Increasing Awareness of the U.S.-Pakistan Partnership Through Reporting Tours

The U.S. Consulate General Karachi Public Diplomacy Section (PDS Karachi) announces an open competition for one assistance award through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), contingent on funding availability, through the Public Diplomacy Grants Program.

The project will enhance awareness of the U.S.-Pakistan partnership through reporting tours across Pakistan to empower local rural broadcast and digital journalists and emerging social media influencers, to enhance their skills, and create a robust network of well-informed professionals. By facilitating immersive experiences, the project provides firsthand insights into the multifaceted dimensions of U.S. programs and assistance in Pakistan. Project participants will produce nuanced and fact-based reporting, thereby promoting a deeper understanding among Pakistani public and established opinion leaders about the strategic alliance between the United States and Pakistan. The project will train 120 local broadcast and digital journalists and emerging social media influencers from rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan. The training should include both formal and informal tools, opportunities for journalists to meet and collaborate, and include in-person and virtual opportunities.

The timeframe for achieving the objectives must be clearly outlined in the proposal funding request. The project implementation period is 12 to 18 months. The proposals have a funding floor of $200,000 and a funding ceiling of $250,000. The ideal grantee will be a U.S. or Pakistan-based grantee with offices or partner organizations in Pakistan. The project will have two components, training/workshops, and reporting tours within Pakistan, including engagements with experts, policymakers, and community leaders to better understand and report on the U.S.-Pakistan partnership. A written or broadcast deliverable will be due at the conclusion of the reporting tour. Both components of the project are expected to be completed within a maximum of 18 months.