Deadline: 5 June 2018
The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, has announced an open competition for eligible organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to support women’s participation in media. This cooperative agreement will provide funding to develop and implement training for two annual cohorts of 25-35 women working in media throughout Afghanistan.
Participants will strengthen their technical capacity, expand their professional networks, and gain awareness of best practices to ensure personal and professional security and navigate the digital landscape. By strengthening the capacity of Afghan women in media, this award will increase media coverage of the realities faced by Afghan women, as told by Afghan women through foreign and domestic press outlets.
Objectives
The selected applicant will:
- Identify two annual cohorts of 25-35 women currently working in journalism or who are recent university graduates with a demonstrated interest in journalism to participate in a series of trainings, mentorships, and professional networking opportunities
- Preference should be given to women who have not previously benefited from media training outside of traditional Afghan university courses.
- To support women in media from rural communities, 60 percent of participants selected must reside outside Kabul.
- The list of participants will be subject to review and approval by the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section.
- Create course materials and conduct a series of seminars, including regular meetings with media industry leaders to support women in media
- Topics to be covered include but are not limited to:
- the responsibility of media to effectively report on and promote awareness of women’s issues;
- techniques to improve security and safety of female journalists, including the protection of sources, situational awareness, digital security training, encryption of communications, crisis management, and basic journalist safety techniques;
- developing technical capacity, with a focus on photo documentary techniques and/or videography;
- how to write an effective curriculum vitae/resume, how to pitch oneself in person, etc.
- Establish small, long-term mentorship groups to complement training sessions over the course of one year, pairing participants with established professionals in media
- Mentorship groups should not exceed five participants per mentor.
- Plan and implement two annual job fairs to support participant
- Identify an appropriate venue for media outlets and media-related companies to scout for potential employees/interns among the training participants.
- Ensure a minimum of 15 Afghan media outlets and media-related companies are represented, and encourage all training participants attend the job fair.
- Track all participants to quantify those who received invitations for follow-on interviews, internship offers, or job offers or began actual internships and/or employment, etc., during the three-month period following each job fair.
Benefits
Participants will benefit from
- Meetings with media industry leaders;
- Examine the role of media in effectively reporting on and promoting awareness of women’s issues; and
- Learn techniques to improve security and safety of female journalists – including the protection of sources, encryption of communications, and basic journalist safety techniques.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $300,000
- Award Ceiling: $300,000
- Award Floor: $210,000
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility is open to all types of applicants except for individuals. Organizations may sub-award/contract with other entities, but only one entity may be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-awarding/contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.
- Applicants must have a valid Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet.
- Applicants must have a NATO CAGE/NCAGE.
- Applicants must have and maintain an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration with current information at all times during which they have an active federal award or an application under consideration by a federal awarding agency.
- There is no limit on the number of applications an entity may submit for this NOFO.
- Previous federal award recipients that are not/were not in compliance with the terms of the award, including the financial and program reporting requirements, are not eligible for an award under this NOFO. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure it is in compliance with all applicable terms, conditions, and Office of Management and Budget guidance and requirements.
- Applicants are advised that successful passing of vetting to evaluate the risk that funds may benefit terrorists or their supporters is a condition of award.
- Applicants may be asked to submit information required by DS Form 4184 Risk Analysis Information about their organization and its principle personnel.
- Vetting information is also required for all sub-award performance on assistance awards identified by the Department as presenting a risk of terrorist financing.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply via given website.
Eligible Country: Afghanistan
For further information, please visit grants.gov.