Deadline: March 29, 2019.

The International Fact-Checking Network wants to support your next big idea.

They recognize the importance of making innovation a key part of fact-checking in the age of online misinformation and we are also aware that innovation requires investment. For those reasons, we are opening the second Fact Forward funding program. A call for fact-checking organizations and/or teams of journalists, designers, developers or data scientists to submit projects that can represent a paradigmatic innovation for fact-checkers in any of these areas:

1. Formats
2. Business models
3. Technology-assisted fact-checking

 

ELIGIBILITY

1. Applicants must be employed by a fact-checking organization that is a signatory of the IFCN code of principlesor must present a signed memorandum of understanding with one of the verified signatories agreeing on implementing the project together.

2. Existing fact-checking teams or organizations that seek funding to scale up or launch a new project, as well as experienced journalists with well-developed ideas or prototypes.

3. The fund is open to fact-checking projects run by traditional media companies, as well as digital media entrepreneurs. If there is a resulting code of this project, it must be open and it should be public in a GitHub repository.

4. To qualify for this fund, the project should be more than just an idea. Applicants must be organizations or teams of at least two people who have tested their concept or at least developed a prototype.

5. Applications from individuals will be accepted if they are paired with a fact-checking organization where the project will be implemented in the 12-months time frame.

 

BENEFITS

With Fact Forward, the IFCN will grant 50,000 USD to the winning project, thanks to a grant from Omidyar Network.

 

JUDGING CRITERIA

First, the panelists grade (from 1 to 3) each one of the applications that qualify for the second round according to six different points of view:

1. Is the project an original idea in the fact-checking field and change the way in which information is presented and/or consumed?
2. Does the project involve more than one organization (fact-checking or otherwise) or attempt to implement a solution already proven by another one with its supervision?
3. Does the project have the potential of fighting misinformation, improving the quality of the public debate and/or reaching a wider/new audience?
4. Does the project have the potential to grow in the future?
5. Does the project have the potential to be replicated by other fact-checkers with minor changes and serving its original purpose?
6. Is the requested budget in accordance with the goals and scope of the project and have the potential to be fully completed and implemented in time and form?

Projects with the highest grades could be called for personal interviews (Q&A sessions) with panelists.

While the awarded project is being developed and implemented, panelists are also required to give a 45 minutes mentorship.

 

OFFICIAL LINK

 

Fact-Checking Network