Deadline: 9-Feb-23
The Public Diplomacy Section at the U.S. Consulate General of Mumbai seeks a partner that will organize film-making workshops/masterclasses and a crowd-sourced film contest; amplify the films and generate buzz around the winning entries, and execute follow-on activities to involve youth and civil society in environment conservation.
Using the engage, educate, and empower approach, this project aims to increase awareness, address current problems, find solutions, and encourage viewers to take action at the individual and community levels to create sustainable solutions through behavioral change.
Through a crowd-sourced short film contest and festival across western India (defined here as the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh), influencers and the general public will be encouraged and invited to create meaningful content through short films (5-7 minutes) that promote environmental conservation and action to address climate change
Project Goal
Promote climate action by encouraging climate-conscious citizens to create films that spur wider awareness and inspire community action.
Project Objectives
In a four-phased project across six-months, the successful grantee will
- Work closely with experts/trainers to provide basic film making skills to over 150 participants through at least three workshops/masterclasses for youth and other audiences in three different cities covering at least two states of western India (Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra). Workshops may include discussions on climate issues and mitigation efforts. Preference is for the workshops to be conducted in physical in-person spaces; however hybrid (online and offline) could be an option. These workshops will empower citizens who wish to make change by teaching them visual storytelling skills;
- Through a crowd-sourced short film contest and festival across western India, encourage and invite influencers and the general public to create content through short films (5-7 minutes) that promote environment conservation;
- Organize a film-festival (screenings, panel discussions and grand finale/award ceremony to celebrate the winners of the contest) with over 250 people in attendance;
- Amplify the films, help generate buzz around the winning entries, and execute follow-on activities to involve youth and civil society in environment conservation. Such activities might include social media campaigns, screenings at local schools and colleges with filmmakers engaging in discussions with student groups, screenings at popular cinema theaters, and/or publishing screenings on social media (with an aim to reach over 1 million people via various interactions, campaigns and engagements as specified above).
Award Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $40,000;
- Award Ceiling: $40,000;
- Award Floor: $25,000;
- Length of Project Period: [Not to exceed 6 months].
Project Audiences
The primary audience of the workshops and film contests are the members of youth, civil society, media, and academics that will create the films. The secondary audience is those who will watch the films, to include students, policy experts, government officials, and the general public.
This Award does not allow
- Projects relating to partisan political activity;
- Charitable or development activities;
- Construction projects;
- Projects that support specific religious activities;
- Fund-raising campaigns;
- Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
- Scientific research or surveys;
- Commercial projects;
- Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;
- Projects that duplicate existing projects; or
- Illegal activities
Eligibility Criteria
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations;
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations;
- Think tanks;
- Public and private educational institutions;
- Individuals;
- Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions.
- Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.
- Cost sharing or matching is not required for this funding opportunity.
- Pre-award costs are not an allowable expense for this funding opportunity
For more information, visit Environment-Focused Short Film Contest and Festival (India).