SMALL GRANTS COMPETITION

 

PROMOTING FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND STRENGTHENING INDEPENDENT MEDIA IN UKRAINE

December 2015

 

Internews` Ukraine Media Project (U-Media) supported by USAID invites media organizations to submit grant proposals to a small grants competition. The competition is intended to support national and regional media outlets and media non-government organizations (NGOs) that are officially registered in accordance with Ukrainian legislation to work to improve the media sector in Ukraine through the objectives and criteria described below. 

U-Media is searching for innovative and realistic projects that will result in an improvement in the enabling environment for media in Ukraine and media content quality for citizens. 

U-Media will support projects that will contribute to the following objectives:  

1. Support and promote freedom of speech and media independence.
2. Increase the variety of news sources and improve news quality
3. Improve the enabling environment for media and freedom of speech.

 Within the small grants competition Internews will consider project proposals with the maximum budgets of $10,000 for up to 6-month projects focusing on U-Media`s priority types of activities, namely (but not limited to):

1. Reform agenda. Regional communication and public awareness campaigns/initiatives on increasing public awareness on reforms – decentralization and local budgets, procurements, anti-corruption efforts, energy reform, constitutional, tax and other reforms.
2. Media literacy. Local innovative initiatives on critical thinking and conscious media consuming targeting adult group 35+; open (public) lectures on media literacy.
3. Media projects for reconciliation in society and encouraging a national dialog. Strengthening inter-regional media, authorities and communities’ relations; building effective relationships between media and civil society organizations; peace journalism.
4. Media ownership transparency. “Know your media” regional projects; publicizing information regarding media ownership; public awareness campaign on how local broadcasters fulfilled the law #1831 “On Media Ownership Transparency”.  
5. De-statization. Support regional initiatives on helping state media go through the de-statization process, i.e. legal support, trainings and/or workshops on media management, monetization of the content and sales strategy.
6. Self-regulation in media (preferably for regional media organizations). Setting up editorial guidelines, openness to the public and market oriented journalism; editorial autonomy, independence and media role in increasing the public discourse quality; role of self-regulation in media responses to legitimate complaints; role of self-regulation in increasing media social responsibility, resistance to propaganda and hate speech in particular; codes of ethics; complaint mechanisms for media “quality assurance”; self-regulation versus regulation of media.  
7. Gender issues. Content production on raising citizens’ awareness of gender issues, equality of women and men’s rights in a society - equal access to social goods, services and resources and equal opportunities in all spheres of life.
8. Diversity reporting. Covering LGBTI issues, minorities, inter-ethnic relations, and other diversity issues. Promotion of equality of human rights, tolerance, inclusiveness and universal human values.

Deadline for submission of proposals: 23:59 Kyiv time on 30 December, 2015

 

U-Media Grants Proposals Writing Instructions

 

All proposals should be submitted in Ukrainian or Russian (Times New Roman, type font 12) accompanied with a project summary in English. Proposal structure includes the following:

 

I. Cover Page – 1 page:

This page should contain the following information:

1. Project title
2. Brief project description: In one paragraph, clearly and concisely summarize your project In Ukrainian and English
3. Organization: Name and contact information.
4. Project coordinator: Full name and contact information.
5. Duration of the project (in months).
6. Amount requested in USD.

II. Program Description – 5 pages maximum:

1. Description of project goals and objectives connected to the U-Media objectives
2. Activities that should lead to achieving the objectives
3. Expected results, outcomes/outputs and impact of the project
4. Monitoring and evaluation tools and indicators of project effectiveness
5. Timetable (monthly) that explains project logic and implementation
6. Partners -- both public and private.

III. Budget – please use attached template and complete first two tabs in Excel file –instruction is attached. The budget form is also available at http://bit.ly/1NqeYJf.

 

A budget summary table should be completed at first tab, and details per each event are to be indicated at second tab of Excel file in the attached format. It should describe major expense categories that show clear cost effectiveness. The suggested cost share should be no less than 10 percent from the requested amount of the grant.

Please explain details on every expense category in the budget narrative column (last right) of the template to keep transparency of expense composition.   

 

IV. Capacity and previous experience in project implementation – no more than one page:

1. Business or project management experience
2. Previous grants received over last three years (funder, amount, purpose, and achieved results)

Internews also invites emerging organizations to submit their proposals. If your organization’s experience in media projects implementation is insufficient, please, refer to other relevant projects and indicate the competence level of proposed principal employees and consultants of the project.

 

Proposals should be sent electronically to , cc: . If you don`t receive your application receipt acknowledgment within two days, please, contact U-Media at (044) 458 4439/41 or send your proposal one more time.

 

PROPOSALSEVALUATION

 

APPLICATIONS WHICH DO NOT CORRESPOND TO THE U-MEDIA PRIORITIES AND/OR PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.  

 

A U-Media jury made up of independent experts will evaluate proposals and select the winners. The jury will evaluate proposals in accordance to the Grant Selection Criteria listed below.

Internews may contact an organization-applicant if further information about submitted proposal is required.

 

Grant Selection Criteria

Each proposal will get an appropriate number of points in accordance with the following list of criteria:

1. The project is important and timely and response to current challenges in Ukraine
2. The project corresponds at least to one of priorities of U-Media program.
3. The proposal offers innovative approach for achieving at least one of U-Media program priorities.
4. Expected results and impact are realistic and reasonable.
5. The project can achieve expected results at the appointed period.
6. The proposed types of activities make possible achieving expected results. 
7. The applicant demonstrates sufficient technical skill, experience and capacity for the activities proposed.
8. The budget of the project is reasonable and cost effective.

The cost share is not less than 10 percent from the requested sum.

 

If you have any questions related to the grants competition terms, please, contact U-Media staff on business days from 10.00 to 17.00 on (+38044) 458-44-39

Please note that the projects evaluation process may take up to a calendar month. The period from the date of receiving a positive response from U-Media about your proposal supporting to the date of money receiving can take up to eight weeks, because of procedures related to grants program administration. 

All awards are subject to available funding and USAID approval.

Organizations which proposals are not supported can receive an oral consultation (by phone or in person) about the reasons of their proposal rejection.