Media Viability Accelerator (MVA) Forward Program

• Eligibility Criteria
  Each applicant must:
  – Complete a brief concept note;
  – Be a legally registered organisation;
  – Have a focus and principles (reflected in, for example, the organization’s mission, vision, activities,
  values, etc.) that align with the focus and principles of MVA Forward, along with those of Internews
  and its existing partners, and the project’s Trust Framework;
  – Not be listed with active exclusions on the UN Security Designation List, Specially Designated
  Nationals and Blocked Persons List, System for Award Management (SAM), or Internews List of
  Debarred Grant recipients.
• Type of Funding: Programmatic
• Target Region: Global
• Application Language: English

The Media Viability Accelerator (MVA) is a new free digital platform that supports independent media in becoming more financially sustainable. Offering leading-edge data aggregation and visualization tools, the Media Viability Accelerator provides the kind of market intelligence that businesses need to survive and thrive.

MVA Forward supports independent media outlets around the world to compete more effectively for audiences and revenues. The project is built around a web-based platform that helps media track data on their business and audience performance, as well as providing opportunities to learn from their peers.

Funding Categories

• Category A: This is the most important category, and it will include the vast majority of subgrants issued by the project. MVA Forward will provide direct funding to as many local and Independent Media outlets in the global majority as possible – reaching a diverse geography, language, audience, etc. Media will use these funds to help them reach new audiences and find new revenues. All other categories listed are designed to support the work and efforts of the media in this category.
• Category B: Media Support Organisations that wish to coordinate with the project and incorporate the platform into their own programs that assist Independent Media.
• Category C: The MVA platform will also support media outlets to access assistance by creating an online “marketplace” of services, tools, technologies and support – Solution Providers that are interested in developing, adapting and offering these tools via the platform. The proposed Solutions will be evaluated primarily on how well they address the needs of Category A organisations.

It is possible to apply for more than one category of funding.

Funding Information

• Category A: For eligible Independent Media, MVA Forward anticipates awarding up to 50 subgrants this round of up to $25,000 each.
• Category B: For Media Support Organisations (who are assisting Independent Media), MVA Forward anticipates awarding up to 8 subgrants this round of up to $100,000 each.
• Category C: For Solution Providers (who are developing tools useful to Independent Media), MVA Forward anticipates awarding up to 5 subgrants this round of up to $50,000 a piece.

See here to learn more and apply.

Access the Fundraising Guide for expert advice on how to improve your fundraising applications and to identify prospective donors.