Combatting Crime through Investigative Journalism in Cyprus and Malta | INL22GR0003 CYPRUS MALTA

Opportunity Information: Apply for INL22GR0003 CYPRUS MALTA

The grant opportunity "Combatting Crime through Investigative Journalism in Cyprus and Malta" is a U.S. Department of State program, run through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), aimed at strengthening investigative journalism as a practical tool for exposing crime, corruption, and related financial wrongdoing in Cyprus and Malta. It is framed around a core problem: while both places have media environments that are generally described as free and fair, local reporters often do not have the training, mentorship, institutional backing, or specialized resources needed to do sustained, high-impact investigations, especially those that involve politically sensitive subjects or complex financial trails. In Cyprus in particular, the opportunity notes that the country is small and socially interconnected, which can make aggressive reporting harder and can limit the willingness or ability of journalists to challenge powerful figures. A key indicator of this gap, according to the notice, is that several of the biggest corruption stories in recent years were broken not by local outlets, but by major international organizations such as Reuters, Al-Jazeera, and OCCRP.

A significant portion of the rationale also focuses on the challenges facing journalists in the Turkish Cypriot community in the north. Even with the growth of universities there, access to high-quality journalism training is described as limited. The notice points to a history of self-censorship and pressure on journalists when reporting is viewed as overly critical of Turkey, which the area is politically and economically dependent on. It also highlights a structural vulnerability in the media market: dependence on government subsidies for operating costs, which can weaken editorial independence and discourage adversarial reporting. To address these issues, the opportunity emphasizes not only investigative reporting skills, but also English-language training, with the idea that stronger English competency expands access to global reporting tools, cross-border sources, and online research materials, which in turn supports deeper and more credible investigations.

Beyond training, the program is designed to tackle a practical barrier that frequently stops investigations from going anywhere: the lack of tools to follow money and document cross-border connections. The opportunity stresses that modern corruption and organized crime rarely stay within national borders. Assets may be held abroad, shell companies may be registered in other jurisdictions, and property purchases or bank relationships may be spread across multiple countries. Cypriot and Maltese journalists, as described in the announcement, often lack both the knowledge and the access needed to use specialized databases and records systems to trace ownership, identify suspicious transactions, or confirm whether activity suggests money laundering or tax fraud. As a result, the grant envisions providing journalists with access to international databases and other professional resources, alongside hands-on guidance in how to use them safely and effectively.

Another central theme is building durable connections between local journalists and wider regional or international investigative networks. The opportunity treats these linkages as essential because they allow reporters to collaborate across borders, share methodologies, verify information, and pursue leads that require multi-country research. This approach is meant to help journalists produce more thorough investigations and avoid being isolated when they take on sensitive targets. It also positions the work as serving broader public-interest outcomes: keeping citizens informed, supporting democratic accountability, and improving transparency around public and private sector misconduct.

In funding terms, the program is a discretionary grant (Funding Opportunity Number INL22GR0003 CYPRUS MALTA) with an award ceiling of 1,000,000 and an expectation of a single award. The funds come from FY 2020 International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INCLE) resources, and the activity category is listed under law, justice, and legal services (CFDA 19.704). The grant was posted December 14, 2021, with an original closing date of February 14, 2022. While the core focus is Cyprus and Malta, the description leaves room for related work in other locations when needed to support the investigative capacity-building mission, reflecting the reality that transnational crime and corruption investigations often require activity outside the immediate target countries. The announcement also notes that the project could function as a pilot, suggesting the U.S. government may use lessons learned from this effort to shape similar programming elsewhere in the region.

• The Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Combatting Crime through Investigative Journalism in Cyprus and Malta" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.704.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 14, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 14, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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