The U.S. Embassy in Lithuania has announced a grant of $500,000 for early and mid-career Russian-language journalists and other media professionals working on Russia’s periphery to counter Russian propaganda, according to the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The project entitled “Investigative Journalism Training to Counter Russian Messaging in the Baltics” is designed for a year, until November 30, 2016, the announcement says.
The U.S. Embassies in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia aim to offer a 12-month innovative, multi-phased investigative journalism training program for early and mid-career Russian-language journalists and other media professionals working on Russia’s periphery. As Russian propaganda and misinformation multiplies, the media in all three countries need the skills and tools to counter it with fact-based, credible news reporting. The program would also build a more mature, proactive 21st century media landscape in all three countries.
While the program is for all three Baltic countries and all three Embassies will take part in the planning and coordination, U.S. Embassy Vilnius is overseeing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
The ideal program will cover a 12-month period and include in-country training/workshops in all three countries, cash reporting awards for journalists with realistic investigative reporting project ideas and opportunities to pursue them, and study trips to the United States to visit newsrooms, journalism schools and new models for funding and delivering quality journalism (such as Pro Publica) in the digital age. The successful program should also include a method or methods for connecting alumni of the program and ongoing networking both among the three countries and with U.S. trainers/experts/contacts for project help as well as source and audience development. The program should allow flexibility of focus, needs and activities in each country. Programs that include local partners in any or all of the Baltic countries are also welcome.
The level of funding available for this program is a maximum of $500,000. The available funding is to be used to support the program and for administrative costs necessary to implement the program.
Applications may be submitted by U.S. and foreign-based public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Applicants may submit proposals that rely on local partners to administer components of the program.
By UNIAN
