U.S. Embassy Belgrade - Countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)

Program Objectives: 

This program aims to counter FIMI in Serbia by providing Serbian news and information consumers with objective, fact-based reporting on issues that are frequently the subject of FIMI campaigns, including but not limited to: 

·      U.S.-Serbia relations, including economic and security cooperation

·      Serbia’s relationship with, and potential future membership in, European and Euro-Atlantic institutions, including the EU and NATO

·      Serbia’s economic integration with other countries of the Western Balkans region and with the European Union

·      Serbia-Russia relations, historically and in the present

·      Serbia-PRC relations

·      Serbia’s relations with its neighbors 

Grant activities may take any number of forms, including the production of print, broadcast or digital media content; app or website development; or other creative undertakings. It may also include reporting tours, cross-border exchanges, courses, seminars, speakers’ series, workshops, or other training and educational activities aimed at journalists, analysts, and/or media commentators.  

Note that all programs should have some eventual nexus with the Serbian media space and ultimately aim to inform Serbian news and information consumers. Any content produced should be in the Serbian language and intended for Serbian audiences.

Program Themes: 

Proposals as welcome on all themes that are commonly the subject of FIMI campaigns in Serbia, including but not limited to: 

·      U.S.-Serbia relations, including economic and security cooperation

·      Serbia’s relationship with, and potential future membership in, European and Euro-Atlantic institutions, including the EU and NATO

·      Serbia’s economic integration with other countries of the Western Balkans region and with the European Union

·      Serbia-Russia relations, historically and in the present

·      Serbia-PRC relations

·      Serbia’s relations with its neighbors. 

In stating the problem that their project will address, applicants should provide a brief justification of why their focus should be considered as falling under the rubric of countering FIMI in Serbia.  

Participants and Audiences:

For projects involving content production, audiences should be a specific, targeted segment of the broader audience of news and information consumers in Serbia.

For projects involving reporting tours, exchanges, or educational activities, audiences can include journalists, media editors and managers, students and teachers/professors of journalism, journalists’ professional associations, and non-profit organizations. Applicants should also explain how engaging these groups will translate into better information for Serbian audiences vulnerable to FIMI.

Anticipated program start date: Your project should start no earlier than October 1, 2024, and no later than September 30, 2025.

Other Eligibility Requirements.

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

If an applicant (either individual or organization) has already received a grant from the U.S. Embassy the grant period for the new project will overlap with the existing one, or if an organization has submitted more than one project proposal, please use section “y” in the application form to explain how you will manage more than one project and describe your capacity to do so.

Funding Restrictions.

You may NOT apply for a grant from PDS if your project: 

·      involves partisan political activity;

·      involves charitable activities and/or the distribution of humanitarian aid;

·      is a fundraising campaign;

·      is commercial in nature, i.e., you or a project partner are making money from this project, or the activity supports a current or future business or entrepreneurial venture.

·      involves the provision of health care or services, childcare, food subsidies, or other social services to populations. 

This funding opportunity aims to support specific projects with objectives which can be achieved within a set timeframe. We will not accept applications which are aimed more broadly at supporting your organization’s usual or typical daily activities and operations. Those will be deemed technically ineligible and will not be considered for funding by the review committee. 

For this particular NOFO, grant funding can be used to cover the cost of international travel an essential part of the project. For regionally focused projects that involve participants from other countries, note that at least half the participants in your project should be citizens of Serbia. Please contact PDS if you have further questions about projects involving participants from other countries besides Serbia. Grant funding can likewise be used to cover the cost of travel between the United States and Serbia for program participants if that is an essential part of the project. 

As a general rule, participants or audiences should not be charged for taking part in any PDS-funded activity.  If you envisage that your project activity will not be free for some reason, please contact PDS while you are in the process of completing the application to see whether that could be allowed.  Depending on the funding source, PDS might be able to support your project, but only if you can demonstrate how the revenue generated will be used to support the larger objectives and explain that your organization will profit from the modest entrance fee. 

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Requesting the Application Package:

required application forms are available at https://rs.usembassy.gov/grants-programs/ and www.grants.gov, Related Documents Tab.

Required Registrations: 

All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must register in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.SAM.gov. Once you start the registration the system which will generate a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). The registration is free of charge.

Submission Dates and Times: 

Applications are due no later than August 18, 2024.

Other Submission Requirements:

All application materials must be submitted by email to belgradepress@state.

If PDS does not receive a complete project proposal at the above address by the deadline, it will be considered technically ineligible and will not be considered for funding.

Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates: 

PDS anticipates that final funding decisions will be made by August 30, 2024.

FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: belgradepress@state.gov.

 For detailed information please see the full text of the Notice of Funding Opportunity in the Related Documents tab and on the Embassy’s website: https://rs.usembassy.gov/grants-programs/.

Please check for information on other PDS funding opportunities on the U.S. Embassy website at: https://rs.usembassy.gov/grants-programs/.