Guides for donors & funders

Most recently published or updated toolkits and guides for media development donors

Shifting Power with Partners (2024)

OECD

Toolkit for Implementing the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian AssistanceReport.

Shifting Power with PartnersOECD

Funding Civil Society in Partner Countries (2023)

OECD

Toolkit for Implementing the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance.

Funding Civil Society in Partner CountriesOECD

PRESSProtect: Everything you need to support journalist safety in one place (2022)

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom

Resources to support journalist safety in EuropePRESSProtect

"PRESSProtect provides information about support funds for emergency situations as well as resources to prevent threats. It focuses on living expenses, psychosocial support and medical aid, support for digital and physical safety, relocation, legal support and support in exile."

Best Practices in Development Co-operation (2021)

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Best Practices in Development Co-operationOECD

"The international principles and standards for development co-operation set by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) come in different forms. While a few become official, legally binding OECD instruments, most of them are only indicative, yet very influential guidance documents as they represent the political will of Adherents. This series brings them together." The most recent principles and standards were released on June 18, 2021.

How to Fund Investigative Journalism: Insights from the Field and its Key Donors (2020)

DW Akademie - SAMEER PADANIA

How to fund investigative journalismDeutsche Welle

This report is designed to give funders a succinct and accessible introduction to the practice of funding investigative journalism around the world, via major contemporary debates, trends and challenges in the field. It is part of a series from DW Akademie looking at practices, challenges and futures of investigative journalism around the world.

The paper is intended as a stepping stone, or a springboard, for those who know little about investigative journalism, but who would like to know more. It is not a defense, a mapping or a history of the field, either globally or regionally; nor is it a description of or guide to how to conduct investigations or an examination of investigative techniques. These are widely available in other areas and (to some extent) in other languages already.

Rooted in 17 in-depth expert interviews and wide-ranging desk research, this report sets out big-picture challenges and opportunities facing the investigative journalism field both in general, and in specific regions of the world. It provides donors with an overview of the main ways this often precarious field is financed in newsrooms and units large and small. Finally it provides high-level practical advice – from experienced donors and the investigative journalism field – to help new, prospective or curious donors to the field to find out how to get started, and what is important to do, and not to do.

The Role of Media in Creating Inclusive, Just and Peaceful Societies: Guidelines for SDC Media Assistance (2020)

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Guidelines for SDC media assistance - online version

The guidance provides an overall understanding of the media sector and its reference framework, as well as needs assessments for various media types, information on SDC’s approach to media assistance, and a range of media interventions. It also offers guidance on how to assess and mitigate risks and how to monitor and evaluate media work.

The guidance aims to give SDC staff and members of the DDLG network an updated view on media development. The guidance provides an overall understanding of the media sector and its reference framework, as well as needs assessments for various media types, information on SDC’s approach to media assistance, and a range of media interventions. It also offers guidance on how to assess and mitigate risks and how to monitor and evaluate media work.

• Lignes directrices de la DDC pour le soutien aux médias - version en ligne

• Promouvoir l’avènement de sociétés ouvertes, équitables et pacifiques: le rôle des médias: Lignes directrices de la DDC pour le soutien aux médias

Decoding Media Impact: Insights, Advice and Recommendations (2020)

Media Impact Funders - KATIE DONNELLY

Decoding Media Impact: Insights, Advice & Recommendations | Media Impact FundersMedia Impact Funders

This report provides an examination of the current state of the field of media impact assessment, which Media Impact Funders (MIF) has been tracking for seven years. It also draws on insights from a few leading experts engaged in media impact assessment.

Guidelines for EU support to media freedom and media integrity in enlargement countries, 2014-2020

European Commission

Download the guidelines here.

The guidelines cover:

• Freedom of expression and media

• The EU's enlargement agenda for media freedom and media integrity, which includes; the enabling environment for free expression and media; media outlets assuming responsibility for improved internal governance and production; increasing capacity and representativeness of journalist professional organisations.

• Measuring results and impact

• A draft results framework

Guidelines for EU Support to Media Freedom and Media Integrity in Enlargement Countries 2014-2020 (2014)

European Commission

elarg-guidelines-for-media-freedom-and-integrity_210214.pdf

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"Freedom of expression is a fundamental right safeguarded by international law, including the European Convention on Human Rights, and forms an integral part of the functioning of a pluralistic democracy. It belongs to the values on which the European Union is founded (as referred to in Article 2, the Treaty on European Union).The respect of these values and commitment to promote them is the main criteria to assess the aspirations of a country to become a member of the Union (Article 49, ibid.). Thereafter freedom of expression is an intrinsic part of the Copenhagen political criteria for accession to the European Union.

It should be underlined that while being a fundamental human right, freedom of expression and media is often precondition for implementation of other rights and freedoms. Deprived of a free media, citizens are denied the right to balanced, factual and reliable information, without exposure to bias and propaganda that in turn is undermining democracy and the effectiveness of institutions. The pluralistic content in the media landscape serves to reveal the multifaceted nature of society and promotes dialogue and tolerance. Critical scrutiny by media of the political processes guarantees their transparency and ensures that governments adhere to predictable policies – free from the interests of narrow pressure groups. Al in all this improves the governance in the given accession country, and thus creates confidence in future Member States."

Sida's Guidelines for Media Development (2010)

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) - ANDREW PUDDEPHATT

The full document is available here.

In developing guidelines for media development interventions it is important to understand how the media supports democracy, human rights and sustainable development. Without a diverse and plural media environment that provides widespread access to information and debate, democratic politics cannot flourish and government cannot be held to account for its actions by the wider population. By acting as a platform for exchanging information the media plays an important role in ensuring the transparency of a society. And of course media helps ensure accountability of public administration by highlighting the actions of public officials and correcting the natural asymmetries of information between governed and governing. In this way media devel- opment programmes can support development objectives. For some years there have been concerns that aid programmes will only be effective and serve the interests of the poor if they are fully transparent and accounta- ble – an independent pluralistic media can help ensure this.

Media environments capable of supporting democracy can be thought of as the corner sections of a triangle.

• the legal and regulatory environment;

• professional capacity (both managerial, technical and journalistic);

• a sound and sustainable base.

The guidelines cover:

• Media that serves democracy, human rights and development: legal and regulatory environment, professional capacity, sustainability.

• Media Development: Authoritarian states: Countries with democracy and human rights deficit, conflict and post-conflict situations, fragile democracies in the early stages of democratisation, stagnating democratisation processes, new democracies in the process of consolidation

• Media Development Indicators: regulation and legal framework, possible, professional capacity, economic sustainability.