The Netherlands Press Fund provides funding for print and digital media (like dailies, non-dailies, news magazines and news websites) which are journalistic in nature as well as for research into the press industry.
The organisation
The Fund was set up as a foundation in 1974 and became an independent authority financed by the Government in 1988. From that moment on the Fund has possessed corporate rights by the Media law and decides independently on subsidy applies from media businesses. The Press Fund is financed out of the revenues from advertising messages generated by the Radio and Television Advertising Foundation and the commercial broadcasting establishments. Each year, the Minister for Culture determines if it is necessary that the Press Fund receives new finances, considering the available resources of the Fund.
Board of Directors
The Netherlands Press Fund is being run by a board of which the members are appointed and dismissed by the Minister for Culture. Board membership may not be combined with an employment at a Ministry or with a board membership of or an employment with a newspaper, magazine or publishing company. The board of the Press Fund decides on applies for financial help. There are seven members of the Board:
- G.W. Noomen PhD (chairman)
- Mr. E. van Erp (treasurer)
- Prof. L.S.J. d’Haenens PHD
- D. Ramlal MA (vice-chairman)
- V.P. Kouwenhoven PhD
- M. Wermuth PhD
- A. G.D. Leurdijk PhD
The office of the Fund is managed by:
- Mr. R.M. van Zanten (general director)
- A.R. van Dijk MA(managing director)
- Mrs. Y. Janmaat (secretary)
- Mrs. C. Badoux (secretary)
Policy on subsidies
An applicant can send in a request for subsidy at any moment of the year. An exception to this rule is a temporary measure called the Press Innovation Grant for which there were different rounds in 2010 and 2011. This measure is designed for journalistic activities with an innovative nature and came into operation on January 1st, 2010. Requests for this kind of subsidy can only be submitted during rounds. In 2012, the Fund will continue advancing innovative initiatives in print, broadcast and new media. However, it is yet to be decided whether a grant similar to the Press Innovation Grant will be available.
Those intending to apply for a subsidy or interested in more information on funding, can contact us at:
E: info(at)svdp.nl
T: 0031 (0)70-361 71 11