Strengthening Pacific Media Capacity to Identify and Counter Disinformation | PDS NEWZEALAND 2024 12

Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS NEWZEALAND 2024 12

The grant opportunity titled "Strengthening Pacific Media Capacity to Identify and Counter Disinformation" is an open funding competition run by the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) at the U.S. Embassy in New Zealand, part of the U.S. Department of State. It is designed to support practical projects that improve the strength, skills, and resilience of media organizations and media networks operating in New Zealand and across the Pacific. The core idea is to help journalists and media practitioners produce independent, accurate, and fair reporting on issues that matter to Pacific audiences, while also improving their ability to recognize and respond to disinformation.

The program focuses specifically on New Zealand and the Pacific region as the priority area. Projects funded under this opportunity are expected to strengthen media capacity in concrete ways, such as delivering media training, building institutional capabilities, or creating direct benefits for media networks. While the opportunity leaves room for different types of proposals, the unifying expectation is that activities should help media outlets and journalists improve information integrity and the quality of coverage reaching communities in New Zealand and Pacific Island nations.

The stated objectives tie the funding to broader democratic governance goals. The opportunity frames disinformation as a direct risk to democratic values, arguing that citizens need access to fact-based information in order to form opinions and exercise rights. It also emphasizes that countering disinformation should be consistent with freedom of expression, drawing on Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to reinforce the principles of free opinion, free expression, and the ability to seek and share information across borders. The grant aligns with U.S. government commitments highlighted at the Summit for Democracy and with the State Department Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy efforts described in the "Democratic Roadmap" focused on civic resilience against digital information manipulation. In practical terms, the program is aiming to support a media environment that is less vulnerable to outside interference and better equipped to maintain independence and public trust.

In terms of logistics and award details, this is a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) categorized as a mandatory opportunity under the listing provided. The opportunity number is PDS NEWZEALAND 2024 12, and the assistance listing is under CFDA number 19.040. The anticipated maximum award amount is USD 20,000 (Award Ceiling: 20000), with an expectation of up to five awards. The original application closing date listed is 2024-08-23, and the opportunity record was created on 2024-07-25. Eligible applicants include a fairly wide mix: individuals; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; and private institutions of higher education. The administering agency is the U.S. Mission to New Zealand.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a targeted small-grants program meant to boost the practical capacity of Pacific and New Zealand media to do credible reporting and to resist manipulation. Successful projects would likely be those that translate the broad goals into tangible outcomes, such as improved newsroom skills, stronger verification and editorial practices, better collaboration across media networks, or training that helps journalists identify, explain, and reduce the impact of disinformation while maintaining commitments to free and independent media.

• The U.S. Mission to New Zealand in the regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening Pacific Media Capacity to Identify and Counter Disinformation" 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 2024-07-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-23. (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 $20,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals.

Apply for PDS NEWZEALAND 2024 12

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