Opportunity Information: Apply for SCAISB 24 AW 008 02072024
The grant opportunity titled "Combating Misinformation in the Digital Media Era" is a U.S. Department of State public diplomacy funding call issued by the Consulate General in Lahore under the Public Diplomacy Grants Program. It is structured as a discretionary grant competition, with funding dependent on availability, and it plans to support one project designed to strengthen journalistic capacity in Pakistan. The overall purpose is practical and skills-based: equip a cohort of Pakistani journalists with modern tools and professional approaches to identify, verify, and responsibly respond to misinformation and disinformation, especially as these challenges intensify across digital platforms and rapidly evolving media ecosystems.
The core project is an in-person, six-month training program for 30 mid- to senior-level Pakistani journalists and reporters drawn from relatively new print, broadcast, and digital media outlets. The program is organized around three-day workshops held quarterly, meaning participants would attend multiple intensive sessions over the six-month period rather than a single one-off training. U.S. subject matter experts are expected to play a central role in delivering the training, indicating an emphasis on bringing U.S.-based expertise, methods, and professional standards into the curriculum and discussion. The end goal is to help journalists produce more accurate, ethical, and trustworthy reporting, while improving their ability to detect manipulation, reduce amplification of false narratives, and communicate corrections effectively to the public.
The workshop series is expected to cover a defined set of topics that span both technical verification and newsroom decision-making. These include foundational concepts for understanding misinformation and disinformation (how they differ, how they spread, and why they work), practical digital verification tools (techniques and resources for confirming images, videos, sources, and claims), and ethical reporting in an environment where falsehoods can be monetized or weaponized. The program also targets applied response strategies such as refutation methods (how to correct false claims without reinforcing them), cross-media collaboration (coordination across outlets or platforms to strengthen verification and reduce duplicated errors), balancing freedom of the press with content regulation (navigating legal, platform, and policy pressures while protecting journalistic independence), and building audience trust (transparency, sourcing, correction practices, and engagement approaches that increase credibility). Taken together, the topic list signals that the funder is looking for a well-rounded training design that improves not only technical fact-checking capacity but also editorial judgment, public communication, and institutional resilience.
In terms of eligibility, the opportunity is limited to non-profit and non-governmental applicants. Eligible prime applicants include not-for-profit organizations, civil society or non-governmental organizations, and public or private educational institutions. For-profit entities are explicitly excluded, even if they might otherwise resemble eligible organizations. The structure allows the prime recipient to sub-contract or partner with other entities, but only one non-profit, non-governmental organization can serve as the main award recipient. If sub-contracting is part of the implementation plan, the proposal must clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each partner or contractor so that oversight, deliverables, and accountability are unambiguous.
From the funding and administrative details provided, this NOFO is issued by the U.S. Mission to Pakistan, with a funding opportunity number of SCAISB 24 AW 008 02072024 and a CFDA number of 19.501. The application deadline listed is April 8, 2024. The award ceiling is $50,000, and the program anticipates making one award. In practical terms, the project design needs to fit within a modest single-award budget and should be realistic about costs associated with in-person convenings, trainer participation, participant selection and support, venue and materials, and program management over the six-month period.Apply for SCAISB 24 AW 008 02072024
- The U.S. Mission to Pakistan in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Combating Misinformation in the Digital Media Era" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.501.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-07.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-08. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Combating Misinformation in the Digital Media Era."
Which U.S. government office is offering this funding?
This is a U.S. Department of State public diplomacy funding call issued by the Consulate General in Lahore under the Public Diplomacy Grants Program (U.S. Mission to Pakistan).
What type of grant is this?
It is a discretionary grant competition, and funding is dependent on availability.
What is the main goal of the funded project?
The project is intended to strengthen journalistic capacity in Pakistan by equipping Pakistani journalists with modern tools and professional approaches to identify, verify, and responsibly respond to misinformation and disinformation across digital platforms and evolving media ecosystems.
How many awards does the program expect to make?
The program anticipates making one award.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is $50,000.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline listed is April 8, 2024.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this NOFO?
