2024 Media Professionalization Assistance Program

• Eligibility Criteria
  – Montenegrin or U.S. media, educational institutions, or civil society/non-governmental organisations that adhere to high professional standards in their reporting and/or activities and have a record of trustworthiness and success;
  – Third-country organisations and individuals are not eligible for grants under this program;
  – Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organisation.  If more than one proposal is submitted from an organisation, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding;
  – Organisations that have received a grant from the Media Professionalization Assistance Program in a previous cycle may apply; however, preference will be given to organisations which do not have ongoing Embassy grants at the time when the merit review panel convenes;
  – Incomplete application packages won’t be considered for funding.
• Type of Funding: Programmatic
• Target Region: Montenegro
• Application Language: English

The U.S. Embassy Podgorica’s Public Diplomacy Section announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the 2024 Media Professionalization Assistance Program.

Through the 2024 Media Professionalization Assistance Program, grants will be awarded to media, educational institutions, or civil society/non-governmental organizations that adhere to high professional standards in their reporting and/or activities and have a record of trustworthiness and success.

Priority Areas

Project proposals should address at least one of the following priority areas:

• Support for the practice of high-quality, professional journalism through projects designed to support independent and fact-based journalism, as well as through initiatives involving practicing journalists and students aspiring to a career in media.
• Support for media literacy and critical thinking through projects designed to help citizens of all ages recognize, analyze, and ultimately reject disinformation.
• Support for investigative journalism through projects that support Montenegro’s continued Euro-Atlantic integration.

Areas of focus include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

• The rule of law (e.g., corruption, organized crime, etc.)
• Environmental protection
• The strengthening of democratic institutions
• Human and minority rights (e.g. ethnic minorities, LGBTQi+, etc.)
• Gender equality
• Trade, commerce, economics, and business development
• The integration and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence in journalism, including how it can be utilized to combat disinformation and malign influence.

Funding Information

• Total Program Amount: $305,000, pending availability of funds.
• Award Ceiling: $70,000
• Award Floor: $30,000
• Anticipated Number of Awards:  5-10 (depending on the amount of each award)
• Length of performance period: Up to 12 months (with a possibility of no-cost time extensions, provided there is a good justification for a request to extend the duration of the project).
• Anticipated program start date: No earlier than October, 2024.

See here to learn more and apply.

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