First federal ministry joins Media Forward Fund

Berlin, Vienna, Zurich, November 11, 2025 –In addition to its financial funding, Media Forward Fund (MFF) will strengthen public interest media across the DACH region with a new upskilling program starting in November. The initiative addresses a key challenge in the current media crisis: in-depth knowledge of media management and media economics is crucial for success but remains unevenly distributed and often difficult to access. Through targeted training opportunities and a strong network approach, MFF aims to close this gap and secure the long-term future of journalism.

Special attention is being given to science and data journalism: as part of the upskilling program, the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) is funding deep dives, learning visits, and community meetings specifically for media organizations focused on science and data journalism. To this end, the ministry is supporting MFF and the Wissenschaftspressekonferenz (WPK) with €300,000 over three years.

Developing future skills

“With the upskilling program, we are addressing a critical gap: building media economic competence for independent media,” says Martin Kotynek, Founding Director of Media Forward Fund. “After the first year of Media Forward Fund and three funding rounds, the strong demand has become evident. We want to strengthen a resilient, public value media system in the DACH region – one that understands journalism as a democratic infrastructure. The program complements our financial funding with targeted knowledge transfer. We are very happy to welcome the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space as the first public sector partner of Media Forward Fund.”

Knowledge – networking – resilience: the upskilling program at a glance

The upskilling program is aimed at grantees of MFF, potentially eligible media organizations, and alumni from across the DACH region. Its goal is to expand media management skills and facilitate the systematic transfer of knowledge within a transnational network spanning Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Key components include:

• Thematic deep dives – practice-oriented learning on topics related to managing public interest media organizations
• Learning visits – exchange programs with media organizations within the MFF network
• Coaching program – individual and tailored support for media organizations in their further development through professional coaches

About Media Forward Fund

The first transnational fund for the promotion of journalism in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is committed to more high-quality independent media with viable business models, which publish strong, trustworthy content and are sustainably financed. The aim is to strengthen diversity in public interest journalism, and thus democracy.

Media Forward Fund was established in July 2024 as a non-profit initiative by Schöpflin Foundation, Mercator Foundation Switzerland, Volkart Foundation, Rudolf Augstein Foundation, ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, Allianz Foundation, Stiftung für Medienvielfalt, ERSTE Foundation, DATUM STIFTUNG für Journalismus und Demokratie, the MacArthur Foundation (USA), the impact investor Karma Capital Group, and Publix – House for Journalism & Public Sphere. As part of a new funding line for science and data journalism, five additional foundations from Germany joined MFF in January 2025. In March, the German Postcode Lottery followed, and in September, the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space became a partner. The development of the fund was supported by a project grant from the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. To date, MFF has been endowed with eleven million euros. Its governance structure ensures that all funding decisions are made independently of both private and public donors.

Press contact for journalists

Media Forward Fund
Lisa Sympher
E-mail: lisa@mediaforwardfund.org