The funding opportunity number is SCAISB 24 AW 008 02072024.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 19.501.
Who is eligible to apply as the prime applicant?
Eligibility is limited to non-profit and non-governmental applicants. Eligible prime applicants include not-for-profit organizations, civil society or non-governmental organizations, and public or private educational institutions.
Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?
No. For-profit entities are explicitly excluded, even if they might otherwise resemble eligible organizations.
Can multiple organizations apply together?
The prime recipient may sub-contract or partner with other entities, but only one non-profit, non-governmental organization can serve as the main award recipient.
If we plan to use partners or sub-contractors, what does the proposal need to include?
If sub-contracting is part of the implementation plan, the proposal must clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each partner or contractor so that oversight, deliverables, and accountability are unambiguous.
What kind of project is the funder looking to support?
The opportunity plans to support one practical, skills-based project designed to strengthen journalistic capacity in Pakistan through an in-person training program focused on combating misinformation and disinformation.
What is the expected format and duration of the training program?
The core project is an in-person, six-month training program.
How many journalists are expected to be trained?
The program is designed for a cohort of 30 Pakistani journalists and reporters.
What experience level should participants have?
Participants are expected to be mid- to senior-level Pakistani journalists and reporters.
What types of media outlets will participants come from?
Participants are expected to be drawn from relatively new print, broadcast, and digital media outlets.
How are the in-person workshops structured over the six months?
The program is organized around three-day workshops held quarterly, so participants attend multiple intensive sessions over the six-month period rather than a single one-off training.
Are U.S. experts expected to be involved?
Yes. U.S. subject matter experts are expected to play a central role in delivering the training, emphasizing U.S.-based expertise, methods, and professional standards.
What outcomes is the training intended to achieve for participating journalists?
The training aims to help journalists produce more accurate, ethical, and trustworthy reporting, improve their ability to detect manipulation, reduce amplification of false narratives, and communicate corrections effectively to the public.
What core topics should the workshop series cover?
The workshops are expected to cover foundational concepts on misinformation and disinformation, practical digital verification tools, ethical reporting in environments where falsehoods can be monetized or weaponized, and applied response strategies.
What does the NOFO say about covering misinformation versus disinformation?
The workshop series is expected to include foundational concepts for understanding misinformation and disinformation, including how they differ, how they spread, and why they work.
What kinds of digital verification skills are expected to be included?
The training is expected to include practical digital verification tools and techniques for confirming images, videos, sources, and claims.
Does the program include guidance on ethical reporting?
Yes. Ethical reporting is a defined topic area, particularly in an environment where falsehoods can be monetized or weaponized.
Will the training address how to correct false claims without making them worse?
Yes. The expected topics include refutation methods, described as how to correct false claims without reinforcing them.
Is cross-outlet or cross-platform collaboration part of the expected design?
Yes. Cross-media collaboration is included as a topic area, with an emphasis on coordination across outlets or platforms to strengthen verification and reduce duplicated errors.
Will the workshops address the tension between press freedom and regulation?
Yes. One of the expected topics is balancing freedom of the press with content regulation, including navigating legal, platform, and policy pressures while protecting journalistic independence.
Does the opportunity emphasize building public trust in journalism?
Yes. Building audience trust is an expected topic, including transparency, sourcing, correction practices, and engagement approaches that increase credibility.
Is the funder looking for purely technical fact-checking training, or something broader?
The topic list indicates the funder is looking for a well-rounded training design that improves technical fact-checking capacity as well as editorial judgment, public communication, and institutional resilience.
What budgeting realities should applicants consider?
With a $50,000 ceiling and one anticipated award, the project design should be realistic about costs for in-person convenings, trainer participation, participant selection and support, venue and materials, and program management over the six-month period.
Is this opportunity specifically tied to Pakistan?
Yes. The funded project is intended to strengthen journalistic capacity in Pakistan and train a cohort of Pakistani journalists.
Is the project expected to be conducted in person?
Yes. The core project described is an in-person training program with in-person workshops.
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