ჩვენი ისტორია / Our history

The Regional Press Mutual Support and Development Fund was registered 0n 22 April 2009. Its member newspapers are well known independent newspapers in Georgia.

This organization establishment was an initiative of the regional independent newspaper – Southern Gates ( Samtkhe Javakhety based) - where an EU project supported journalists were employed. This project – Independent Media for Civil Integration - allowed its target group Independent Journalists Associations in Kvemo Kartly and Samtskhe Javakhety to become special members of the RPMSDF through the money contributed to the fund.

These journalists associations can control their money contributed to the Fund through veto voice over its usage decisions. This mechanism of participation in decision-making enables independent journalists to strengthen their professional connections with newspapers out of their own regions and addresses problem of censorship through ownership.
The RPMSDF supports member papers with zero-rate credits for financially sustainable project aimed at readership enhancement. Its board members, representing the member papers, make the credit awarding decisions through consensus and support each other with inter-collegial management consultancy for the financed projects successful implementation.

Trough the framework of the same EU funded project the RPMSDF became a member of the CJN(Caucasus Journalists Network). The CJN mission is to support independent journalists and free media in South Caucasus countries. It also aims at common information space development in the south Caucasus Region. Apart of the RPMSDF six other organizations are also the members and elect CJN board: Smatskhe-Javakhety Independent Journalists Association (SJIJA), Kvemo-Kartly Independent Journalists Association (KKIJA), Civil Integration Foundation (CIF), Regional Press Mutual Support and Development Foundation (RPMSDF), Caucasus Institute, for Peace, Democracy and Development (CIPDD), Research Center Region of Investigative Journalists Association of Armenia (RCR), and Committee to Protect Journalists of Azerbaijan (RUH).