Mondo opens a research grant competition for journalists and influencers

Mondo has opened a new competition for journalists and influencers to cover topics related to development cooperation and humanitarian aid. A total of three research grants will be awarded, and they are primarily intended to cover travel expenses.

The aim of the research grant competition is to enable journalists, influencers, or their teams to create high-quality and balanced content that helps to better understand Estonia’s contribution and impact in development cooperation and humanitarian aid. The awarding of research grants is supported by the Estonian Centre for International Development ESTDEV.

The three grant recipients will be offered the opportunity to travel to one of the following development cooperation and humanitarian aid partner countries: Armenia, Kenya, Uganda, or Ukraine. Estonia and Mondo have long-term experience working in these countries, and Mondo has a wide network of contacts to support journalists’ and influencers’ access to strong sources on the ground.

Grants are awarded in three categories: 

1. Category 1. One grant of €5,000 for a journalist or a team of journalists to create and publish at least two video stories
2. Category 2. One grant of €2,500 for journalists or a team of journalists to create and publish at least two media stories per recipient
3. Category 3. One grant of €2,500 for an influencer or a team to support the creation and publication of social media stories.

The deadline for applying for the research grant is June 26, 2026. The media content must be published within 4 months after the grant is awarded. The decision on awarding the grant will be made during July. 

Documents required to apply for the research grant:

• A letter of motivation with a brief concept of the topic coverage (approx. 1 A4 page).
• An initial plan with the publication timeline and channels for the media content, and the requested amount.
• For influencers, a brief description of the channel’s audience/followers. 
• CV of the journalist/influencer.
• At least two examples of previous relevant coverage/content published within at least the last five years. 

Requirements for the candidate:

• The applicant has not received a Mondo research grant in the past year.
• The applicant must ensure that the produced media content is published in a local or nationwide publication/channel.
• The applicant agrees to share their experiences at a discussion event organized in cooperation with Mondo after the end of the visit and the publication of the media content. Discussions will be organized in various community centers across Estonia in cooperation with Mondo.

Applicants are requested to send the necessary documents by June 26, 2026, to kelli@mondo.org.ee. If necessary, interview rounds will also be organized with the candidates.

The procedure for using the research grant will be confirmed by a corresponding agreement between the recipient and MTÜ Mondo. The organizers of the competition reserve the right to change the rules of the competition if necessary, or to refrain from awarding the grant in the absence of suitable candidates.