Deadline: 4 April 2019
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) has announced an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that improve the quality, quantity, and dissemination of reporting on religious freedom issues.
Program Activities
- Improve awareness and education for journalists on key religious freedom issues in respective countries or regions and causes for restrictions on religious freedom including social constraints such as hostility or harassment in communities or government constraints such as restrictive laws or policies;
- Provide extensive country and skill-level appropriate technical assistance on journalism techniques, ethics and legal requirements, among other topics;
- Provide individual and organizational-level digital security and physical safety training for those operating in restrictive environments;
- Provide training and resources on inclusion strategies for researching and reporting on religious freedom issues, which may include the situation of religious minorities;
- Connect journalists with relevant NGOs, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to facilitate reporting opportunities;
- Facilitate production of high-quality long or short form news pieces on freedom of religion, potentially through a competitive small grants component. Beyond covering costs associated with story development, small grants may also provide assistance with multimedia production, data visualization, and interactive narration to improve interaction with citizens and produce more compelling stories. During the story production phase, beneficiaries should receive online or in-person mentorship and coaching by experienced editors to facilitate a “training by doing” approach;
- Develop strategies to increase visibility on religious freedom issues through multiple media platforms and sites;
- Establish and/or utilize media partnerships and dissemination agreements to maximize local, national, regional, and global reach of stories produced;
- Facilitate sustainable connections and collaborative relationships between like-minded journalists within countries and/or regionally for support, professional development, and for national/regional initiatives;
- Given the risk that journalists may face legal action for their work, applicants are encouraged to reserve flexible funding for legal assistance or present pro-bono partnerships to assist beneficiaries. Support may also be offered to promote psychosocial wellbeing to journalists in high-stress areas.
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $600,000
- Award Floor: $400,000
Eligibility Criteria
- DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses.
- DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
How to Apply
Applicants can find application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply via given website.
For more information, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=312913
