Nexus: Cross-Border Center for Investigative Reporting
NEXUS is a cross-border initiative using investigative journalism to counter Kremlin influence globally. The programme supports journalists and civil society in exposing disinformation, coercion, and interference. During 2023–2024, IRI and JINN ran workshops in four cities, training journalists from Central Asia, Mongolia, Africa, and the Balkans to investigate foreign influence. A second phase will launch in 2025–2026 to expand cross-regional collaboration.
About the Programme
The project Nexus: Cross-Border Centre for Investigative Reporting aims to investigate and counter the Kremlin’s malign influence, including economic coercion, disinformation, cyber-attacks, election interference, and support of proxy conflicts. The International Republican Institute and the Berlin-based NGO Journalists in Need Network (JINN) provides training, mentorship, and finance support for media projects on awareness-raising campaigns, investigative reporting, media content production. The programme serves media professionals, investigative reporters, and CSO representatives from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Balkans.
Agenda
Building a Global DemocBuilding a Global Democratic Nexus to Counter Foreign Authoritarian Influenceratic Nexus to Counter Foreign Authoritarian Influence
Countering Foreign Malign Influence in the Western Balkans
Two-day in-person training on investigative reporting for independent journalists, media representatives, and CSOs from the Western Balkans, in cooperation with senior Bosnian, Russian, US, and German media professionals and investigative researchers.
Countering Foreign Malign Influence in Kazakhstan and Mongolia
Two-day in-person training for independent journalists, media workers, and CSOs from Kazakhstan and Mongolia, held in Ulaanbaatar in April 2024 in cooperation with local and foreign media professionals and investigative researchers. The training covers strategies and case studies of the authoritarian malign influence in Kazakhstan and Mongolia and facilitates the development of media campaigns and cross-border investigative projects. Participants can pitch individual and collaborative project concepts and receive consultation on synergies within the Nexus cross-border network, mentorship, and financial support for implementation.
Countering Foreign Malign Influence in the Sub-Saharan Africa
The webinar covers strategies and case studies of the Kremlin’s malign influence in Sub-Saharan Africa. Independent journalists, media representatives, and CSOs from the target regions are invited to participate and pitch their domestic and cross-border media projects and campaigns.
Content Grants Application
The NEXUS project invites media professionals, investigative researchers, and CSO representatives from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Balkans to apply with individual and cross-border project concepts for media content grants. Projects should focus on foreign malign influence in one or more target regions, including economic coercion, money laundering and corruption, disinformation, election interference, and the support of proxy conflicts, among others.
Selected media projects will be awarded between $1,000 and $10,000, each through micro-purchase contracts to develop a short-term independent media product that meets regional media needs. Illustrative examples include—but are not limited to—short audio or video products, podcasts, social media posts, text articles for print and/or online media, and mini-documentaries.
Application deadlines
- February 7, 2024 For training in Sarajevo for participants from West Balkans
- April 8, 2024 For webinar and training in Ulaanbaatar (for participants from Kazakhstan and Mongolia)
- May 15, 2024 Webinar for participants from the Sub-Saharan Africa (webinar date tba)
- May 31, 2024 Deadline for financial and mentorship support
Eligibility criteria
- The programme is open to teams of journalists, media organisations, and CSOs from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the West Balkans.
- Applications may be submitted by individuals or teams based in one of the target regions or operating in exile.
- Strong commitment to editorial independence and high standards of journalistic ethics is required.
- Applicants must not be connected to a political party, political institution, or businesses/individuals sanctioned by the EU or US government.
- For media content grants: applicants must have published media articles, social media posts, and/or investigative reports within the past 12 months.
