specific journalism projects and journalistic content intended for publication. Projects may be presented through different publishing formats, including traditional and digital media. Applicants are free to choose the platform or combination of formats that best suits their project. Supported projects can cover a wide range of journalistic subjects because the call does not prescribe particular thematic areas. Fritt Ord is especially interested in journalism that can: - Strengthen informed public debate. - Make important information accessible to citizens. - Reach substantial numbers of media users. - Explore new journalistic approaches. - Generate original editorial content. - Encourage collaboration between journalists or editorial organisations. Who Is Eligible? The call is open to independent, editor-controlled publications serving Norwegian media users.

Eligible applicants may include:

- Journalists. - Freelance journalists. - Editors. - Editorial offices. - Editorial teams. - Independent publications. - Groups of journalists or journalistic communities. - Collaborations involving multiple editorial offices. Freelance journalists are particularly encouraged to apply when they have a publishing agreement for the proposed work. Although editorial offices and individuals can apply, any funding awarded to a project must ultimately be used by named individuals. Collaboration and Partnership Opportunities Fritt Ord welcomes new forms of cooperation within journalism. Applications may involve collaboration between: - Multiple editorial offices. - Freelance journalists and publications. - Different journalistic communities. - Editorial teams working across organisational boundaries. Collaborative projects can be useful where different organisations or journalists bring complementary expertise, audiences, geographical coverage or investigative capabilities. The proposal should clearly explain the role of each participating party and how the collaboration strengthens the journalism project. What Types of Projects Receive Priority? Fritt Ord primarily supports concrete journalistic work that will be published. Projects are more likely to align with the call when they demonstrate: - A clear journalistic purpose. - A defined project and editorial output. - Relevance to Norwegian media audiences. - Potential to contribute to public debate. - A realistic publication plan. - Potential for broad public reach. - Clear responsibility for producing the journalism. - Appropriate use of funding. The foundation gives priority to projects that produce actual journalistic content rather than general organisational improvements. Lower-Priority Costs and Activities Some types of expenditure receive lower priority under the call.

These include:

- General operating expenses. - Technical development projects. - Internal skills-development activities. - Equipment purchases. Applicants should therefore focus their proposals and budgets on the actual production of journalistic content. A proposal centred mainly on buying equipment, developing technical infrastructure or covering routine organisational costs may be less competitive than a clearly defined journalism project. What Can Journalism Projects Focus On? There is no fixed thematic restriction under the call. Journalists, editors and editorial teams can select their own topics and editorial content. Potential proposals may therefore address issues such as: - Social and political developments. - Public policy. - Economic issues. - Community affairs. - Culture and society. - Investigative journalism. - Emerging issues affecting Norwegian citizens. - Other subjects that can contribute to public discussion. The strength of the proposal should come from its journalistic relevance, quality, public value and ability to reach Norwegian audiences rather than from fitting into a predetermined theme. Publishing Platforms and Formats Applicants can use any appropriate publishing platform or multimedia format. Depending on the project, journalism could potentially be developed through: - Online publications. - Print media. - Video journalism. - Audio or podcasts. - Multimedia journalism. - Digital storytelling. - Other editorial formats. The proposed format should be appropriate to the intended audience and journalistic objectives. Funding Available Fritt Ord invests up to NOK 25 million annually through the Norwegian Journalism call. The funding is intended primarily for specific journalism projects rather than unrestricted organisational support. Applicants should therefore provide a clear expl