Global Media Defence Fund: Call for Partnerships

UNESCO’s Global Media Defence Fund is currently accepting proposals for its 6th Call for Partnerships. This initiative, funded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), supports nonprofit organizations working to protect journalists and promote media freedom globally. The Call is open from 4 November 2025 until 2 January 2026 at 23:59 UTC+1, and proposals must be submitted within this period via email. The fund is a key mechanism under UNESCO's broader mandate to uphold freedom of expression and protect journalists worldwide, particularly in contexts where press freedom is under threat. The main purpose of the Global Media Defence Fund (GMDF) is to provide targeted financial assistance to nonprofit entities—whether local, regional, or international—that are implementing projects aimed at strengthening journalists' legal protections and combating impunity. Supported projects must directly align with at least one of three designated GMDF Outputs: enhancing legal mechanisms for journalists, supporting investigative journalism to reduce impunity, or leveraging strategic litigation to improve media freedom. These thematic pillars ensure that the funding reaches interventions that can effect systemic change in high-risk environments for press actors. The 6th Call for Partnerships offers a total indicative budget of $800,000 USD. Grants awarded will range between $15,000 and $50,000, with an anticipated 16 to 25 grants disbursed. This structure ensures that a broad array of projects, including small and mid-sized initiatives, can be funded. The Call does not require any cost-share or matching funds, broadening access to smaller or under-resourced organizations. However, all proposals must clearly contribute to one of the core GMDF Outputs as a prerequisite for eligibility. Eligibility is limited to not-for-profit organizations capable of executing media defense projects aligned with the fund’s priorities. Applicants do not need to be registered on the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM) platform, though additional guidance and documentation is available through UNESCO’s call documents and annexes. Applications must be complete with all mandatory supporting materials and submitted via email to gmdf@unesco.org. The process is intentionally streamlined to minimize access barriers for civil society actors worldwide. While specific evaluation criteria are not disclosed in the available notice, it can be inferred that alignment with GMDF Outputs, meaningful impact on journalist protection, and demonstrable capacity to implement the project will weigh heavily in proposal reviews. Interested applicants are encouraged to consult the full set of annexed guidelines and activity examples to ensure their proposals meet technical requirements. There is no mention of a multi-stage application or pre-proposal process; submissions are reviewed in full upon receipt. The program does not explicitly state if awards will be announced by a certain date or if there is a defined period of performance. However, given the annual cadence of past Calls, it can be reasonably inferred that funded projects will commence shortly after the January 2026 deadline, with implementation occurring over a standard 12-month term. Based on historical patterns and phrasing such as “6th Call,” this opportunity is part of a recurring annual cycle. Accordingly, the next expected call is projected to reopen in November 2026.

Projects must align with one of three GMDF Outputs; proposals that fail to do so will not be considered.