Deadline: 2-Apr-24
The U.S. Consulate General Karachi Public Diplomacy Section (PDS Karachi) announces an open competition for one assistance award through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), contingent on funding availability, through the Public Diplomacy Grants Program.
Project Goal
- This project aims to empower journalists and build their reporting capacity, improve the representation of climate focused reporting in the media, and raise more awareness about environmental issues that impact the region and the social, economic, and political dimensions of climate-related issues. The project seeks to encourage collaboration among journalists and media organizations across Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal. By sharing resources, expertise, and stories, the project will create a network that can collectively address regional climate challenges. Through training programs and workshops, the project will enhance the capacity of journalists to report on climate change issues effectively. This includes providing guidance on scientific concepts, data interpretation, and ethical reporting standards. The project will amplify diverse voices and perspectives, ensuring that the reporting reflects the experiences and insights of those directly affected by climate change. This includes communities often marginalized in mainstream discourse.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $400,000
- Award Ceiling: $400,000
- Award Floor: $350,000
- Length of performance period: 18 months
- Number of awards anticipated: 1 award
- Anticipated programs start date: October 1, 2024
Project Outcomes
- Produce High-Quality Journalism: Enable at least 30 journalists/participants representing the selected countries to produce well-researched, compelling, and accurate stories that capture the human dimensions of climate change.
- Increased Media Engagement: Generate increased media coverage on climate change issues, creating a sustained focus on the challenges and solutions within the region.
- Influenced Public Discourse: Shift public discourse towards a more informed and empathetic understanding of the linkages between climate change and social change.
- Policy Impact: Contribute to evidence-based policymaking by providing insights and narratives that highlight the urgency of addressing climate change in national and regional policy agendas.
- Long-term Impact: Establish a foundation for ongoing and sustained reporting on climate change, creating a ripple effect that extends beyond the duration of the project, fostering a culture of climate-conscious journalism in the region.
Activities
- Training Workshops: Conduct a minimum of five workshops and training sessions with Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, and U.S climate and reporting experts on climate science, journalism ethics, and storytelling techniques to build the capacity of journalist participants.
- Mentorship Program: Establish a mentorship program connecting experienced American climate journalists with grant recipients to provide guidance and support throughout the reporting process.
- Field Research Grants: Provide financial storytelling grants for on-the-ground research, including travel, interviews, and data collection, to facilitate in-depth and context-specific reporting. Grants in the amount of $10,000 each to be awarded to 15 two-person teams. 15 grants total representing the participating counties for regional stories. Each team must be paired with a mentor.
- Storytelling Platforms: Create dedicated platforms, such as a website, YouTube channels, or publications to showcase and amplify the resulting climate change stories, reaching a wide audience both in the region and internationally.
- Networking Events: Facilitate networking events, webinars, and forums to promote collaboration among journalists, scientists, policymakers, and civil society organizations working on climate change.
- Showcasing Event: Conduct a showcase event in a location accessible to all participants, selected by U.S. Consulate General Karachi, where participants can network and showcase their work. Identify on-air or public opportunities for stories to be publicized.
Project Audience(s)
- The target audience includes broadcast and print journalists, bloggers, YouTubers, and digital content creators from across Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The prospective grantee should strive to include at least 50 percent female participants. Each workshop will train a minimum of 15 journalists, selected based on their applications by the implementing partner and the U.S. Consulate General Karachi. Regional diversity will be a factor in choosing participants. Final participant list must be approved by U.S. Consulate General Karachi, including alternate candidates.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following Not-for-profit organizations are eligible to apply:
- U.S. based organizations
- Foreign/Domestic organizations
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Public and private educational institutions
- For-profit entities, even those that may fall into the categories listed above, are not eligible to apply for this NOFO. 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.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.