Internews in Moldova announces an open competition for media and civil society organisations (CSOs) to support community activities that will help the public to improve their critical thinking skills and abilities in identifying disinformation or propaganda. The initiatives will target local communities in languages they understand. Applicants are encouraged to focus on under-served communities, youth, and older adults. The grants will be issued under the “Supporting Independent Media and Information Resilience (SIMIR) in Moldova” project implemented by Internews and funded by the European Union.
Illustrative angles for projects may include, but are not limited to:
(The list is not exhaustive, and applicants are encouraged to propose alternative/different approaches and activities.)
- Community activities on online reasoning and information verification;
- Engaging infotainment on social media to promote critical thinking;
- Explanatory journalism to debunk rumors and disinformation;
- Public opinion surveys/analysis to assess the impact of disinformation;
- Activities targeting Roma communities, linguistic minorities, and other vulnerable groups;
- Youth projects to promote media and digital literacy.
Projects will be expected to drive public awareness and trigger audiences’ interest and engagement. Partnerships between media and civil society organizations that will jointly implement activities are encouraged.
Applicants will prepare an evaluation plan of proposed activities and expected results that will include surveys to evaluate relevant activities and events to assess to what extent the activities or resources responded to disinformation.
SUBAWARD AMOUNT
Under this RFA, Internews anticipates awarding up to 6 (six) sub-grants to be implemented over a maximum period of 12 months. The proposed budget should not exceed 38,000 EUR. The exact number of grants awarded will depend on the size of the proposed budgets of the winning proposals. The final budget value will be adjusted under Internews guidance only with selected candidates.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be considered eligible to apply, applicants must fulfill the following criteria:
- Applicants must be registered in accordance with Moldovan legislation.
- The applicant should not be affiliated with elected officials, political parties, or religious groups.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Applications will be assessed and evaluated by a Review Committee on a range of selection criteria as follows:
| Evaluation Criteria | Max points |
| Proposed activities are viable and reasonable and likely to produce measurable results | 50 |
| Target audience (including underserved communities) | 10 |
| Project monitoring and evaluation plan | 10 |
| Organisation’s record and capacity | 10 |
| Cost effectiveness (costs are reasonably set in the budget and ensure the best possible delivery of the proposed activities) | 20 |
| Total | 100 points |
Incomplete, ineligible, or late applications will not undergo technical review and will not be considered for funding. Selected sub-grantees will undergo standard vetting and due diligence procedures in line with the Internews’ and donor policies.
APPLICATION PACKAGE
Complete applications must include the following:
- Application Form in Word, filled in Romanian, Russian, or English;
- Detailed project budget in Excel sheet;
- Copy of the Registration Certificate or Decision;
- Copy of the Organization’s Statutes (for non-profit organisations).
Q&A SESSION
Internews in Moldova will organize an online Q&A session on August 24, 2022, at 11.00 am, to offer information regarding the grants program and application requirements. Those interested in attending the session are kindly asked to register by filling in the following form https://forms.gle/biFM4Qveov3WYXpW7 no later than August 23. All information with details on how to connect will be sent to the registered email addresses.
HOW TO APPLY
All applications must be submitted electronically (with attachments of all required documents stated under the Application Package section) to the email address in-chisinau@internews.org with “Disinformation Grants Program” in the subject line. The deadline for submission is September 9, 2022, COB.
All applications submitted will be acknowledged within two (2) working days following the deadline for submission of applications and will note the documents submitted. The applicant is responsible for ensuring and confirming that the emails comprising the application reach Internews representatives. Only the successful applicant will be notified of selection within thirty (30) days following the deadline for submission of applications.
NOTICE OF SELECTION OF THE APPLICATION IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A CONTRACT OR SUBGRANT AWARD. Once the selection is confirmed, a final subgrant agreement will be negotiated and signed with the successful applicant, subject to prime funder approval and successful vetting of eligibility.