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Legal Support for Kazakh Media

ID: DOS-KAZ-AST-AEECA-25-004 • Type: Posted
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Description

The United States of America and the Republic of Kazakhstan maintain a strong and extensive partnership in both bilateral and regional matters, including efforts to support Kazakhstan's commitment to protecting media freedoms and enhancing journalistic professionalism.

Legal protection is essential for creating a safe environment for journalism, ensuring the safety of journalists and their ability to fulfill their duties. It is equally important for journalists and content creators to understand their rights and responsibilities as defined by law. With the implementation of the new Mass Media Law, there is an increased need for legal literacy within the Kazakh media landscape. This encompasses not only journalists and content creators but also groups such as law students, practitioners, judicial officials, and law enforcement (see note below on Leahy vetting requirement) who need to understand the best practices for working with journalists. Additionally, internet freedom is crucial, as many independent journalists and bloggers face the threat of account hacking, which undermines their ability to operate freely and safely.

In addition to protecting media freedoms, enhancing ethics and management practices of media professionals is vital for maintaining a robust and well-functioning media landscape. The main focus is to create an equitable environment for independent media outlets and provide them with the necessary skills to navigate economic challenges, such as financial management and maintaining resilience during economic downturns.

To achieve these goals, the U.S. Embassy aims to facilitate collaboration among various stakeholders by partnering with qualified organizations to implement one or multiple programs aimed at providing essential legal support to Kazakh media outlets and journalists. This initiative seeks to provide legal support, as well as ethics and management training, to journalists, content creators, law students, practitioners, judicial officials, and law enforcement in Kazakhstan, thereby bridging the gap between legal expertise and the media landscape.

Background
The United States of America and the Republic of Kazakhstan maintain a strong partnership focused on supporting media freedoms and enhancing journalistic professionalism. Legal protection is vital for creating a safe environment for journalism, ensuring the safety of journalists, and helping them understand their rights and responsibilities under the law.

The implementation of the new Mass Media Law has increased the need for legal literacy among various stakeholders in Kazakhstan's media landscape, including journalists, content creators, law students, practitioners, judicial officials, and law enforcement. Additionally, enhancing ethics and management practices within media organizations is essential for maintaining a robust media landscape.

Grant Details
The U.S. Embassy seeks proposals to implement programs that provide essential legal support to Kazakh media outlets and journalists. The main objectives include:
1) Enhancing knowledge of legal rights and media laws through training sessions;
2) Raising awareness of challenges faced by media professionals via reports on media freedom violations;
3) Increasing access to legal consultative services for journalists facing challenges;
4) Improving collaborative advocacy efforts among stakeholders to shape legislation supporting media freedom;
5) Strengthening management practices in independent media organizations through targeted training. Proposals may address one or more objectives outlined in the program description.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society organizations) from both the United States and Kazakhstan with experience in providing legal support to journalists, as well as public and private institutions from these countries. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov and valid registration in SAM.gov. Applicants are limited to one proposal submission per organization.

Period of Performance
The period of performance is expected to be between 9 to 18 months, with proposed projects needing completion within this timeframe.

Grant Value
The total available funding for this grant opportunity is $200,000, with individual awards ranging from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $100,000. Anticipated number of awards is between 2-4 depending on amounts requested.

Place of Performance
The grant activities will be performed in Kazakhstan.
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Overview

Agency
Department of State (DOS)
Category of Funding
Other (see text field entitled "Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity" for clarification)
Funding Instruments
Grant
Grant Program (CFDA)
19.900 - AEECA/ESF PD Programs
Grant Category
Other
Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement
False
Source
Grants.gov
On 1/21/25 the Department of State posted grant opportunity DOS-KAZ-AST-AEECA-25-004 for Legal Support for Kazakh Media. The grant will be issued under grant program 19.900 AEECA/ESF PD Programs. It is expected that 4 total grants will be made worth between $50,000 and $100,000.

Timing

Posted Date
Jan. 21, 2025, 12:00 a.m. EST
Closing Date
March 14, 2025, 12:00 a.m. EDT Past Due
Last Updated
Jan. 21, 2025, 1:41 a.m. EST
Version
1
Archive Date
April 13, 2025

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Additional Info
The following organizations are eligible to apply: Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations, from both the United States and Kazakhstan, with experience in providing legal support to journalists. Public and private institutions from the United States and Kazakhstan

Award Sizing

Ceiling
$100,000
Floor
$50,000
Estimated Program Funding
Not Provided
Estimated Number of Grants
4

Contacts

Contact
Saltanat Gninenko Grants Coordinator
Contact Email
kazpdsmediagrants@state.gov
Contact Phone
(717) 270-2217

Documents

Posted documents for DOS-KAZ-AST-AEECA-25-004

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