Internews Network’s grants program is an open door grants fund aimed at supporting the objectives of the larger program, Independent Media in the West Bank and Gaza, locally known as Aswatona.

What are the Objectives of the Internews Network West Bank/Gaza Program?

Internews Network’s Aswatona project goals are to:

Improve citizen awareness/involvement in community-level democracy and governance issues;

Increase and improve coverage of local news, including local manifestations of broad themes such as rule of law and good governance.

In order to meet these long-term goals, the intermediate and short-term goals of the program components are to:

Strengthen the knowledge and awareness of the media and CSOs regarding the work of the other and the media’s legal and regulatory sector.

Strengthen networking and promote association building in the media sector.

Strengthen the local media through creating a self-sustaining business model, enhancing reporting and production capabilities and skill-building on investigative and issue specific journalism.

Re-connect the media outlets with their local communities through reporting on and working with CSOs.

How will Internews Network use the grants program to support the objectives of the overall program? What types of activities will the grants program support?

Internews Network is working with a select group of licensed and sustainable, independent media outlets, as well as CSOs already active in the field. By disbursing two types of grants, Small Project Capacity Building Grants and Innovative Production Grants, Internews Network will support the following:

Creation of more in-depth local coverage on issues in the local community, whether issue-specific reporting, investigative reporting, community initiatives or social and cultural events.

Integration of youth into public life through supporting youth production of radio and television programs.

Increase women’s and young women’s role and visibility in leadership in media.

In order to better meet the objectives through this strategy, these grants are divided into two categories: Small Project Capacity Building Grants and Innovative Production Grants.

Small Project Capacity Building Grants: This fund is designed for CSOs working in the local media sector with emphasis on supporting new or existing media networks, youth internships, youth and women’s capacity building through skill building in innovation, production, broadcast and reporting.

Innovative Production Grants: The second fund is designed for media outlets and will target the identified gaps at broadcast stations to enable them to produce innovative quality programming for both radio and television. Special focus will be on thematic issues such as community empowerment stories, focusing on “local heroes” (non-political), “persons of the week” and those making a difference in the community, issues of social importance, entertainment or drama programs. Joint productions will be encouraged. The targeted audience is ages 16-40.

Who is eligible to apply?

The fund is available for but not limited to NGOs, CSOs, CBOs, media associations and media outlets, media research institutes, and university students studying journalism in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Individuals applying will be required to partner with a local CSO or media outlet in order to be eligible to receive a grant. Grantees may be eligible for more than one grant; either to build on their project or to implement a new one, based upon satisfactory performance and success of the first project as determined by Internews Network.

How do organizations apply?

The first round of grants will have a specific deadline that will be rolling thereafter. Announcements will appear on the Internews Network website and in local newspapers describing the program and the deadline for the submission of the concept paper. Potential grantees will first be required to submit a brief concept paper (PDF) of 4-5 pages. Deadline for receiving concept papers is May 8th. If the general concept is approved by Internews Network, then a proposal template will be provided and Internews Network will assist the potential grantee in developing the proposal.

Concept Paper Requirements for Small Project Capacity Building Grants:

No more than 4-5 pages, as concise as possible.
Organizational background, including previous relevant experience if any.
Main objectives and expected results.
Project planned methodology.
Project duration – clear start and end date
Estimated budget and other potential sources of support.

Concept Paper Requirements for Innovative Production Grants:

No more than 4-5 pages, as concise as possible.
Media outlets should describe how the production fits into the overall plan of the media outlet, and individuals must describe how the production will be broadcast.
Synopsis of proposed production.
Projected audience – ages 16-40.
Past relevant production experience.
Demonstrate how the production is innovative and unique.
Genre of production.
Production duration – clear start and end date
Estimated Budget and other potential sources of support.

How often are grants disbursed?

The first disbursal of grants will occur at a specific deadline (to be determined by the Grants Manager) and for the remainder of the program there will be an “open door competition.” Grants will be made on a rolling basis to ensure timely support and be responsive to windows of opportunity and innovation.

What are the principle selection criteria?

Clearly defined project objectives that related to the goals of the fund.
Clearly defined project duration with a start and end date.
Realistic and measurable project outputs and results.
Projected short-term results and long-term impact.
Proficiency of project staff and involved experts.
Accuracy and effectiveness of project costs.
Special emphasis on the capacity-building of women and youth.
Joint productions are favored.
Registered CSOs and media related associations with proven track records or individuals associated with an institution.
Prove project goals are relevant to the needs of the media outlets.
USAID reserves the right for technical approval of all projects.

Awarding of Grants:

Deadline for submission of concept papers is May 8th. Selected concept papers will be required to submit a more detailed proposal at a later date. Furthermore, all grant recipients will be required to follow the Programmatic and Financial Criteria outlined by Internews Network. In addition, all grant agreements will include the Standard Provisions, Special Provisions, and Mandatory Clauses and attachments as required by USAID, as described in this section.

Project Concept Paper Guidelines

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