Deadline: 25-Aug-20
Africa Regional Services in the Bureau of African Affairs of the U.S. Department of State has announced an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to provide digital education to African journalists.
This program directly supports the Africa Bureau pillar of supporting key African states’ progress toward stability, citizen-responsive governance, and self-reliance by incorporating U.S. experts and global examples. By following virtual classes, journalists will process general principles and theories containing real-life examples with their own localized experience. If in-person conferences are possible, journalists will be able to do hands-on activities and engage face-to-face with American journalists.
Objectives
- Respond to the need for journalists to maintain and develop their reporting skills despite the pandemic.
- Address malign influences on the continent by raising awareness of disinformation, how it works and its consequences through global concrete examples.
- Design content that can help journalists learn how to mitigate cross-border and internal health threats by providing accurate information to their audiences.
- Provide opportunities for journalists to network with journalists from their own countries and in their region.
- Expand journalists’ understanding of the U.S. and values that underpin the democracy like freedom of the press, freedom of information, and responsible reporting.
Funding Information
- It is ARS’s intent to award one cooperative agreement for an estimated total amount of $400,000, pending the availability of FY 2020 funds.
- ARS reserves the right to amend or modify the composition of the final award and its funding level based upon the quality of proposals submitted, the availability of funds, and other factors impacting long-term foreign policy objectives.
Priority Region
- The priority region for this grant is Sub-Saharan Africa
Participants and Audiences
All participants should be ages 25-40 working freelance or full-time for media organizations in Sub-Sahara Africa. The award recipient should work with ARS and relevant U.S. embassies to achieve diversity and gender equity in the participants.
- Virtual participants:
- Four anglophone workshops: A minimum of 80 journalists per workshop from at least five anglophone countries.
- Four francophone workshops: A minimum of 80 journalists per workshop from at least five francophone countries.
- Four lusophone workshops: A minimum of 80 journalists per workshop from at least three lusophone countries.
- Total virtual participants: Between 240-300 journalists from at least 13 countries.
- In-person conference participants:
- In-person anglophone conference: 35-50 journalists from at least five anglophone countries.
- In-person francophone conference: 35-50 journalists from at least five francophone countries.
- In-person lusophone conference: 35-50 journalists from at least three lusophone countries.
- Total in-person participants: Between 105-150 journalists from at least 13 countries.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with previous experience in Sub Sahara Africa
- The U.S. or African based public and private educational institutions
- Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions with experience in Sub Sahara
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=328336