PluPro Progress: Here’s What’s New!
As funding cuts have made an already tough environment for small- and medium-sized media outlets even worse, the PluPro project continues to provide a wealth of training and grant opportunities. And March was a busy month in that regard.
AI and Fundraising for European Journalists!
In March we hosted two high-impact workshops designed to empower European media professionals with essential expertise in AI integration and innovative approaches to sustainable funding.
Reimagining Journalism with AI (24 March)
Led by Branislava Lovre (AI ethics consultant, AImedia co-founder), this workshop convened journalists and media professionals to explore the real-world applications of AI in journalism.
Participants praised the practical approach and valuable tools:
“Very productive workshop, straightforward to the core content.”
“The course gave me new tools to get the most out of my journalistic work by reducing production time.”
Following the workshop, participants gained access to a dedicated AI Resource Hub, featuring journalism-specific tools, best practices, and collaborative guidelines to continue applying AI ethically and effectively in their work.
How to Sustain the Story: Fundraising for Independent Journalism (20 March)
Led by Peter Erdelyi, founding director of the Center for Sustainable Media, this session focused on navigating the evolving funding landscape for independent media. Attendees gained insight into key funding sources, donor expectations, and effective fundraising strategies tailored for journalism initiatives.
Participants appreciated the comprehensive overview:
“The list of institutions providing financial support to journalism projects was excellent.”
“Donors overview, practical advice, and Peter’s expertise were most valuable.“
Looking Ahead
Together, these two workshops attracted over 100 media professionals for live and interactive sessions. There will be more opportunities like this in the future – stay tuned for announcements.
Both workshops were organized by Transitions and Journalismfund Europe.
Hands-On PluPro Workshop in Chișinău
Journalists and media professionals from Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, France, and Romania gathered in Chișinău on 21-22 March for an intensive 1.5-day design-thinking workshop, focused on developing innovative, user-centered solutions to pressing challenges in the media sector.
Participants explored each phase of the design thinking process, from empathy-driven user interviews to hands-on prototyping and pitching. Stepping beyond the workshop walls, they conducted real interviews on the streets of Chișinău to uncover how local audiences consume and perceive news and media. These insights sparked a wave of creative ideas including:
- Making media more inclusive for seniors
- Designing news experiences that fit into a busy mom’s day
- Creating more interactive content that speaks to people’s interests
The training concluded with a prototype showcase where participants presented early concepts of their products. The workshop also concluded a series of events that also took us to Sarajevo, Budapest, and Sofia to promote design thinking, and two calls for newsrooms to apply for microgrants to test products and services. The jury is now carefully sorting through over 80 applications for the second round with the winners to be announced in coming weeks. Check out the event photos here.