Grant for development of Digital Solutions to help Combat Hate Speech and Disinformation in the Online Environment (Moldova)

The project aims to strengthen interventions on divisive discourse and misinformation, thus contributing to reducing intercommunal tensions.

The objective of the project is to develop digital solutions to help combat hate speech and misinformation online.

This initiative aims to build up on the results within the “Nistru TruthBridge” hackathon, organized within the project “Building sustainable and inclusive peace, strengthening trust and social cohesion on both sides of the Nistru River”. During the hackathon, 3 innovative concepts of digital tools aimed at preventing and combating disinformation and hate speech, as well as promoting verified and credible content online, were selected from the 11 participating teams.

Therefore, the project aims to identify organizations that would propose applicable and sustainable digital solutions to combat misinformation and hate speech online.

Funding Information

• The maximum budget limit is 35,000 US dollars.

Eligible Projects

• Applicants may submit their proposals, which involve the development of new digital solutions or the upgrading / extension of existing digital solutions with new functionalities.
• Project proposals that meet the following criteria will be considered eligible:
  • Enable users to identify and combat hate speech and misinformation online.
  • Be applicable and sustainable after project completion.
  • Contain a plan of actions to be carried out during the implementation of the project.
  • Be complete in accordance with the requirements set out in Chapter VIII ” Application procedure.”

Eligible Costs

• Project administrative expenditure (administrative staff: project manager, accountant, project assistant, telecommunication services, rent and utilities, bank charges, etc.).
• Expenditure for suppliers of services and goods, as needed (IT developers, IT experts, etc.).
• Expenditure for the purchase of software products (licenses), subscriptions and applications needed to develop digital solutions and ensure their sustainability.
• Expenses for the purchase of consumables and other materials necessary for the implementation of the project.
• Other expenses, which are necessary for the effective implementation of the project, well justified.

Ineligible Costs 

• Costs incurred before the signature of the grant agreement (including costs related to the submission of the project proposal).
• Fines, penalties, and exchange rate losses.
• Activities covered 100% by other programs/projects.
• Individual sponsorship for attending workshops, seminars, conferences, or scholarships.
• Current costs of the organization that are not related to the project objectives.
• Expenditure on the purchase or production of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, munitions, luxury goods and other goods prohibited under UN regulations, including those related to the organization of gambling.

Eligibility Criteria

• Only Applicants who meet the following criteria will be considered eligible:
  • The applicant must be a legal person registered under the national legislation of the Republic of Moldova.
  • The applicant must be a non-governmental organization.
  • The applicant has at least 3 years of experience in one of the following areas: media, public information on human rights, countering disinformation and hate speech, cyber security and information technologies.
  • The applicant has in its portfolio digital solutions developed by itself or with the involvement of third parties.
  • The applicant has institutional capacities to develop digital solutions or has the possibility to involve a third party.
  • The applicant has no politically exposed person among its founders.
  • The applicant has not been found responsible for serious financial or professional mismanagement demonstrated by evidence recognized by UNDP Moldova.
  • The applicant has, in the past, complied with its contractual obligations arising from previous agreements with donor organizations.

Selection Criteria

• Projects will be evaluated by a project selection committee. The committee will evaluate the applications received in two stages:
  • Stage I: Checking the eligibility of the application. This stage involves but is not limited to:
    • Verification that the eligibility of the project complies with the above-mentioned criteria.
    • Complete submission of the application.
    • The veracity of the information provided in the application. Applications that are incomplete, erroneous or do not meet the eligibility criteria will be excluded from the competition. At the end a list will be drawn up of the organizations passing to the second stage and those eliminated will be announced.
  • Stage II: Evaluation of project proposals from organizations that have passed Stage II. The evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the evaluation criteria mentioned above, awarding the appropriate score. The applicant with the highest score will be announced as the winner. At the end, the organizations in that phase will be informed about the decision of the evaluation committee.

For more information, visit UNDP.