Limelight Foundation

Strengthening the information ecosystem

<learn_about_our_support>

<Annual Report 2023>

What we do

Map of earth in ascii

<Read more>

We envision a healthy information ecosystem in which reliable and pluralistic information can be produced and distributed freely, and in which this information is accessible to everyone. This will enable people to fully participate in democratic processes and hold those in power to account. We want technology to support rather than hinder these functions of the information ecosystem.

Limelight Foundation gives grants to a broad range of organisations that work to strengthen the information ecosystem using different approaches or angles. We focus on two areas:

  1. Public Interest Journalism
    We support public interest journalism to ensure that accurate, relevant and pluriform information is available.
  2. Technology & the Information Ecosystem
    We support civil society organisations that work to ensure technology strengthens rather than harms the information ecosystem.
Standing half letter L

“There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.”

<Leonard_Cohen>

How we work

Limelight Foundation is an independent philanthropic foundation, based in the Netherlands.

We are not issue driven. We support journalism and civil society organizations that are independent of vested interests.

We provide different types and sizes of funding and support, depending on what is needed.

Our budget is limited and there are many more organisations and initiatives that contribute to our mission than we can fund. We must therefore be strategic in our work, looking proactively for funding opportunities that are in line with our priorities. We conduct thorough due diligence on the organisations we support and want to be respectful of your time. That’s why we do not accept unsolicited proposals.

We do our best to respond to any questions about our work (enquiries@limelight.foundation).

Who we are

Limelight Foundation was founded in 2021 by John Caspers and Merel Borger. John is an internet entrepreneur and co-founder of payment platform Adyen. Limelight Foundation receives its annual donation budget from John Caspers and from the Hartwig Foundation.

<board>

The board consists of Hans Laroes, Merel Borger, and Henriëtte Boerma. Board members receive an attendance fee.

<organization>

Alinda Vermeer is executive director of Limelight Foundation. Floor Milar and Willem Lenders are program managers. Andrea Simonca is program officer. Eva Entenmann is operations manager.

Our Patrons

Mabel van Oranje - Serial entrepreneur for social change
"Independent, quality media and objective information are foundational for critical thinking, well-informed debate, wise decision-making – and essential for a properly functioning democracy. That is why I champion Limelight Foundation’s mission to support journalism and the information eco-system in Europe."
Foto: ©Marc de Groot

Who we support

<name_organisation>

<duration_of_support>

<name_organisation>

AccessNow

<duration_of_support>

1 December 2022 – 30 November 2025  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

ACOS Alliance

<duration_of_support>

15 December 2023 – 14 December 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

AI Forensics

<duration_of_support>

15 December 2023 – 14 December 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Amnesty Tech Security Lab

<duration_of_support>

1 September 2023 – 31 Augustus 2025  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Apache

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2024 – 31 December 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

ARENA for Journalism in Europe

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2022 - 30 June 2025  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Átlátszó

<duration_of_support>

1 Augustus 2023 – 31 July 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Bellingcat

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2021 - 30 June 2025  (48 months)

<name_organisation>

Bits of Freedom

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2025 - 31 December 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

CiviCert

<duration_of_support>

1 November 2024 – 31 October 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Civio

<duration_of_support>

1 December 2023 – 31 November 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Civitates

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2024 – 1 July 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe (CASE)

<duration_of_support>

1 October 2023 – 30 September 2025  (24 months)

<name_organisation>

Coda Story

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2025 – 30 June 2028  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Detector Media

<duration_of_support>

15 December 2023 – 14 December 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Digital Freedom Fund

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2025 – 31 December 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

European AI & Society Fund

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

European Digital Rights

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2025 – 31 December 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Follow the Money

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2025 – 31 Decemer 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Forbidden Stories

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2024 – 31 June 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Fumaça

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025  (12 months)

<name_organisation>

Fumaça

<duration_of_support>

1 June 2023 – 31 May 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Glitch

<duration_of_support>

1 March 2024 – 28 February 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)

<duration_of_support>

1 May 2025 – 30 April 2028  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Investico

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2022 - 31 December 2025  (42 months)

<name_organisation>

Investigace.cz

<duration_of_support>

September 2024 – 31 August 2026  (24 months)

<name_organisation>

Investigate Europe

<duration_of_support>

1 December 2024 - 30 November 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Investigative Center of Ján Kuciak

<duration_of_support>

1 September 2024 – 31 August 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Investigative Reporting Project Italy

<duration_of_support>

1 June 2023 – 31 May 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Irish Council for Civil Liberties

<duration_of_support>

1 June 2023 – 31 May 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Journalismfund.eu

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

KRIK – Crime and Corruption Reporting Network

<duration_of_support>

1 March 2024 – 28 February 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

La Quadrature du Net

<duration_of_support>

1 June 2023 – 31 May 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Lighthouse Reports

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2024 - 30 June 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Media Defence

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2025 – 31 December 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Media Development Investment Fund

<duration_of_support>

15 December 2023 – 14 December 2024  (12 months)

<name_organisation>

OKO.press

<duration_of_support>

1 April 2023 – 31 March 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)

<duration_of_support>

1 October 2024 – 30 September 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Oštro

<duration_of_support>

1 October 2023 – 31 September 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Qurium Media Foundation

<duration_of_support>

1 December 2023 – 31 December 2026  (37 months)

<name_organisation>

Re:Baltica – The Baltic Center for Investigative Journalism

<duration_of_support>

1 September 2024 – 31 August 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Reporters United

<duration_of_support>

1 Augustus 2023 – 31 July 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Spyware Accountability Initiative

<duration_of_support>

1 July 2024 – 30 June 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Stichting 1877

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2024 – 31 December 2026  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Stichting SIDN Fonds

<duration_of_support>

January – December 2025  (12 months)

<name_organisation>

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

<duration_of_support>

15 July 2024 – 14 July 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Unbias the News

<duration_of_support>

1 November 2024 – 31 October 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

Weaving Liberation

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2025 – 31 December 2027  (36 months)

<name_organisation>

WHY2025

<duration_of_support>

1 January 2025 – 31 October 2025  (9 months)