Call for Applications: Independent Media Program (Kosovo)

Deadline: 31-Mar-2024

The U.S. Embassy in Pristina, Kosovo announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out program(s) that strengthen and increase the audience share, self-sufficiency, and resilience of Kosovo-based independent media organizations toward mis and disinformation and cyber threats.

Independent Media Programming supports projects that improve media organizations’ resilience toward mis- and disinformation and improve their cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. The result: media organizations will deliver accurate and unbiased information, reducing the audience’s reliance on mis- and disinformation intended to undermine U.S. and Euro-Atlantic interests in Kosovo and the Western Balkans.

Objectives

• 2024 Independent Media programming objectives are as follows:
  • Objective I: To develop sustainable practices and partnerships between independent Kosovan media partners that deliver accurate, unbiased information to Kosovo communities in their local languages.
  • Objective II: To increase the audience size/share for Kosovo-based independent media outlets that provide news to underserved communities, providing an alternative to sources that knowingly spread disinformation in order to disrupt U.S. and Euro-Atlantic interests in Kosovo and the Western Balkans.
  • Objective III: To increase media literacy of target student audiences to help them develop media literacy to identify and reject disinformation and avoid becoming unknowing amplifiers of misinformation.
  • Objective IV: To dispel misconceptions and improve understanding of the role that journalists play in promoting civil discourse and delivering fact-based reporting in Kosovo’s multi-ethnic democracy and in society in general, as well as encourage new generations of youth from underserved communities to consider future careers as independent journalists.

Themes

• The goal of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to solicit proposals that address and implement projects that contribute to any of the following themes:
  • Strengthen and increase the audience share, self-sufficiency, and resilience of Kosovo based independent media partners that deliver accurate, unbiased information to Kosovan audiences, including underserved communities and socially marginalized groups, thus, to reduce portions of these audiences that rely on mis/disinformation meant to undermine U.S. and Euro-Atlantic interests in Kosovo and the Western Balkans.
  • Strengthen Kosovan civil society organizations’ and independent media organizations’ capacity to counter cyberattacks, thereby strengthening their ability to better hold government institutions (national and local) accountable, increase transparency, and provide unbiased information that informs the public.
  • Develop the capacity of Kosovo ethical hacker organizations not only to identify weaknesses and help partners fortify against them, but also improve communication skills needed to educate partners and the public about the potential for malign actors to gain access to critical infrastructure and information.
  • Support media literacy campaigns/activities/projects and critical thinking through programs designed to assist youth from underserved minority communities who are either specifically targeted by disinformation and/or susceptible to misinformation to recognize, analyze, and reject false pervasive narratives that undermine U.S. and Euro[1]Atlantic interests in Kosovo and the Western Balkans.
  • Build new partnerships between Kosovo-based independent journalists (including underserved minority community media) and their youth audiences through engagements with organizations, schools, and universities. The goal of these engagements is to dispel existing disinformation about the role of journalists and increase knowledge about the important role journalists play in democratic societies; thus, encouraging new generations of Kosovan youth to consider future careers as independent journalists.

Funding Information

• Projects proposals with a minimum budget of $80,000 to a maximum of $150,000 will be considered.
• Total available funding: $500,000
• Proposed programs should be completed in 18 months or less.

Outcomes

• Participant satisfaction with the program.
• Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
• Participant behavior, such as concrete actions to apply knowledge in work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new knowledge gained; and continued contacts between participants, community members, and others.
• Institutional changes include increased collaboration and partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational improvements.

Participants and Audiences

• Primary audiences for grant activities under priority areas 1-3 are independent media organization(s) that serve Kosovo communities in their local languages, and their audiences, as well as civil society organizations (CSOs) that can help the media reach program objectives.
• Primary audiences for grant activities under priority area 4 (media literacy activities) are school aged youth from underserved communities.
• Primary audiences for grant activities under priority area 5 are independent journalists and their youth audiences, specifically journalism students from all communities.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Applicants
  • The following organizations are eligible to apply:
    • Independent media organizations, registered in Kosovo;
    • Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations.
• Cost Sharing or Matching
  • Cost-sharing is not required under this program; however, organizations including cost-sharing on their proposals will receive evaluation preference.
• Other Eligibility Requirements
  • In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number. Individuals are not required to have a UEI. Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.