Call for proposals: Sudan Media Forum content production retainers 2026
Deadline: 30 June 2026
Sudanese journalists, operating from within the country or from a context of exile and displacement, are facing increasingly severe constraints on their ability to continue public-interest media work. The ongoing conflict has disrupted newsrooms, cut off funding, and placed journalists at significant personal risk, creating a critical gap in access to reliable, independent information for Sudanese audiences both inside and outside the country.
Therefore, as part of the initiative to strengthen access to reliable, public-interest information during an open conflict, the Sudan Media Forum (SMF) and Free Press Unlimited (FPU) are jointly launching a Call for Proposals directed at 60 individual journalists and media professionals for content production retainers. Each retainer is valued at €1,000, with the purpose of producing a package of content to be delivered within a maximum of six months, alongside coaching and training support.
Grant objectives
The retainers under this call aim to:
- Support the production of original, high-quality content (articles, audiovisual, multimedia, and more) that advances independent, pro-peace, pro-democracy, and pro-civilian narratives in Sudan.
- Enable exiled and in-country Sudanese journalists to continue their professional work safely and consistently, without interruption.
- Strengthen conflict-sensitive, gender-sensitive, and inclusive reporting that reaches underrepresented communities and regions.
- Produce content that is disseminated broadly through SMF member organizations and multiple platforms.
- Build capacity and resilience among Sudanese journalists through editorial coaching.
Eligibility criteria
This call is open to journalists, media professionals, and content producers, both SMF member nominees and non-member applicants:
- 40 spots are reserved for candidates nominated by SMF member organisations
- 20 spots are open to external applicants who are not affiliated with SMF member organisations.
All candidates, whether nominated or self-applying, are assessed against the same eligibility and scoring criteria.
Mandatory eligibility criteria (pass/fail).
To be considered, applicants must:
- Be a journalist, media professional, or content creator with demonstrated experience.
- Demonstrate a clear commitment to pro-peace, pro-civilian narratives and rejection of hate speech.
- Not be affiliated with or actively supporting any warring party.
- Show the ability to produce at least one high-quality package content output within 6 months.
- Commit to accuracy, conflict sensitivity, and "do no harm" principles.
All the 5 criteria are mandatory. Any applications that fail to satisfy the mandatory criteria will not proceed to scoring.
What we support
Selected journalists will be contracted to produce content contributing to the SMF website in the newsroom section.
When applying, Applicants must choose one of the following four production packages:
- Video:
- short documentary (max 10 min)
- 3 short-form videos derived from the documentary story
- optional: 2 field coverage pieces via live streaming of events related to the film's core story, featuring the story's protagonists
- Radio/audio:
- Written:
- 1 investigative report based on photos, surveys, interviews, testimonies, documents, interactive info-graphics, and open sources
- 5 info-graphics related to the investigation's findings
- optional: 3 data stories related to the investigation, used for social media promotion alongside info-graphics
- Multimedia:
- 1 interactive story combining video, photos, text, audio, graphics, and a survey, presenting in-depth coverage of a single issue through complementary formats
- 3 short video stories promoting the main content on social media
- 2 info-graphics/caricatures used to promote the main story on social media
All content must be feasible and completed within the 6 months. It must also be safety-aware, and conflict-sensitive.
It is important to note that – when possible – content outputs should be adaptable for multi-platform dissemination (e.g., social media dissemination + long-form)
Added value will go to:
- applications that have a strong inclusion, coverage, or interest in youth (age 20-35), gender equality, and marginalised groups.
- Applications that foresee a collaborative approach to content creation and production
All produced content will be distributed and shared on the official SMF website
Selected journalists will be supported through coaching and the provision of access to a self-paced training course on different topics related to digital security and psychosocial support.
Final payment will be linked to a full report with a list of links to the content produced and sharing of the content itself plus a summary of the production journey, feedback and reflection.
Evaluation criteria and scoring weights
Applications that pass the eligibility check will be scored using the following weighted criteria. All five criteria carry equal weight.
After scoring, the final selection will be reviewed to ensure balanced representation across: gender (minimum 50% women), age (strong inclusion of youth aged 20–35), geographic spread inside Sudan, diaspora representation, and media format diversity.
Decision process
All applications will be reviewed by a Jury using a standardised scoring process. All members of the jury have been selected based on their knowledge of the Sudanese editorial work and the media sector.
The selection follows a structured multi-stage approach:
- Submissions:
- Journalists affiliated with SMF member organisations: if you are a staff member or a regular contributor of an organisation that is part of the SMF, you must have the nomination of your organisation first.
- Journalists who work with non-SMF organisation members can apply directly.
- Initial screening: All applications are checked against mandatory eligibility criteria (pass/fail). Applications not meeting minimum standards do not proceed.
- Scoring: Eligible applications are scored independently using the five weighted criteria.
- Shortlisting: Top candidates are identified based on scores.
- Balancing stage: Adjustments are made to ensure diversity and representation targets are met across gender, age, geography, format, and forum/non-forum balance.
- Final review: The SMF working group validates the final list. The same criteria apply to both forum members and external applicants to ensure fairness and equal opportunity.
- Confirmation: Selected and non-selected participants are notified and application is formalised.
