Bishkek Media Small Grants Program by U.S. Embassy

The Embassy’s Media Small Grants Program serves to support local civil innovative strategies that contribute to the following goals:

1. Strengthen regional security and stability and transnational threats;
2. Strengthen entrepreneurship and small business development initiatives;
3. Support a more inclusive and accountable democracy.

The U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section (PAS) in Bishkek is soliciting proposals for grants/cooperative agreements from Kyrgyz non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and associations working in the media sector and Kyrgyz independent media organizations.

1. Problem Statement: The rapid expansion of online information resources radically increased the reach of new media over the last decade. There is a critical need to promote strong norms of professional journalism, support investigative journalism and fact-checking, and improve digital literacy among the general public.

2. Goal of this solicitation is to promote free flow of information and freedom of expression through support for independent and responsible journalism. Programs should aim at strengthening capacity and sustainability of media organizations to report with transparency and objectivity, maintain independence, build sustainability; and reduce self-censorship, particularly on sensitive topics such as religious tolerance, minorities, conflict, and governance. 

Targeted independent media entities must be those that promote human rights, gender equality, rule of law, democratic processes, and government accountability, and that empower women, minorities, and other disadvantaged groups. Proposed programs should be innovative and clearly demonstrate how they will complement ongoing programs and avoid duplicating past efforts. They may include activities that improve upon or expand existing successful projects.

3. Priority Target audiences: Media entities, media managers and professionals, social media influencers.