Deadline: 26 March 2018
The U.S. Embassy is currently inviting Ukrainian media NGOs, independent media outlets, community media and bloggers to submit project proposals for this Media Development Fund (MDF) competition.
The goal of the initiative is to build public support and ensure transparency of reform implementation, as well as support public activism and increase citizen’s responsibility for implementing reforms at the grass roots level.
The Media Development Fund grant program is administered by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. The fund supports the development of a free and independent media in Ukraine and provides financial grant support to Ukrainian journalists, media organizations, and other nongovernmental organizations for media-related projects.
The priority will be given to reforms in healthcare, education, decentralization, corporate governance, and the energy sector, however, the Media Development Fund may also consider relevant proposals that focus on different reforms.
Activities
Proposals may include but will not be limited to the following activities:
- Educate regional journalists on how to explain reforms to the public and how to cover their implementation on the local level; teach journalists to utilize fact-checking tools and to design comprehensive products for different types of audiences and media; connect media with qualified reform experts and provide journalists with information about professional resources in the area.
- Provide training to local government press officers aimed at designing reform communication strategies for the general public and the media.
- Create and support existing community media and independent bloggers that monitor reform implementation and follow the reform process, including positive and/or negative outcomes; communicate opportunities that reforms bring at the grass root level; local government and international donors grants, fundraising through social media and crowdfunding platforms, etc.
- Organize study press tours for regional media, community journalists, and bloggers, enabling them to observe and report on successful efforts of individual communities, energy saving technologies, and educational innovations within the oblast, regionally, or nationwide.
- Promote constructive dialogue on reform in the regions through bringing together local government officials, independent experts, and media representatives during TV and Radio shows; encourage civic participation in the development of budgets; monitor local government activities in the area of reform implementation and provide the general public with a comprehensive analysis of this monitoring. Proposed budgets may include expenses for equipment however the amount may not exceed 30% of the overall budget.
Funding Information
The duration of the programs may vary depending on the proposals but the length of the project should be no greater than 12 months. Maximum funding available for a single grant is $25,000. The winners of this grant competition will be notified in May 2018.
Competition Requirements
- Grants can be given only to Ukrainian independent media outlets (print and electronic) and NGOs registered in accordance with Ukrainian law;
- Grants to bloggers can be issued both individually and as part of bigger projects submitted by Internet publications;
- All project activities are to take place in Ukraine;
- Applicants are encouraged to seek funding from other donors and to offer some type of cost sharing (volunteer time, space, equipment, etc.);
- ALL APPLICANTS SHOULD BE NON-PARTISAN. They cannot represent or be affiliated with a political party, or with appointed or elected officials. State-owned media or media outlets that belong to, or are supported by, political parties are not eligible to apply.
How to Apply
Send project proposals marked “REFORMS” electronically at the address given on the website.
Eligible Country: Ukraine
For more information, please visit U.S. Embassy in Ukraine.