Open Call for Strategic Development Grants – Media Program in Armenia

Objectives

• To provide long-term organizational support through Strategic Development Grants by identifying the strategic needs of the media outlets and enacting complex transformations that require major shifts in its structure, business models or editorial culture.

Program Description

• Proposed Strategic Development Grants may include, but are not limited to the below illustrative list of possible interventions:
  • Business and/or editorial transformations that require shifts in the staffing, organizational structure, and editorial culture that are complex and time intensive (e.g., re-targeting and re-platforming flagship media products, or transitioning to a digital first/digital only newsroom).
  • Context-relevant media business plans that will outline ambitious, yet achievable audience and revenue growth targets designed to build the foundations for future sustainability.
  • Software and/or hardware for convergent newsroom production and/or optimization of newsroom processes, work streams, and editorial practices.
  • Design and implementation of systems to continuously gather and incorporate audience feedback and contributions into content based on data from audience analytics.
  • Innovation in and upgrades to the content gathering and dissemination process.

Funding Information

• Total amount to be disbursed under this call: up to $500,000
• The amount per grant that can be awarded ranges from $25,000 to $100,000.
• Total number of projects to be selected: up to 5
• Duration: Up to 24 months

Activities

• This is an illustrative list of activities. The applicant may present other needs and suggest solutions with a solid justification.
• Strategic Development grant finalists will be invited to commit to undergo Media Organizational Capacity Assessments (M-OCAs) and further refine their project proposals through co-development of strategic development plans in concert with the Media Program in Armenia (MPA). A menu of MPA support, which will be tailored to each Strategic Development grant, is provided below:
  • MPA will conduct Media Organizational Capacity Assessments (M-OCAs) for Strategic Development partners. Media OCAs are designed to assess capacity gaps and opportunities and inform the creation of capacity development plans. M-OCA findings will be used to co-create strategic development plans that set goals and milestones for Strategic Development partners. Individual partner plans will be tailored to their needs, focusing on development in a combination of areas related to administration; business planning; editorial, technology, and security support. Mid- and endline Media OCAs will track progress towards milestones and inform course corrections and adaptations to changing markets. Zinc will provide expert oversight, coordination, training, mentorship, and ad-hoc advice to grantees through on-going communication, online and offline consultations, or residencies (up to four weeks).
  • Internews’ Distribution Team will help Strategic Development grantees develop, revamp, and implement individual distribution strategies and plans to improve online distribution, audience engagement, and reach.
  • MPA partner Zinc will explore relevant revenue-generation opportunities with Strategic Development partners and create plans for strategic growth, including staffing plans. Each business plan will have goals, key performance indicators, and clear quarterly milestones.
  • Zinc will also support grantees in their efforts to road-test and introduce new income streams such as crowdfunding and donations, native advertising, syndication, and content sales and subscriptions. To help outlets transition from a news organization to a media company, Zinc will work with the private sector to sponsor content programming.
  • MPA partner YPC will evaluate the media outlets’ adherence to a professional Code of Ethics and/or participation in self-regulation mechanisms, which are an important selection criterion for the grant. MIC and YPC will support Strategic Development grantees to strengthen their editorial culture, standards, processes, and content output and enhance their ethical principles.

Eligibility Criteria

• The media outlet must meet the following criteria to be considered eligible for a subaward resulting from this RFA:
  • Be a local non-state media organization registered in Armenia.
  • Be in good standing in performance and reporting under any previous subgrants from Internews or any other organization, where applicable.
  • Be willing and open to working on improving audience engagement and creating content that gains more traction with audiences.
  • Commit to fostering an independent and professional editorial culture and demonstrate a willingness to enhance and refine it.
  • Be open to providing accurate information about their organization while undergoing Media Organizational Capacity Assessments (M-OCAs) and work with experts and MPA partners to create their strategic development plans.
  • Be willing to increase the number and the quality of produced materials if the proposed project has an editorial development and/or content production component.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to reporting requirements and deadlines, including monitoring and evaluation requirements, as requested.
  • Demonstrate the cost effectiveness and sustainability of the proposed activities.
  • Maintain a bank account in the organization’s name.
  • Maintain accounting records.
  • Adhere to additional conditions as applicable/necessary.
  • Not be listed with exclusions on the UN Security Designation List, Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, System for Award Management (SAM), or Internews List of Debarred Subrecipients.

For more information, visit Internews.