Timeline
- Call announcement/publication: 15.06.2026
- Application deadline: 30.06.2026
- Eligibility check: 03.07.2026
- Review and scoring period: 17.07.2026
- Award communication/confirmation to selected participants: 20.07.2026 (However, we reserve the space to communicate the decision at a later date in case of delays).
- Retainer start date: 01.08.2026
- Retainer end date (6 months): 31.01.2027
Application form and submission requirements
Applicants must submit via the official application form (Google Form) and include all required information, links, and upload a work-plan describing how they will carry out the production (both technically and financially). The template for the Production Work-plan can be found with the call for proposals.
It is mandatory to download the document, fill it, and upload when the application form requires it.
Contact information
For questions or clarifications about this call, please contact: info@freepressunlimited.org.
Please submit your questions before the application deadline.
Complaint mechanism
SMF and FPU are committed to a fair and transparent selection process. Applicants who believe a procedural concern has arisen are encouraged to raise it through the mechanism described below.
What can be raised: Complaints may relate to eligibility rules not applied as published, undisclosed conflicts of interest, procedural errors or deviations, breaches of confidentiality or ethics, or discriminatory conduct in the process.
What cannot be appealed: This mechanism covers process integrity only. Disagreements with scores, rankings, or jury judgments, as well as concerns about funding availability or pre-set strategic priorities, are not admissible.
How to submit a complaint: Complaints must be submitted in writing to the Secretariat at issues@freepressunlimited.org within 10 working days after receiving the notification letters. Anonymous complaints may be considered where they raise serious misconduct concerns.
What to expect. The Secretariat will acknowledge receipt within 3 working days and provide a full response within 15 working days. Identities of all parties involved are protected throughout the process. Retaliation against complainants is strictly prohibited.
A full version of the Formal Complaints and Appeals Policy is available upon request to FPU.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Sudan Media Forum is a coalition of independent media organizations, journalists and aligned CSOs in Sudan. Dedicated to fostering a robust and independent media landscape, the Forum works tirelessly to advance press freedom, promote ethical journalism, and cultivate informed citizenship within a just and democratic society.
Find out more on the SMF website.
Free Press Unlimited is an international press freedom organisation that collaborates with over 300 media partners worldwide. With them, we work on our mission to make independent news and information available to everyone.
Find out more about FPU’s mission on the website.
SMF is the partner in outreach and member coordination. FPU is the contracting organization responsible for this call, including eligibility checks, jury coordination, and issuing contracts.
You can find a complete list of the media outlets on this page. If you are still in doubt, please reach out to your editor-in-chief.
A nomination letter is a document (in PDF) that states that your organisation has nominated you to apply for one of the retainer grants. It will state: the name of the organisation, the name of the nominated journalist, and a signature.
This document will be sent to you by your organisation. If you have questions please approach your organisation.
It depends on your situation:
- If you work for an SMF member organization (full or part time): yes, you need a nomination letter from your organization. Each organization can nominate a maximum of 2 journalists.
- If you are not affiliated with an SMF member: you can apply directly. You will need to provide at least 2 professional references instead.
Membership status will be verified during the eligibility check. This is important to keep in mind if you state that you work for an organisation that is part of the SMF.
If you have received a nomination letter it means your organisation has nominated you to apply for one of the grants. Please save the document to your computer (or mobile phone) and proceed with your application via the Google Form link on the call (It’s in the “Apply now” button)
In the application form, you will be required to upload it.
If your organisation is a part of the SMF but you have not received a nomination letter from them, it means that you have not been nominated and therefore you cannot apply.
All applications from media professionals that are part of the SMF but have not received a nomination letter will be considered ineligible.
If you think you should have received a nomination, please reach out to your organisation and discuss this with them. The nominations are at the discretion of the single organisations, therefore neither the SMF board or FPU have any role in this part of the process.
If you are a freelance media professional not affiliated with the SMF, you do not need a nomination letter and can proceed with the application.
You will be required to insert an email once you start the Google Form. Please make sure the email is valid and one that you frequently access. Once you complete the Google Form, you will receive a confirmation on said e-mail with a copy of your answers.
The Google Form is formulated in a way that every question has an explanation, however, if you experience troubles please reach out to info@freepressunlimited.org and indicate ‘Application for Content Production Retainer’.
The applications are evaluated by a Jury composed of 5 members. All jury members have committed to the utmost professionalism and are selected and operaring to avoid any conflicts of interest.
The SMF board is not involved in evaluating applications or deciding awards. If you have a question about your application or the process, contact FPU directly at info@freepressunlimited.org, not the SMF board.
The results of the call will be communicated on the of 20 July. However, the Jury reserved itself the right to postpone the date in case of an unexpected number of applications or unforseen delays.
No. This is a separate call for individual content production micro-grants/retainers. The emergency support grants were institutional grants directed at SMF member organizations. Differently, this call is directed at individual journalists and media professionals.
Submit a written complaint to issues@freepressunlimited.org within 10 working days of the notification that triggered the concern.
The Secretariat will acknowledge within 3 working days and respond in full within 15 working days. Your identity is protected. Note that disagreements with jury scores or rankings are not admissible.
