Strengthening Press Freedom in Zimbabwe (First Amendment Partnership Programs - FAPP-Zim) | AF HAR FY22 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for AF HAR FY22 03

Strengthening Press Freedom in Zimbabwe (First Amendment Partnership Programs - FAPP-Zim) is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity run through the Public Diplomacy (PD) Section at the U.S. Embassy in Harare. It is designed as a small, practical grant program for Zimbabwe-based NGOs and institutions that can deliver low to medium cost initiatives aimed at improving respect for, and real-world adherence to, international best practices on freedom of speech and press freedom. A central expectation is that funded projects will not operate in isolation: each proposal must intentionally build ties and active working networks between Zimbabwean media actors and U.S.-based experts, organizations, universities, or institutions, with a clear American component that goes beyond routine engagement with the U.S. Mission, American Corners, or alumni of U.S. government exchange programs. In other words, the program is not only about media development outcomes in Zimbabwe, but also about strengthening U.S.-Zimbabwe connections and encouraging greater understanding of U.S. values, perspectives, and approaches related to free expression and an independent press.

The competition invites proposals aligned with one of three program objective areas. The first track focuses on strengthening public understanding of freedom of speech and press freedom, supporting initiatives that spark community-level discussion and learning about the role of journalism and the principles behind open expression. Projects in this area can be structured as events, panel discussions, campaigns, outreach efforts, educational activities, workshops, partnerships with media outlets, and similar formats, as long as they are capable of reaching a sizable and diverse audience and keeping people engaged over time. Preference is given to proposals that thoughtfully weave in learning about American culture and media, U.S. society and history, and shared American-Zimbabwean values and interests, while also building meaningful partnerships with U.S.-based entities.

The second track targets media literacy to combat disinformation and misinformation, with an emphasis on making the public more resilient to manipulation and false narratives. Competitive proposals are expected to show how they will improve understanding of disinformation tactics and how communities can respond using practical skills and accessible tools. The Embassy notes that activities may include investigative reporting, public debates or moderated discussions, and digital engagements, and it explicitly encourages creative approaches that make strong use of social media, digital technology, and innovative delivery methods. Applicants are expected to define the audiences they want to influence and demonstrate how messages will reach them clearly, with examples including women, youth, policymakers, and opinion leaders. Proposals that partner with American universities or colleges to incorporate media literacy and media consumption topics into curricula or campus-level programming are viewed especially favorably, with an overall aim of normalizing fact-checking habits and responsible information consumption.

The third track addresses media sustainability, innovation, and professionalization, recognizing that press freedom is difficult to sustain without economically viable and professionally supported independent media. This category supports organizations that can help emerging news outlets (online or offline) develop business plans, diversify revenue, and adopt strategies that help them survive in difficult economic conditions. It also welcomes programs that expand professional collaboration and exposure within the journalism community, including new ways of gathering information, telling stories, and building audience engagement in thematic areas such as health, human rights, agriculture and STEM, and peace and conflict resolution. The intended end result is straightforward: increase the flow of reliable, public-interest news and information to Zimbabwean audiences by strengthening both the business and professional capacity of independent media.

Across all three categories, the program’s broader goals emphasize (1) raising awareness of international norms around free speech and a free press, (2) improving resilience to disinformation by expanding channels for sharing verified information, (3) building institutional networks that make independent media more competitive and financially sustainable through ethical and innovative income approaches and professional partnerships, (4) supporting independent outlets committed to factual, objective, thorough reporting on priority issues such as health, entrepreneurship, human rights and labor, peace and conflict resolution, green energy, cybersecurity, and anticorruption, and (5) encouraging innovative uses of technology and alternative distribution platforms to reach audiences more effectively. Expected outcomes include stronger investigative and reporting capacity, improved reach to larger or new audiences, better-informed journalists in selected beats, and expanded access to local and international sources of information.

Funding is offered as a grant, with an award ceiling of USD 25,000 and an expectation of about four awards. The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number AF HAR FY22 03, CFDA 19.040, administered by the Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe. The application window opened February 4, 2022, and the submission deadline was April 3, 2022. Proposals that include international travel were instructed not to schedule in-person travel before September 2022 at the earliest, and all projects were expected to build in flexibility to adjust plans due to evolving COVID-19 restrictions.

Eligible applicants are described broadly as local NGOs and institutions (the notice lists “Others” with additional clarification expected in the full eligibility text). Regardless of applicant type, proposals must engage Zimbabwean media institutions or media workers as well as relevant audiences, and disinformation-focused projects may also target clearly defined groups such as women, youth, policymakers, and opinion leaders. Organizational compliance requirements are a major part of the submission: organizations must have an active SAM.gov registration, and application materials must be submitted in English with budgets in U.S. dollars.

To apply, applicants were instructed to request the application package by emailing PublicDiplomacyGrants-ZIM@state.gov, which would trigger an automatic reply containing the required forms. Mandatory federal forms include SF-424, SF-424A, and (in certain cases) SF-424B, along with a full proposal package that covers organizational capacity (one page maximum), past grants, a clear needs statement, measurable goals and objectives, detailed activities, a monitoring and evaluation plan, key personnel, a calendar/timeline, and a reporting plan that includes at least a final narrative report and a financial report (with additional reports possible depending on project length). Applicants also must provide a detailed budget and budget narrative with unit costs and quantities. Submissions were accepted by email to PublicDiplomacyGrants-Zim@state.gov, with a physical delivery option to the U.S. Embassy Harare Public Diplomacy Grants office for applicants unable to email.

Applications are reviewed based on purpose and impact (including clarity on audiences and alignment with program goals), completeness and realism of objectives, quality of planning (work plan, timeline, monitoring approach), and the strength of monitoring and evaluation. In practical terms, the program is looking for proposals that are well-scoped for small-grant funding, clearly measurable, strongly connected to U.S. partners and perspectives, and capable of delivering tangible improvements in press freedom awareness, disinformation resilience, and/or independent media viability in Zimbabwe.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe in the information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening Press Freedom in Zimbabwe (First Amendment Partnership Programs - FAPP-Zim)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 04, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 03, 2022. (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 $25,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for AF HAR FY22 03

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