Call for proposals - Media Action Jordan MAJOR Collapse

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Free Press Unlimited (FPU) is implementing a project called “Media Action Jordan MAJOR” supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, from 2022 to 2026. 

Note: Media outlets awarded under the previous Media Resilience Grant, who currently have ongoing projects are not eligible to apply. If you submitted a proposal previously and were informed that you were not shortlisted without further feedback, please do not resubmit the same proposal. 
 

Details of the grant

The main objective of this project is to contribute to a safer and more inclusive environment for Jordanian journalists and media outlets, resulting in more diverse media content reaching wider audiences. The overall strategy of the project aims to: 

1. Promote an enabling environment where journalists can work safely.
2. Serve the interests of diverse audiences, with media producing inclusive and relevant content.
3. Enhance the resilience of media through organizational and professional knowledge and skills building.

Among various needs identified within the media sector, independent media actors consistently indicate the need for core support to continue developing organizational and professional capacities, policies and standards. Media outlets also face an urgent need to diversify their revenue streams and increase their resilience to external pressures, changing contexts, and future opportunities. 

As such, FPU has opened a call for core funding grants available to Jordanian media outlets and initiatives. This grant scheme follows an open, accountable and competitive process designed to identify media outlets and new initiatives with clear potential to contribute to development of independent, diverse and inclusive media as a result of the support they receive. Each awarded grant can receive funding up to a maximum budget of 40,000 Euros. 

This call for proposals describes the process for application, evaluation, selection and award of grants to outlets applying for funding through the Media Resilience Grant.

Objectives

The overall objective of the Media Resilience Grant is to provide core funding in order to advance or scale up promising media outlets or innovations seeking to build their organizational capacity and financial sustainability. Producing independent, relevant and inclusive content, these media outlets or initiatives should reach diverse and under-served audiences in Jordan (such as, but not limited to: teenagers and young adults, women and girls, marginalized communities and regions, people with a disability). The grant selection will pay specific attention to inclusive media and embrace new entrants to the sector, with emphasis on supporting innovative outlets and ideas that lead by example. 
 

Type of support 

In addition to financial support, the selected applicants will benefit from knowledge and skills building support based on their needs and challenges, which will be assessed during the selection process.

Throughout the whole project duration (maximum 8 months), the grantees will be expected to produce mid-term and final progress reports, and will receive feedback on their development plans. 
 

Eligibility

Eligible proposals should cover in its activities and expected outcomes at least one of the following objectives: 

1. Developments to improve the newsroom or organizational capacities;
2. Stimulating the production and publication of innovative, inclusive and gender sensitive content, tailored for specific target audience(s);
3. Testing or developing cross-media formats and innovative journalism approaches;
4. Increasing audience engagement with content producers and increasing dialogue (post-production experiences);
5. Experiments to increase or diversify revenue streams from journalistic content.

Eligible costs that can be covered by the grant: 
1. Core operational/editorial costs (rent, staff, administrative expenses);
2. Freelance fees and consultancy costs;
3. Software licenses, data visualization and publishing resources, hosting/streaming server costs (not hardware);
4. Digital/physical safety support, safe working tools or software;
5. Technical/production costs (hiring equipment or crew);

Eligible types of grant recipients: 
1. Media start-ups; 
2. Innovative media initiatives; 
3. Independent media outlets;

The implementation of trainings, fellowships or similar activities aimed at external parties (such as journalists/trainees outside of the media outlet that is applying) are not eligible under this grant. The grant should focus on the resilience of the media outlet, initiative or start-up that is applying for core funding (not a third party). As such, training institutes, media support organizations and similar are not eligible for this grant. 

In addition to the eligibility criteria, the following elements will be given priority in the selection of grantees:

• Innovative - out of the box thinking, new ideas, alliances etc.
• Diversity - inclusion of under-served audiences and marginalized groups; e.g. young adults, women and girls, people with a disability
• Feasibility - clear set of success indicators, time frame, safety indicators, financial strategy
• Impact – measurable change in the organization, content, sector or broader society

Applicants must present clearly defined, measurable and realistic success indicators. Impact on the targeted audiences in Jordan must be demonstrated. 
 

Duration and Budget

The maximum duration of the grant is 8 months. The envisaged start date of the grant is September 2025. 

Proposed budgets must not exceed a maximum of EUR 40,000 and are subject to assessment during the selection process. Shortlisted candidates may be asked to incorporate feedback on the proposal, or present an adjusted and more detailed budget to assure compliance with auditors’ requirements.

Criteria for determining the final budget awarded to selected grantees: 

1. Innovative nature of the proposal;
2. Performance indicators, including qualitative insights into collected data to understad the impact of the proposed activities and timeline;
3. Realistic cost-effective budget, direct relationship between costs and impact;
4. Effectively incorporated feedback on the initial proposal.

Ability to comply with Free Press Unlimited’s procedures

Selected media organisations must demonstrate the ability to fully comply with Free Press Unlimited's operational and reporting procedures. Particular emphasis is placed on the accurate, complete, and timely reporting of project activities, outcomes, and financial expenditures. Organisations are required to submit regular, detailed narrative and financial progress reports that align with FPU’s reporting standards and deadlines.
 

How to apply

Applications (including all templates: proposal, budget, activity plan) must be submitted in English or Arabic to fpumena@freepressunlimited.org following the templates included in this call. Only proposals sent to the above-mentioned email will be considered. Add applicant’s organisation name to each of the template documents submitted. In addition, emails must mention in the subject field “Media Resilience Grant Jordan – [name of your organisation].” The deadline for applications is July 15, 2025 CoB. 

Templates:

Applicants will be informed about the status of their grant request a maximum of one month after submission. The funded projects will start in September 2025. 

Prior to disbursement of the grant, for first time partners, we will request organisational information covering a number of topics, for example, legal status of the applicant organisation, decision-making structure, availability of different polices, financial information, etc. We reserve the right not to proceed with the grant in case the partner information is not adequately provided or in case key information is missing.