Phase 1 opened today, 3 August 2026, and closes 14 August at 17:30.
Johannesburg, 3 August 2026 – The Digital News Transformation Fund (DNTF) has today opened its third funding round to applications. Independent news publishers across South Africa can apply for project-based grants supporting digital transformation, audience development and financial sustainability.
Application workshops ran from 27 to 29 July. For newsrooms with no digital footprint, the Ignite tier offers R100,000 grants for a first step online, alongside Build, Grow and Engage for publishers at later stages of digital maturity.
“The first two rounds took this Fund to the grassroots of South African journalism. Forty-two of our 43 grantees are small publishers, 39 serve rural, township, peri-urban or informal settlement communities, and 28 publish in an African language,” said Vincent Maher, Co-Chair of the DNTF Board. “Round 3 continues to meet publishers where they are, whether that is a newsroom taking its first step online through Ignite, or one ready to build broader commercial resilience.”
Funding tiers
| Tier | Value | Intended for |
| Ignite | R100,000 | First step into digital operations |
| Build | Up to R380,000 | Foundational infrastructure and skills |
| Grow | Up to R950,000 | Expanding reach and capability |
| Engage | Up to R1,900,000 | Advanced innovation and scalable models |
The DNTF is a partnership between Google and the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP), administered by Tshikululu Social Investments. The Fund supports the sustainability, innovation and digital transformation of small and medium local and independent news publishers in South Africa.
How the call works
Phase 1 is an open call testing eligibility and strategic fit; it is not a guarantee of funding. Applications are screened for eligibility by Tshikululu as fund manager, scored on merit by the independent Adjudication Committee, and ratified by the Oversight and Advisory Board, which does not score applications. Neither Google nor the AIP takes part in scoring or grantee selection. Shortlisted applicants proceed to Phase 2, a full technical proposal, with invitations issued in September and October.
Rounds one and two
More than R26 million has been committed to 43 publishers across two completed rounds: R10.5 million to 21 publishers in Round 1, from an available pool of R10.7 million, and R15.8 million to 22 publishers in Round 2. An independent audit by RSM SA Consulting found the Round 1 process was executed fairly, and its recommendations have since been implemented. The full grantee record is published at dntfund.org.za/impact.
Analysis of the 43 grantees shows where the funding has landed. Forty-two are small publishers with up to 250,000 unique monthly website visitors, and 38 of those are micro publishers with up to 50,000. Twenty-eight publish in an African language, alone or alongside English, across isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, isiNdebele and siSwati. Thirty-nine serve rural, township, peri-urban or informal settlement communities, including Qwaqwa, Giyani, Sekhukhune, Hammanskraal, Mamelodi, the INK townships, Matatiele, the Karoo, Orange Farm, Diepsloot and Cape Town’s informal settlements. Of the 42 grantees with ownership interests, 37 are wholly Black African, Coloured or Indian owned.
Eligibility criteria and application requirements for Round 3 are available at dntfund.org.za.
ENDS
About the Digital News Transformation Fund
The DNTF supports the digital transformation and sustainability of South Africa’s small to medium independent news publishers through project-based grants and capacity building. It is governed by an independent Oversight and Advisory Board, with merit decisions made by an independent Adjudication Committee. Google is a global technology leader committed to advancing access to information. The AIP represents South Africa’s independent publishers.
About Tshikululu Social Investments (Fund Manager)
Founded in 1998, Tshikululu Social Investments is South Africa’s leading social investment manager and advisor, independently managing the DNTF’s operations, due diligence and impact reporting.
Media enquiries: DNT Fund Communications | dntf@tshikululu.org.za | +27 11 544 0300