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Strategic Media Support Program

In 2022, the Emergency Media Support Program of the Lviv Media Forum focused on meeting the urgent needs of editors and journalists, enabling them to carry out their work and ensure their safety during a full-scale war. Throughout the year, we have processed and resolved over 330 media inquiries from all over Ukraine.

The Strategic Media Support Program is a long-term program aimed at supporting and fostering media growth. In the Strategic Media Support Program, we continue to assist Ukrainian media, bloggers, podcasters, and individual journalistic projects. Our program focuses on implementing strategic plans that enable media organizations to strengthen their capacity, develop and scale their projects, work more efficiently, diversify revenue sources, and find new ones, improve content quality, and reach a wider audience.

Media that meet the following criteria are eligible for assistance within the framework of this program:

  • Has been operating in the Ukrainian market for at least two years.
  • Did not cease operations during the full-scale war (or temporarily ceased but resumed).
  • Has a transparent ownership structure and legal income.
  • Creates high-quality and socially significant content.
  • Produces content in Ukrainian or foreign languages.
  • Does not propagate pro-Russian or anti-Ukrainian narratives and is not politically engaged.
  • Adheres to professional and ethical journalism standards.
  • Has a development / growth plan or concept*.

*This can be a formalized plan (development strategy, business plan) or a development or growth concept described in any format but must include a specific calculation of the resources needed for implementation. Performance metrics will be considered an advantage.

We also consider our own experience of collaborating with media within the programs and projects of the Lviv Media Forum.

We can provide support not only to media outlets but also to bloggers, podcasters, and individual journalists (with separate projects).

Possible directions of media support include:

  • Financial support for media focused on covering expenses such as editing, content promotion, translation, costs for new formats, travel expenses, audience research, and team development.
  • Support for the production and distribution of socially significant content, including projects and materials that have a strategic impact on media development. Priority will be given to content that stimulates positive changes in society or exposes war crimes committed by Russian invaders. The cost of content creation should be justified and within the average market range.
  • Payment for consultations on content and platform optimization for search engines (SEO), promotion on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, cybersecurity, website protection, business planning, fundraising, and more.
  • Assistance in improving design, website layout, and addressing other technical issues.
  • Payment for software, paid services, and other digital services that enable editorial teams to implement their strategic growth plans.

The list of possible support is not exhaustive, and we are open to considering other reasoned requests you may have.

What we definitely cannot provide within the project:

  • Institutional support for media, including salary compensation for the core team, office rent, utilities, and communication services.
  • Equipment, unless it is essential for implementing the team’s strategic plans.

To receive assistance, please fill out the application form.

The team of the Lviv Media Forum reserves the right to consider the application within one month from the moment of submission. 

Starting from October 5, 2023, the acceptance of applications has been suspended, and we will provide additional information regarding its resumption.

If you have any questions or proposals for collaboration, please email us at info@lvivmediaforum.com.  

The Strategic Media Support Program was made possible thanks to the support of International Media Support (IMS), National Endowment for Democracy (NED), People in Need (PIN), UNESCO and People of Japan.