Deadline: 9-Jun-21
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the Media Activity in Liberia to implement reforms and improve effectively, accountable, and inclusive governance.
The purpose of the activity is to enhance the human and institutional capacity of the media while advocating for and maintaining current media freedoms to reliably carry out responsible journalism, drive reforms, and increase revenue.
Objectives
This activity is expected to achieve the following objectives:
- Capacity of media to produce reliable, relevant, and accurate information enhanced
- Media’s ability to serve as a conduit for information between citizens and government enhanced
- Organizational and financial sustainability of community radio stations improved
- Enabling environment for freer media strengthened
The following principles are essential to this program:
- Sustainability: Projects can be called sustainable when they “deliver an appropriate level of benefits for an extended period of time after major financial managerial and technical assistance from an external donor is terminated.” USAID supports country-led development by strengthening local expertise, institutions and management systems. For example, this activity will focus on helping media outlets to develop and maintain strategies to ensure they are relevant to their clients and can generate revenues to support operations over the long term.
- Gender Integration: While both men and women actively participate in all areas of economic, social, and political life in Liberia, women have significantly less income, influence, autonomy, and political clout than men. Women’s full and equal participation and the integration of gender perspectives are hallmarks of civic engagement. Gender issues should, therefore, be taken into consideration throughout activity implementation and evaluation. The recipient will be required to: design interventions in every objective area that respond to the specific needs of both genders as well as facilitate women’s increased participation in Liberian media; collect data disaggregated by sex as appropriate; and implement monitoring mechanisms that determine if activities are facilitating a more equitable role for women.
Themes
Building on lessons learned from LMD and analysis of challenges to Liberian media, the Media Activity will support three key themes to help strengthen the capacity and sustainability of media organizations:
- Enhancing the Quality of Reporting: This includes editorial oversight to ensure accuracy and relevance, and reduce bias; efficient content distribution; alignment of content with development-related thematic areas, e.g., conflict prevention, gender equality, Counter Trafficking in Persons (CTIP), human rights, etc.
- Institution Strengthening: This includes robust organizational policies and internal management structures; strategy and business planning and implementation; and integration of new technologies and media, e.g., social media.
- Financial Sustainability: This requires strategies for revenue generation and marketing, private sector engagement, and access to reliable alternate power sources.
Funding Information
- Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide $11,800,000 in total USAID funding over a five-year period.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted.
- USAID welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=333405