- 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
- Grant amount for media outlets: 2,000,000 – 4,000,000 AMD ($5,000-$10,000)
- Total amount expected to be disbursed under this pool: $25,000
Application submission deadline: None (Rolling basis) - Duration: Up to 6 months.
Summary of the Call
Internews in Armenia is announcing a flexible pool for emergency support. Media outlets facing digital, political, or other threats (including natural disasters and conflicts) and/or financial crises due to repression by governmental or other malign actors may be eligible for this support.
Grants are aimed at addressing media outlets’ emergency needs as well as expenses related to operating in crisis situations including, but not limited to administrative and personnel costs, content production costs, and the purchase of small pieces of equipment or software as needed and justified in the application.
In addition to monetary assistance, Media Initiative Center (MIC) will provide third-party emergency support that includes consultancy and other types of services needed to address the crisis.
The type and scope of the assistance will be determined by Media Program in Armenia (MPA) based on evaluation of each application.
What kinds of costs can the third party services cover?
Third party support aims to help the applicants obtain services and consultations needed in a crisis situation including, but not limited to fundraising and marketing consultancy, digital and physical security support, renting equipment/space (including office space), server maintenance support, and emergency medical services․
Cost share – 5%
Internews encourages applicants to provide 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 submitted and evaluated?
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 completed and submitted using the designated Application form.
- All applications must include a detailed budget using the provided Budget Template (Annex 1). Any applications not using the designated budget form will be disqualified.
- Applicants should attach the CVs of relevant personnel.
- Applicants must be registered in Armenia and attach a scanned certificate of registration as an annex.
- Application and additional documentation must be submitted to Monika Mughdusyan via emailat
[email protected] with the subject line “Emergency grant_Name of the organization”
The evaluation timeline is as follows:
- Selection committee evaluation (which may include an interview or needs assessment)
- Finalization of the proposal based on feedback from the selection committee
- Donor approval.
Based on the evaluation of each application, the MPA consortium will determine the type of support (grant and/or third party services) to be provided. A follow-up interview and needs assessment may be conducted prior to the finalization of the scope of the support.
The applications will be evaluated by a selection committee comprised of representatives of MPA consortium organizations based on the following criteria:
- Urgency of Need: What is the potential impact on the outlet’s operation if funding is not provided? (30%)
- Impact or Public Interest: How does the media outlet serve the public interest and what is the impact of the crisis that the outlet is facing on the wider public? (30%)
- Effectiveness of the intervention: How effective is the proposed intervention in addressing the crisis and meeting the immediate needs of the applicant? (30%)
- Ethical standards and transparency of the applicant media outlet: Does the organization have a code of ethics and is it transparent about its ownership and financial sources, including information about other donors that are currently supporting the applicant? (10%)
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.
In order to respond to the media outlets’ emergency needs in a timely manner, Internews aims to finalize Emergency grants within 30 working days after receiving the application.
Inquiries
For inquiries, contact Monika Mughdusyan via email at [email protected] and Armen Sargsyan via email at [email protected].
Additionally, Internews can provide materials on grant proposal writing to help applicants develop strong, competitive proposals. For more details regarding these materials contact Monika Mughdusyan via email at [email protected] with the subject line “Emergency grant_Name of the organization_materials on grant proposal writing”
Reporting
Subgrants awarded as a result of this Announcement 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 recipients
MIC’s Media expert and Internews’ Marketing and Distribution Specialist will provide on-demand and ad-hoc tailored consulting and mentoring.
Award Notification and Responses:
All submitted applications 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 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 (UEI) number assigned by Sam.gov. A UEI number is free and may be obtained on 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.