Deadline: 11-Mar-2024
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the USAID/Ecuador “Fostering Accountability through Investigative Reporting “(FAIR) Activity.
Proposed Objectives and Illustrative Activities
- Objective 1: Financial and operational sustainability of investigative journalism that allows journalists/outlets conduct work that helps report on corruption and/or other illicit and/or irregular and/or illegal activities improved.
- Illustrative (non-prescriptive) activities that could help achieve this objective could include:
- Sub-activity 1.1: Improve the significant operational, financial, and legal constraints faced by investigative journalists and/or outlets (including independent and nascent media).
- Sub-activity 1.2: Strengthen the technical, organizational, and fundraising capacities of investigative journalists and/or outlets, and partner with the private sector (where possible), universities and/or regional journalism centers to support the financial sustainability of the profession.
- Objective 2: Protective and responsive ecosystem for journalists and media outlets.
- Illustrative (non-prescriptive) activities that could help achieve this objective could include:
- Sub-activity 2.1: Support actions to minimize the risks journalists face when conducting their work in investigating and reporting on corruption and/or other illicit and/or irregular and/or illegal activities. This includes their digital, legal, physical, and psychosocial safety and security.
- Sub-activity 2.2: Establish dialogue processes with national and sub-national authorities to strengthen whistleblowing and reporting protections, enhance national level protection mechanisms, and support efforts to prevent the erosion of the general operating environment for investigative reporters or publishers of investigative reporting (including laws aimed at weaponizing open government and anti-corruption efforts to target, harass, and undermine journalists and media outlets).
- Objective 3: Collaborative investigative reporting to expose corruption and/or other illicit and/or irregular and/or illegal activities.
- Illustrative (non-prescriptive) activities that could help achieve this objective could include:
- Sub-activity 3.1: Bolstering existing and/or creating new partnerships for investigative journalism (IJ) across Ecuador (including journalists/outlets operating in and outside of Quito and Guayaquil);
- Sub-activity 3.2: Uncover and report on different issues that have an impact in the Ecuadorian society, sharing information and learning across activist networks; telling impactful stories in both traditional and new/creative formats to galvanize public action; and producing content to hold public and private institutions accountable for investigating corruption and/or other illicit and/or irregular and/or illegal activities.
- Objective 4: Technical support to design, conduct and publish relevant and rigorous investigative reports.
- Illustrative (non-prescriptive) activities that could help achieve this objective could include:
- Sub-activity 4.1: Enhance the technical capabilities, provide adequate software (and/or hardware, where appropriate) to produce responsible, fact-based, and rigorous investigative reports.
- Sub-activity 4.2: Support in the training on data-driven journalism processes, new communication tools, open information platforms, amongst others.
Funding Information
- USAID, in accordance with the terms of this NOFO, intends to award one Fixed Amount Cooperative Agreement for an initial period of three (3) years with up to two (2) potential Renewal periods of one year each, subject to availability of funds, continued need from the Agency and satisfactory performance of the Recipient. Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide $7,000,000 in total USAID funding for the total cumulative potential period of performance of five (5) years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility is restricted to local entities.
- USAID defines a “local entity” as an individual, a corporation, a nonprofit organization, or another body of persons that:
- Is legally organized under the laws of; and
- Has as its principal place of business or operations in; and
- Is majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of; and
- managed by a governing body the majority of who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of the country receiving assistance.
- For purposes of this definition, ‘majority owned’ and ‘managed by’ include, without limitation, beneficiary interests and the power, either directly or indirectly, whether exercised or exercisable, to control the election, appointment, or tenure of the organization’s managers or a majority of the organization’s governing body by any means.
- USAID welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID. Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for federal financial assistance on the same basis as any other organization and are subject to the protections and requirements of Federal law.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
