- Funder: Internews
- Prime Funder: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
- Funder Project Name: Media Program in Armenia (MPA)
- Announcement Type: Initial
- Assistance Listing Number: 98.001
- Open to: All independent media outlets registered in Armenia that DO NOT have ongoing MPA funding at the time of this announcement. Individuals are not eligible to apply for this opportunity.
- Grant amount for media outlets: 2,000,000 -8,000,000 AMD Total amount expected to be disbursed under this call: 48,000,000 AMD
Application submission deadline: December 9, 2024, at 18:00 Yerevan time - Duration: Up to 12 months. (Please note that the beginning of the project is scheduled for February 2025)
- Number of grants to be distributed: Internews aims to issue up to 6 (six) grants under this funding opportunity, including at least 2 (two) awards to local media outlets The applications of regional/local media outlets will be evaluated separately from national media organizations to ensure equal opportunities for all media.
Objective of the Call
Internews in Armenia is announcing an open call for grants for media outlets to create quality media content on topics of public interest.
Topics, recommendations, and conditions
Applicants are encouraged to propose projects on various topics of public interest providing solid justification on the importance of increased professional media coverage of these topics. Applicants may reference Internews’ 2024 Freedom of Expression and Media Consumption Research (FEMCR) or other recent studies on public opinion in Armenia. Program proposals should include innovative elements to diversify and enhance the media outlet’s current production scope and should aim to produce content that offers thematic diversity, versatile coverage, and an ethical perspective on issues faced by vulnerable individuals.
Internews highly encourages TV and radio companies that broadcast in the public multiplex to apply for content grants under this call.
Among other thematic priorities, Internews encourages projects that focus on the following issues:
- Education, science, and technology;
- Security (including food, energy, and economic security);
- Economy and business;
- Politics and local elections;
- Social issues
- Human rights
Internews encourages applicants to include the issues of marginalized groups, including youth and displaced persons, in their work when relevant. The Media Program in Armenia actively promotes content that ensures gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) and recognizes the importance of addressing gender disparities and ensuring that media content is respectful and inclusive. MPA focuses on gender sensitivity in news production and dissemination as well as supporting gender-sensitive policies within media organizations.
What kinds of costs can the grant cover?
The budget will be thoroughly reviewed to ensure it is proportional and reasonable. The grants should be used to expand the media outlet’s coverage to new content areas or formats or support the scaling-up and improvement of existing content. Funds cannot be used to cover any ongoing administrative expenses of the applicant.
Cost share – 5%
The applicants are requested to provide a 5% cost share.
The applicant’s cost share under this award may include project costs incurred by the applicant from its own funds, or project costs financed with cash, services, or property contributed or donated to them from other non-U.S. Government sources. The cost share contributions, both cash and in-kind, must be verifiable from the applicant’s records and not be included as cost share contributions for any other U.S. Government (USG)-assisted program.
Indirect costs:
The applicant may include de minimis 10% (§ 200.414 Indirect (F&A) costs) of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC.)
How will the applications be evaluated?
The project proposal will be reviewed and evaluated by a Selection Committee.
The timeline is as follows:
- Selection committee evaluation
- Selection committee discussion and final selection
- Submission for donor approval.
The Selection Committee may point out problematic aspects of the submitted proposals as needed and offer suggestions for revisions during the selection process. Once the applicant has finalized the proposal in accordance with the Selection Committee’s suggestions and the Committee has accepted that proposal, it will be submitted to the
donor for approval.
Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and cost-effectiveness in their proposed projects as these factors will be integral to the selection process.
The following criteria will be used:
- Applicant’s capacity (20%)
- Does the organization have previous experience in project management?
- Does the staff presented in the application have the relevant capacity?
- Does the organization have previous relevant experience in preparing similar content and products? (Applicants should provide links in the relevant section of the application).
- Does the applicant have up to date digital news channels (for example, a website) allowing for effective content distribution?
- Production plan: importance and quality of the proposed project (15%)
- What makes the project important and distinct?
- How do you ensure inclusion and a gender-sensitive approach in selecting the stories and people featured in the stories?
- How do you plan to effectively use multimedia and interactive elements?
- Impact: reaching audiences (20%)
- What is the potential for actively engaging a broader audience than such content currently reaches, including marginalized and/or less informed audience groups?
- How will the audience be engaged? What new and creative methods will be used?
- How will the content be disseminated and promoted?
- Does the organization have access to its website’s CMS, server management panel, and statistical and all social platforms?
- Budget (15%)
- What resources will the organization need to implement the project?
- How reasonable is the proposed budget? The following aspects will be considered: the proportionality and reasonability, number, and complexity of the content to be produced, as well as the duration of the project.
- Sustainability (10%)
- What makes the project sustainable?
- Ethical standards and transparency (10%)
- Is the organization part of any self-regulatory body?
- Does it have a Code of Ethics? The code of ethics will be reviewed by the Media Ethics Observatory (MEO).
- Is the organization transparent about its ownership and financial sources, including information about other donors that are currently supporting the applicant?
