Deadline: 2-Jul-21
The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) has announced the 2021/2022 Call for Applications from community broadcast and community and small commercial media projects.
The Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) is a statutory development agency for promoting and ensuring media development and diversity.
It is a partnership between the South African Government and major print and broadcasting companies to assist in, amongst others, developing community and small commercial media in South Africa.
Funding Categories
- Community Media
- Projects that are registered as a Section 21, NPO, NGO or CBO can apply for this category.
- The MDDA Act defines community media as “any media project that is owned and controlled by a community where any financial surplus is reinvested in the media project”.
- Community media projects are defined as a geographic community or a community of interest. In addition, there is a strong emphasis on public participation and is not for profit.
- Small commercial media
- Projects that are registered as a Sole Proprietorship; Close Corporation or Private Company can apply in this category.
- The MDDA Act defines small commercial media as “independent media enterprises or initiatives that are run for personal gain as micro, very small or small business as classified in the National Small Business Act, 1996.
- Small business “means a separate and distinct business entity, including co-operative enterprises and non-governmental organizations, managed by one owner or more which… can be classified as a micro-, a very small, a small or a medium enterprise by satisfying the criteria mentioned in columns 3, 4 and 5 of the Schedule…”.
- The Act uses three indicators: Number of people employed, turnover and assets of the business.
Funding Criteria
The following criteria are taken into account when the MDDA Board adjudicates an application:
- The extent to which the project promotes media development and diversity.
- The likely impact of the project on historically disadvantaged communities and persons not adequately served by the media.
- The likely impact of the project on historically diminished indigenous language and cultural groups.
- The extent to which the project encourages ownership, control, participation and access to media by historically disadvantaged communities and persons.
- The extent to which the project develops human resources, training and capacity building within the media industry, especially among HDI’s.
- The quality and innovation of the project.
- Whether the project is likely to promote literacy and a culture of reading.
- Compliance with media laws.
- The existing or potential financial sustainability of the project.
- The independence of the project from any commercial media entity; any political party or the Government.
Eligibility Criteria
- Community Broadcast projects must be
- Registered as a Section 21 company, NPO, NGO or CBO.
- Hold a valid Icasa community broadcast licence.
- Hold a valid tax clearance certificate.
- Community Print/Digital projects must be
- Registered as a Section 21 company, NPO, NGO or CBO.
- Hold a valid tax clearance certificate.
- Small commercial print/digital media projects must:
- Be registered as sole proprietorship, close corporation or private company.
- Qualify as “independent media enterprises or initiatives that are run for personal gain as micro, very small or small business as classified in the National Small Business Act, 1996.”
- Hold a valid tax clearance certificate.
For more information, visit https://www.mdda.org.za/funding-applications