NOFO: American Corners Malaysia Disinformation Exhibit

Deadline: 21-Aug-22

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to plan, develop, design, and implement an interactive traveling exhibit on disinformation, media literacy, and deepfake technologies aimed at youth audiences with a supplemental programming plan (workshops, lectures, activities, etc.), and a companion online experience.

Goals

Increase audience awareness and vigilance as they consume online content, both through social media and traditional online information portals.
Make audiences aware of the types of actors forwarding disinformation content and for what purpose and benefit.
Help audiences to realize how advancements in audio and video technologies are resulting in deep fake content that can be very difficult to distinguish from authentic content.
Provide audiences with tools and resources to help determine the authenticity of online messages and news.
Signal to Malaysian leadership at all levels in all sectors that countering disinformation content should be a priority.
Highlight American leadership from public, private, and non-profit sectors in promoting media literacy to the public, including its expertise in detecting fake content, while maintaining media freedom.
Promote related fields such as journalism, media law, and technology as a viable education option and career path.
Promote study abroad and exchange opportunities in the US on media literacy, advocacy and freedom of the press; coordinate with EducationUSA advising team to include resources and content, as applicable.
Where possible, highlight Malaysian alumni of U.S. government exchange programs (YSEALI, IVLP, Fulbright, YES, etc.), their initiatives, and their stories in advocating for stronger media literacy while affirming the necessity of media freedom.

Objectives

U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur’s American Spaces (AS) network in Malaysia consists of five spaces, each called American Corners (AC), which are located in Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak. At these American Spaces, audiences can engage with American resources, learn and share ideas, express thoughts and participate in programs that build a range of critical thinking skills.
This funding opportunity is to develop a traveling exhibit, online experience, and associated campaign with media literacy and countering disinformation as its main theme, and integrating concepts including deep fake technology and the virality of social media messages. The campaign should begin in the first quarter of calendar 2023.

Funding Information

Length of performance period: 12 to 18 months
Number of awards anticipated: One, up to three awards (dependent on amounts)
Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $75,000 to a maximum of $140,000
Total available funding: $140,000

Participants and Audiences

Targeted audience for this interactive exhibition will be youth aged 13-35 years old. Malaysian secondary school students from both public & private schools, universities students, young professionals and emerging leaders who are interested in the U.S. and in participating in American Spaces programming; women and youth interested in media literacy, journalism, media law, and technology.
The exhibition and workshop will be in both English & Bahasa Malaysia.
The recipient will be responsible for arranging and using cooperative agreement funds to cover all elements related to participant and staff travel including domestic flights, travel to and from airports, accommodations, per diem, meals during the program, insurance, etc.

Priority Region: Malaysia