2015-12-11: Independent Media in Syria

Funding Opportunity Number: NEAAC-ACSYRIA-15-006
Opportunity Category: Discretionary
Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement
Category of Funding Activity: Other (see text field entitled "Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity" for clarification)
Eligible Applicants: Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Agency Name: DOS-NEA-AC
Closing Date: 2015-12-11
Award Ceiling: $24,000,000
Expected Number of Awards: 1

Description: Since 2012, the Department of State has assisted the development and strengthening of independent Syrian-led media by providing ongoing financial, technical, and material support to independent radio and TV broadcasters with the capacity to collectively reach nearly 80% of Syria's pre-war population.  To date, independent media support has focused largely on a core group of ten media outlets, particularly radio broadcasters, supporting their development into organizations offering varied programming to address the information needs of the Syrian people, promote dialogue between citizens and local governance bodies, offer non-regime-controlled news and coverage of current events, and provide a moderate counter-weight to extremist narratives.  Support has taken many forms, including the provision of transmission, production, and office equipment; broadcast subscriptions; training and mentoring in editorial, journalistic, and technical skills; stipends for operations and programming; and monitoring and evaluation.
Link: www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?opp…