Deadline: 26 May 2020
The U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section in New Delhi is soliciting proposals for a grant/cooperative agreement from legally recognized non-profit, non-governmental organizations that meet U.S. and Indian technical and legal requirements to develop and implement public diplomacy programs.
The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy’s North India Office (NIO) has recently hosted post-funded speakers in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to highlight the deleterious effect of the spread of false information and challenges in combatting it. Through these speakers, students learned about tools to check the veracity of information and strategies for effectively debunking fake news. NIO engagement has not, however, yet made significant penetration into more rural spaces, where WhatsApp use is far more widespread, and where much of the WhatsApp-fueled violence occurred.
In response, the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy’s North India Office now seeks to develop multi-faceted disinformation education programs to reach young audiences in 3rd and 4th tier cities in North India. To advance the physical and informational safety of rural and marginalized North Indians, the Public Affairs Section of the North India Office is interested in leveraging its resources and expertise to help North Indians gain skills they need to make informed decisions about the information they receive.
This funding opportunity seeks to create more conscientious consumers of information distributed on social media platforms to reduce threats and risks caused by misinformation and disinformation with a “Caravan to Safeguard Against Disinformation” in rural and at-risk communities in Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in North India over the next 12 months. The engagement method will be modeled on NIO’s previously successful “Anti-GBV Caravan,” which visited multiple cities in North India and engaged with target audiences in relatable media in vernacular language via talks, workshops, street plays, storytelling, handouts, etc.
Project Goal: Young adults (18 to 35-year-olds) in third and fourth tier cities in North India become more aware of the threat false information poses to their communities and develop greater resilience against its effects.
Project Audience: Under-educated young adults, both male and female, ages 18-35, from the rural/lower middle class in third and fourth tier cities, towns, villages and surroundings in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Project Objectives
- Increase awareness of the dangers of mis/dis/false information for 100,000 caravan participants, according to informal crowd-voting at the caravan.
- Increase the ability of participants to recognize false information, according to informal crowd-voting at the caravan.
- Increase knowledge of strategies and tactics individuals can use to confront/dispel instances of mis/dis/false information.
Project Deliverables
- Conduct a “Caravan to Safeguard Against Disinformation” in at least 10 rural and at-risk communities in North India.
- Design materials, programs, scripts, media, etc. to connect with and educate the target audience.
- Visit to and engagement with at least 150 target regions, towns, villages and surroundings.
- Draft a written report regarding the number of target audience members reached and engaged.
- Create a plan for post-caravan follow-on engagement and community building.
Funding Information
Maximum Award Amount: $70,000
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Think tanks
- Public and private educational institutions
- Individuals
- Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions
- Please choose organization nationality and type: International Not-for-Profit Organization.
- Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.
- Cost sharing or matching is not mandatory for this funding opportunity, but is strongly encouraged. Preference will be given to proposals that include cost-sharing.
- Pre-award costs are not an allowable expense for this funding opportunity.
Applicants must ensure:
- All documents are in English
- All budgets are in U.S. dollars and calculated @ USD 1 = INR 68
- All pages are numbered
- All materials are submitted in .pdf format
- Applicant has read the Standard Terms and Conditions applicable to all Grants and Cooperative agreements. Included in the package here.
- Forms SF-424, SF-424A and SF-424B are completed and submitted with the application. These forms are included in the package.
- Applicants submitting proposals over $100,000 must also submit Standard Form LLL (SF-LLL), Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=325826
