BMAP FORWARD Joint Advocacy Grants

USAID’s BMAP Forward project is offering a grant pool for media organizations, media industry associations and Civil Society Organizations based in the five Western Balkan countries to establish regional cooperation or support regional advocacy initiatives that address shared problems impacting independent media.

The first topics covered under this grant pool will be related to the legal and operating environment for independent media, including issues of safety and security and media freedom. In its quest to create an enabling media environment, BMAP Forward welcomes project ideas that will advocate for the protection of journalists (especially female journalists) and reduction of legal restrictions on media in the region.

Advocacy is crucial to raise awareness and provide direct responses to threats to media safety and freedom, building upon monitoring and analysis of evolving trends. It can take the form of direct advocacy, advocacy missions on the ground and awareness-raising campaigns, whereby all activities mutually enrich each other.

Topics

• The projects may include advocacy activities related to topics as follows:
  • Strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPPs);
  • New media and media-related legislation in the Western Balkans;
  • Research, media monitoring, monitoring of the work of regulatory bodies and functioning of the legal framework;
  • Improvement of conditions for safety of journalists;
  • Research, monitoring, reporting, writing policy recommendations to address coverage of gender-based violence in the media and/or the safety of female journalists;
  • Developing and/or effectuating early warning mechanisms;
  • Strengthening media integrity.

Funding Information and Duration

• Grant amount: cost-reimbursable grants, each in the maximum amount of $10,000.
• Grant duration: 3-9 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• The fund for Joint Advocacy Grants is open for collaborations of two or more media organizations, media industry associations and Civil Society Organizations based in the five Western Balkan BMAP Forward countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia), including BMAP Forward Key Media Partners eager to create joint initiative and come up with advocacy ideas.
• The fund is available for cross-border collaborations of registered entities.

For more information, visit BMAP Forward.