Internews Call for Applications: the Fight Against COVID-19 Misinformation and Rumors

Key Information

• Eligibility: Applicants from: Lebanon, Afghanistan, Philippines (Mindanao region), Colombia (Nariño region), Mali, Sudan and Central African Republic.
  • Journalists with all levels of experience (beginner, mid-career, experienced, freelancers or groups of journalists who wish to collaborate)
  • Multimedia producers that work with photography, audio, video, and/or animation
  • Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) that engage with vulnerable groups or communities

  Freelance operators are encouraged to provide a supporting letter of intent from an outlet or organization that will disseminate their work.

• Funding amount: §2,000 per grant. The programme may consider applications for projects for $2,000-$5,000 for groups of journalists or communicators who may wish to collaborate on an activity.
• Type of funding: Programmatic 
• Target countries: Lebanon, Afghanistan, Philippines (Mindanao region), Colombia (Nariño region), Mali, Sudan and Central African Republic.
• Application languages:English or the local language you prefer

The grant program aims to support activities including but not limited to:

• Text-based Stories: 1,000-3,000 words
• Photo Exhibits: 10 to 20 photos with detailed descriptive captions and a 200-400 word summary
• Video and/or Animation: 4-6 minute video with 200-word written summary
• Audio: Up to 40 minutes with 200-word written summary
• Content designed to reach digital audiences online, via social media or in mobile phone formats.
• Investigative reporting, data journalism, tech reporting, economic reporting, political and policy reporting.
• Journalism that evaluates civic restrictions, censorship, and attacks on civil society and the press.
• Reporting related to digital safety best practices, as well as digital security threats or cyberattacks that relate directly to risks being created by the coronavirus and COVID-19.
• Community media initiatives.
• Fact checking initiatives, work that tracks or combats rumors and misinformation.
• Procuring supplies necessary to improve newsroom safety or to allow for remote newsroom set ups and remote coverage of COVID 19, including phone/internet cards for staff, boom microphones, online/remote recording tools, transportation for staff who would normally take public transportation, cleaning costs for newsrooms, etc.