Deadline: 19-Jul-2020
Media for All Project (Supporting Greater Media Independence in the Western Balkans) invites local and regional media in Serbia to apply for Engaged Citizens Reporting grants program.
This regional project implemented across Western Balkans is delivered by a consortium led by the British Council in partnership with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), Thomson Foundation and INTRAC (The International NGO Training and Research Centre), and is funded by the UK Government through the British Embassy in Serbia.
Engaged Citizens Reporting Call aims to support local and regional independent media outlets in Serbia to become more audience oriented by strengthening their relationship with their audience using the platform for citizens reporting.
Objectives
The Project’s overall vision is to enable a positive shift in citizens’ engagement with independent local and regional media in the Western Balkans.In relation to ‘citizens’ engagement’, this goes beyond passive consumption of media to include more active engagement, from expressing their opinions and concerns, to proposing topics, providing evidence and/ or expertise, contributing to content production and design.
- Project-supported media outlets are more financially resilient and working in accordance with adopted policies, including on gender in the workplace.
- Project supported media outlets and media professionals produce quality, relevant, gender-sensitive content that attracts and engages new audiences, including women and marginalized groups.
- More men and women in media produce quality, ethical, gender sensitive content that challenges prevailing gender norms and stereotypes
- Editorial decisions of local media outlets increasingly reflect citizens’ priorities and interests, including those of women and marginalized groups.
Funding InformationAny grant requested under this call for applications must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
- Minimum amount: GBP 7,500.00
- Maximum amount: GBP 15,000.00
No co-financing from the applicant’s side is expected or is obligatory within this Call for Applications.
- The duration of the project is nine (9) months in total, including the implementation of the ECR tool to the grantees’ websites and training on ECR.
- Please note that there are two cycles of project implementation envisaged for the grant recipients under this Call for Application. The foreseen starting dates are: October 2020 and April 2021. The project reserves the right to group the grant recipients for relevant starting dates and project implementation cycles.
- Content production based on the information and data acquired through the ECR tool (the tool will be designed and implemented to the grantees’ websites by the BIRN and recipients of the grant will receive adequate training)
- Content may include news, analysis, investigations, etc., it can be in any form – text, audio, video.
- Content promotion through outlets’ social media channels.
- Engaging citizens by promoting the ECR tool as a platform where they can suggest topics, express interest to be contacted in the future for the purpose of reporting, or take part in different investigations, etc.
- ECR promotion through introduction of dedicated sections on the website, additional information in the ‘about’ and ‘contact’ section, banners, etc.
The applicant may propose other activities that correspond with the vision and long-term objectives of this project and that relate to above-listed activities.
- Applicant must be registered as a media outlet in Serbian Business Registers Agency (SBRA).
- Legal entity owning this media outlet must be registered in Serbia before 1 January 2018. (N.B. Some media outlets are self-contained/business entities themselves, while others belong to a legal entity.)
- Financial statements for 2018 calendar year, or 2019, if applicable;
- Certificate from relevant tax authority that the legal entity has paid all due taxes in accordance with the local legislation.
For more information, visit https://birn.eu.com/news-and-events/open-call-for-applications-for-engaged-citizens-reporting-grants-in-serbia/