As we turn the page on another demanding year, we recognise the hundreds of journalists who took part in investigations supported by the IJ4EU fund during the most recent edition of the programme.
Over the 2024/25 funding cycle, IJ4EU backed 75 cross-border investigations with more than €2 million in grants, alongside training, mentoring, legal assistance and opportunities to connect with peers across borders.
But numbers only tell part of the story. Behind them lies something harder to measure: courage.
The quiet, professional courage it takes to ask difficult questions, to collaborate across languages and jurisdictions, and to keep reporting in the face of legal threats, smear campaigns, exhaustion and financial uncertainty.
Time and again, journalists chose persistence over silence, and the public interest over personal comfort.
For that, we thank you.
This latest IJ4EU round enabled more than 600 journalists from across Europe — and dozens of countries beyond it — to work together on ambitious investigations that would have been impossible alone.
Together, these teams produced nearly 600 articles and broadcasts, each one a reminder that watchdog journalism remains a cornerstone of democratic life.
You can explore the most recent investigations here.
Over successive editions, IJ4EU has become widely regarded as a gold standard for donor-funded journalism: a trusted model for channelling public and philanthropic support into watchdog reporting while ferociously safeguarding editorial independence.
As the new year begins, we’re looking ahead with optimism. The next two-year edition of IJ4EU launches in a few days — and we can’t wait to share what’s coming next. Stay tuned.
Until then, our very best wishes for the year ahead, from everyone on the IJ4EU team.