U.S. Department of State: Ukrainian Media Partnership Program Grant

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

BUREAU / EMBASSY

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: Ukraine: Ukrainian Media Partnership Program          

Funding Opportunity Number: PAS-Ukraine-FY24-01

Deadline for Applications: April 8, 2024                  

Assistance Listing Number: 19.900              

Total Amount Available: $350,000.00

A.    PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy Kyiv / EUR Bureau of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program Ukrainian Media Partnership Program. Please follow all instructions below.

Priority Region: Ukraine

Program Objectives:

The project aims to foster long-term partnerships between selected American and Ukrainian media outlets. Ukrainian professionals across print, online, and broadcast media will engage with their U.S. counterparts and participate in a hands-on training facilitated by American partners. The primary goal of the program is to advance the development of free, independent, and financially viable Ukrainian media organizations, particularly during challenging wartime conditions. By providing support, resources, and training opportunities, the project aims to bolster the resilience and sustainability of Ukrainian media outlets amidst the complexities of the wartime.

Special emphasis will be made on supporting media groups and outlets dedicated to investigative journalism focusing on local government transparency, use of recovery funds, and instances of corruption. The project is also open to groups comprising relocated media outlets and those who have resumed their operations in liberated territories. Applicants should propose relevant American partnerships and programs that align with the needs of these participants.

The U.S. Embassy would like to see maximum three partnerships per year through this program. Ukrainian media outlet should be matched with an appropriate U.S. media outlets or media groups. Proposals should demonstrate geographic diversity by including media outlets from throughout Ukraine. Partnerships could include both regional and national media outlets’ representatives. Applicants should explain how the proposed matches support the program’s objectives and why they expect the partnerships will be sustained beyond the duration of the agreement. The award recipient should work closely with PAS during the award period.

The partnerships between American and Ukrainian media organizations should be structured to provide a comprehensive exchange of knowledge, skills, and experiences tailored to the specific needs of the Ukrainian partners. Each partnership has to include a combination of trips to the U.S. for Ukrainian participants and ongoing activities and online interactions throughout the award period. These exchanges will expose Ukrainian media professionals to the American media industry, including business practices, work style, and culture, while emphasizing the crucial role of journalism in an open and democratic society. The activities may include immersive visits to American media outlets, including newspapers, online news platforms, broadcast stations, and digital media companies, to observe their operations firsthand; meetings with industry professionals, including editors, journalists, producers, and executives, to discuss best practices, innovative approaches, and emerging trends in journalism; workshops and training sessions focused on topics such as investigative reporting, digital storytelling, audience engagement strategies, media ethics, and business development; networking events and cultural exchanges to foster relationships, collaboration, and mutual understanding between Ukrainian and American media professionals. The program may include such topics as content monetization, crisis management, countering disinformation, journalistic ethical aspects in covering veterans’ issues, conflict reporting, trauma-informed journalism, digital security, modern tools for web design and social media or resource management.

Award recipients are also encouraged to arrange activities that will enable Ukrainian participants to speak to community and business groups that are interested in Ukraine, Russian-Ukrainian war and Ukrainian media.

Ongoing activities and online interactions may also include virtual meetings, webinars, and discussions between Ukrainian and American partners to facilitate ongoing knowledge-sharing and collaboration; remote mentorship and coaching opportunities provided by American media experts to support the professional development and growth of Ukrainian participants; joint projects and initiatives undertaken collaboratively by Ukrainian and American media organizations, such as investigative reporting partnerships, multimedia storytelling projects, or cross-cultural exchange programs; access to online resources, training materials, and tools to support the continued learning and development of Ukrainian media professionals throughout the award period.

Given the security situation, U.S. visits to Ukraine could be organized outside of Ukraine, or in Western regions of the country, if American partners’ policies allow their staff to travel to the conflict zones. Visits may include consultations, workshops and/or intensive training on specific topics, and other appropriate activities. For the visits to Ukraine, activities should focus on complementing those activities conducted in the United States and increasing the professional capacity of the Ukrainian participants. These visits should also strengthen the relationship between the outlets. Award recipients are encouraged to develop mechanisms for program alumni to sustain their relationships over time.

If for security reasons this component of the program will not be implemented, applicant should propose alternative activities within Ukraine that would complement project goal and benefit participating Ukrainian media outlets. These might be short-term exchanges, press tours, small grant opportunities for program alumni, etc. 

PAS encourages applicants to submit proposals that provide one or two visits to both the United States and Ukraine within each institutional partnership. Applicants are encouraged to propose visits that include at least two traveling participants in each direction.

Applicants must include a detailed program timeline for entire award period that outlines how components will unfold and complement each other.

Applicants should explain the rationale for proposed partnerships with particular emphasis on explaining how proposed program will contribute to the sustainability of the Ukrainian media outlet or outlets, if this will be a mixed group. PAS must review and approve the names of proposed Ukrainian participants in advance of U.S. travel. PAS anticipates that most of Ukrainian participants will not have a working-level knowledge of English. Applicants should describe the provisions that will be made for these non-English speaking participants.

Participants and Audiences:

Ukrainian regional media outlets, including journalism investigations media and groups; relocated media outlets and media outlets that returned to liberated territories and resumed their operation. U.S. media outlets, particularly focused on journalism investigations and conflict reporting.

For the full announcement and details on how to apply please read the attached document titled “Full Announcement” and attach required budget forms SF424 o4 SF424A