Deadline: 14 June 2019
The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia encourages U.S. organizations to apply for the 2019 Television Cooperative Program (TV CO-OP) to assist a Georgian television company in filming feature stories or/and a documentary under the generic working title Benefits of Vocational Training, Informal Education, and Entertainment for Youth. PAS will nominate a Georgian television company for participation.
The call for applicants envisages the submission ofa proposal describing how the grant recipient organization couldconnect a Georgian television crew with relevant subject matter interviewees from government, academia, NGO‘s and other interlocutors. The applicants should also be able to facilitate location scouting, shooting logistics, and provide all necessary logistical support.
The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia encourages U.S. organizations to apply for the 2019 Television Cooperative Program (TV CO-OP) to assist a Georgian television company in filming feature stories or/and a documentary under the generic working title Benefits of Vocational Training, Informal Education, and Entertainment for Youth. PAS will nominate a Georgian television company for participation. The call for applicants envisages the submission of a proposal describing how the grant recipient organization could connect a Georgian television crew with relevant subject matter interviewees from government, academia, NGO‘s and other interlocutors. The applicants should also be able to facilitate location scouting, shooting logistics, and provide all necessary logistical support.
Goal and Objectives
The TV CO-OP’s primary goal is to highlight ways of enabling youth to adopt professional skills, engage in informal educational processes, and learn through participating in different extracurricular activities, such as visits to museums orlibraries or/and participation in music performances and festivals. These activities would be aimed at helping these youth pursue ahealthy lifestyle and developsocial habits free of drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. This approach is to be placed in the Georgian context to facilitate the enhancement of a qualified, market-oriented workforce, in order to increase the competitiveness and employability of Georgian youth.
The CO-OP has a dual objective: a) raise Georgian public awareness about American youth’s professional training, informal education, and lifestyle – all to be reflected in the final cut of a television product; and b) support the professional development of the participating Georgian journalists. The project will award up to $50,000 to cover the costs of a two-week intensive filming tour for a Georgian crew, includingone journalist and one cameraman.
- Vocational training: The U.S. Embassy attaches great significance to vocational training, which is significantlyunderutilized in Georgia today. Vocational training is not popular in Georgia, and as a result there is a considerable discrepancy in skills the for the available labor market. Businesses lament the lack of technical specialists in various fields, from agriculture to engineering. This to some extent can be attributed to the Soviet legacy: vocational colleges were considered to be for dropouts. The concept of professional training had no value and was mostly considered a disciplinary measure against bad behavior and substandardacademic achievements.
- Informal education is one of the main purposes of museums. The Georgian National Museum is attempting to make it one of its fundamental objectives. The museum staff work to turn the Museum into a place for discovery, experience, learning and fun for youth to feel involved, aware and competent in different waysof life.
- Art and entertainment is widely recognized as a source of learning and relaxation, and as an experience conducive to academic performance. Art and entertainment help young students to achieve good grades and excel in subjects of their choice, plus allow a better understanding of other people and a deeper awarenessof their environment. The Georgian crew will explore what kind of opportunities American youth haveto relax through participating in different supplementary/fun activities,such as music performances and/or festivals and youth clubs.
Sharing an American experience and placing it in a Georgian context would help Georgian educators to better realize the value of the objectives outlined above. All three objectives aim at informing and engaging youth to be active members of society and future leaders of their country.
Funding Information
- Award Period: Six months
- Award Amount: $50,000
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility is limited to U.S. media organizations, film studios, production companies and non-profit/non-governmental organizations. Direct funding for non-U.S. entities is not available under this announcement.
- An applicant’s expertise and established relationships with indigenous media organizations in Georgia will be considered favorably.
- Cost Sharing or Matching
- This program does not require cost sharing, however in-kind financial contributions will be favorably considered.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit proposals electronically via given website.
For more information, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315894