Deadline: 5-Aug-24
The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to develop and implement a Public Diplomacy Initiative (PD) national workshop on “Unmasking Misinformation through Gaming,” to be held in Abidjan.
Program Objectives
- This Public Diplomacy Initiative aims to create a network of young Ivorian leaders who work across national borders to solve disinformation problems. Through a variety of programs and engagements, PD seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Côte d’Ivoire, and nurture a community of leaders who work across borders to solve shared issues. This national workshop on “Unmasking Misinformation through Gaming” will advance themes related to countering misinformation, harnessing technology to tackle shared challenges, advancing human rights, and promoting civic engagement. The program will also address goals including innovating on science and technology, fostering shared interest in democracy and good governance, and expanding bilateral cultural exchanges and linkages.
- The proposal should include workshop follow-on activities such as virtual collaborative work, projects funded through small seed grants, or ongoing mentorship. The final development of games selected following the game jam may be included in these follow-on activities. The follow on activity should be included in the monitoring and evaluation plan.
- The proposal should include a contingency plan to accommodate any unexpected event which hinders the program from running its original course.
- The proposal should include a pre and post workshop survey to measure the overall effectiveness of the workshop as well as any changes to the participants’ knowledge of the workshop topic.
- The concepts of leadership, giving back, and strengthening an Ivorian identity based on shared values and shared challenges should be integrated into the program.
- Workshop speakers/facilitators/mentors should be citizens of the United States or Côte d’Ivoire.
- The recipient is expected to develop syllabus materials and an event program with participant and speaker biographies, as well as design banners, backdrops, and other printed materials. The recipient is expected to design a digital engagement strategy for workshop participants and social media audiences, including live video or live online engagement during the program.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $100,000
- Amounts: award may range from a minimum of $75,000 to a maximum of $100,000, subject to availability of funding.
- Length of performance period: 12 months
- Number of awards anticipated: One Award
- Anticipated program start date: September 2024
Participants and Audiences
- The recipient will coordinate with U.S. Embassy Abidjan to recruit and select 60-70 participants. Participants will be between the ages of 18 and 35 and have experience or demonstrated interest in game design, game development, storytelling, or in forwarding social messaging through games or other creative media.
- Participants must be proficient in written and spoken English as the workshop will be conducted in English.
Priority Cities
- Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Bouaké, and Korhogo.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non governmental organizations with programming experience
- Individuals
- Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
- Governmental institutions
- Note: U.S. organizations should demonstrate in country local expertise and have local experts to assist in project implementation.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.