- Innovation (5%)
- How is the proposed project new and/or innovative for the applicant media outlet and its audience?
- Previous experience of cooperation with applicant (0.5 points from the total 10 points)
- The Selection committee members will evaluate their previous experience of cooperation with the media outlet and in case of previous negative experience 0.5 points will be taken from the total score (not meeting deadlines, not cooperating with MPA team, avoiding participation in trainings, refusing to follow other provisions of the grant contract).
Reporting
Subgrants awarded as a result of this RFA will include programmatic and financial reporting requirements. Narrative and financial reports will be submitted, on a monthly or quarterly basis as outlined in award agreements.
Subgrant administration
The following regulations and provisions, at minimum, will apply to subawards issued as a result of this RFA.
Other benefits available to the recipients
Training, guidance, consultations, and expertise for content grant recipients
Internews will announce an invited call for selected Content Production grantees to apply for Technical Editorial Development grant (up to $25,000) aimed at developing editorial policies and guidelines, testing out new production formats, and enhancing newsroom capacities. Media Initiatives Center (MIC) will provide on-demand and ad-hoc tailored consulting and mentoring to the selected applicants throughout their projects’ lifespan on storytelling, ethical standards, tools, and techniques. MIC will conduct monitoring of the content produced with MPA support.
Yerevan Press Club (YPC) will conduct onsite consultation meetings with the selected applicants to promote the concept of an in-house ombudsman and enhance codes of ethics with the aim of strengthening internal mechanisms for ethical oversight and content quality assurance.
The MAE team will provide consultations to MPA Content Production grantees on identifying the gaps in their online platforms and content distribution strategies. An additional pitching session will be organized for the grantees as an opportunity to apply the skills learned and to develop small business ideas for their newsrooms. The MAE team will analyze grantees’ websites, conduct a tech audit, and provide recommendations for improvement. Additionally, the team will review the design and settings of grantees’ social media pages to help partners make any necessary adjustments.
How to submit the application
All applications must meet the following requirements:
- The application form should be submitted in Armenian or English.
Supporting documents (i.e. Certificate of registration, CVs, etc.) can be in Armenian if the English versions are not available. - All applications must be submitted by December 9, at 18:00 Yerevan time.
Late applications will not be considered.
- All applications must be completed and submitted using the designated Application form.
- All applications must include a detailed budget using the provided Budget Template (Annex 1). Provide an estimate of personnel costs, supplies, and other direct costs essential for production. Any applications not using the designated budget form will be disqualified.
- Attach CVs.
- Applicants must be registered in Armenia. Please send a scanned certificate of registration as Annex 2. A portfolio of previous relevant work (in the form of links) is required in the application form.
- Application and additional documentation must be submitted to Monika Mughdusyan via emailat
[email protected] with the subject line “Content grant_Name of the organization”
Inquiries:
On Monday, November 25, at 15:00, Internews in Armenia and MIC will organize an online info-session during which all interested parties can ask any questions they may have related to the grant announcement. Interested applicants can join the meeting via the following link.
Additionally, Internews can provide materials on grant proposal writing to help applicants develop strong, competitive proposals. For more detailsregarding these materials contact Monika Mughdusyan via emailat [email protected] with the subject line “Content grant_Name of the organization_materials on grant proposal writing”
Award Notification and Responses:
All applications submitted will be acknowledged within two (2) business days with a note specifying the documents submitted.
The applicant is responsible for ensuring and confirming that the emails comprising the application are received by the Internews representatives indicated in the summary above.
Successful applicant(s) will be notified of selection within thirty (30) business days following the deadline for submission of applications.
The successful applicant(s) must confirm the acceptance of the selection within five (5) business days of selection notification, or the selection will be withdrawn due to a lack of response and offered to the next most qualified applicant.
Once selection is finalized, unsuccessful applicants will be notified accordingly.
Applicants are free to contact Internews to request feedback after award decisions have been made.
The notice of selection of the application is not to be construed as a subgrant award. Once the selection is confirmed, a final subgrant agreement will be negotiated and signed with the successful applicant, subject to prime funder approval, environmental clearances, and successful vetting of eligibility.
UEI Number
Prior to receiving any subgrant, selected applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (EUI) number assigned by Sam.gov. A UEI number is free and may be obtained from the website Sam.gov.
The delay in receiving a UEI after submitting an application can vary widely; it is recommended that applicants start the process as early as possible.
What is the Media Program in Armenia?
Armenia has a vibrant media ecosystem that nevertheless faces serious challenges. Resource-strapped public interest media struggle to consistently produce high-quality coverage that reaches broad audiences, including youth, minorities, and residents of rural areas. Few independent media outlets in Armenia are financially viable, which poses a threat to their long-term sustainability.
The USAID-funded Media Program in Armenia aims to strengthen the integrity of the information space in the country.
Implemented by Internews in Armenia and its partners, Media Initiatives Center (MIC), Yerevan Press Club (YPC), and Zinc Network, the program will enhance journalistic standards, catalyze the financial viability of public interest media, and foster an enabling environment for a society that is more resilient to disinformation.