Two-day in-person training for independent journalists, media representatives, and CSOs from Western Balkans and Southeast Europe on investigative reporting in cooperation with senior Bosnian, Russian, US, and German media professionals and investigative researchers. The training covers strategies and case studies of the Kremlin’s malign influence in target regions, facilitates the development of media campaigns and cross-border investigative projects. The participants can pitch their individual and cooperation project concepts and be consulted on possible synergies within the Nexus cross-border network, mentorship, and financial support for the project implementation.

The training takes place on February 22-23, 2024 in Sarajevo. We invite journalists, investigative reporters, and media and CSO representatives from Western Balkans and Southeast Europe to participate in the training and apply for media grants via the form below until February 7th, 12am CEST (extended until February 14, 2024 CEST).


By filling out this form, you agree to voluntarily complete this questionnaire provided by Journalists in Need Network. This questionnaire is collecting information on your media team The information that you provide may be summarized in a report that we will share within the Journalists in Need Network (jinn) staff and the International Republican Institute (IRI), our funder. We will securely store and transmit any information that identifies you.

About Nexus

The project Nexus. Cross-Border Center for Investigative Reporting aims to investigate and counter the Kremlin’s malign influence, including economic coercion, disinformation, cyber-attacks, interference in elections, and support of proxy conflicts. The project team of the International Republican Institute and the Berlin-based NGO Journalists in Need Network (jinn) provides training, mentorship, and finance support for media projects on awareness-raising campaigns, investigative reporting, media content production for media professionals, investigative reporters, and CSO representatives from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Sub-Saharan Africa and West Balkans.

Nexus Media Content Grants

Project implementation period: February-November, 2024

The Nexus project invites media professionals, investigative researchers, and CSO representatives from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the West Balkans to apply their individual and cross-border project concepts for media content grants. The projects should focus on foreign malign influence in one or several target regions, including economic coercion, money laundering and corruption, disinformation, and election interference, support of proxy conflicts, etc. The selected media projects will be awarded from $1,000 to $10,000 each in micro-purchase contracts to develop a short-term independent media product that fills a demand in the regional media market. Illustrative examples of different types of media content may include but are not limited to, short audio products or videos, podcasts, social media posts, text articles for print and/or online media, and mini-documentaries. Media projects must be implemented, and publications must be provided until November 30, 2024.