Three young journalistic projects from Germany and Switzerland have been awarded the 2024/2025 Grow Scholarship by Netzwerk Recherche and the Schöpflin Foundation. The award recognises media projects that promote non-profit and public-interest journalism and media diversity. In addition to financial support, the scholarship holders receive coaching, take part in workshops and are given the opportunity to network with other innovative media professionals.

The winning initiatives:

• In March 2024, photographer and journalist Jacob Queißner launched the free newsletter Gerda for the city of Gera. Gerda works on a community basis and reports critically on democracy, city history, culture and politics. With the help of the Grow grant, Jacob Queißner wants to develop the newsletter into a fully-fledged local magazine, professionalise the work and secure the project in the long term.
   
• Laura Vorsatz's podcast Feminism with Purpose deals with topics such as pop feminism, masculinity and motherhood. The Grow grant will help her produce more high-quality content and more elaborate research, as well as develop new formats.
   
• The WAV research collective from Zurich will use the Grow grant to consolidate its organisational structures, further develop communication and establish long-term financing options. Founded in 2021, the WAV research collective currently consists of twelve people and works with the media, civil society and non-profits to research stories that are neglected in the day-to-day business of journalism.