Promoting Media Literacy | BER NOFO FY21 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for BER NOFO FY21 001

The "Promoting Media Literacy" grant opportunity is an open funding competition run by the U.S. Embassy Berlin's Public Affairs Section (PAS) to support innovative media literacy projects carried out in Germany. The Embassy is looking for modern, technology-forward training concepts that help German participants become more critical and informed consumers and creators of information in a complex media landscape. Awards are expected to be capped at USD 30,000, with projects designed to run for one year or less, depending on whether proposed goals are met and funds are available.

At its core, the program is meant to strengthen media literacy through practical training that helps people recognize how media is produced, how credibility can be evaluated, and how messages are designed to influence audiences. Projects are encouraged to address some or all of three broad topic areas: (1) media production and credibility (for example, how information is sourced, framed, edited, or amplified, and what signals may indicate reliability or manipulation), (2) messages and intended effects (such as persuasive techniques, emotional triggers, rhetorical strategies, or how media can shape opinions and behavior), and (3) representation (including how different groups, identities, and viewpoints are portrayed in mass and social media, and what biases or gaps may exist). The Embassy emphasizes that participants should leave the training better able to assess the credibility and intentions of media originators, understand how media content can affect attitudes and feelings, and behave responsibly when they create, share, or circulate information themselves.

The opportunity gives applicants substantial flexibility in how they design the program. There are no strict requirements for the format, the exact audience, the number of sessions, the structure of workshops, or the specific materials to distribute. Instead, applicants are expected to propose an approach that is immersive, engaging, and grounded in a clear theory of change, meaning the proposal should explain why the chosen activities and target audience are likely to produce measurable improvements in media literacy. The Embassy signals that it will give extra consideration to proposals that thoughtfully identify high-impact audiences and locations for trainings, and to project designs that aim for sustainability so the benefits continue beyond the grant period (for instance, training multipliers, building reusable curricula, creating scalable digital modules, or establishing partnerships that outlast the funding).

A key expectation is that funded projects will not only deliver training, but also generate usable evidence about who is being reached and what changes the project produces. Applicants are therefore expected to include measurement and evaluation plans that can show effectiveness, such as pre- and post-assessments, participant surveys, behavioral intention measures, qualitative feedback, or other methods that produce actionable insights. The Embassy specifically wants data on participant demographics and attitudinal profiles, along with credible indicators of whether the trainings improved participants' ability to judge credibility, understand message tactics, and reflect on representation issues and personal responsibility in the media environment.

The organization that receives the award (referred to as the implementer) is responsible for the full cycle of delivery: designing the media literacy curriculum, selecting suitable venues, recruiting and managing participant outreach, running the sessions, and evaluating results. Applicants may define their target audiences themselves as long as the choice is supported by a coherent rationale. Methodologically, the Embassy encourages state-of-the-art educational techniques and the strategic use of technology, suggesting a preference for approaches that go beyond passive lectures and instead use hands-on exercises, interactive simulations, real-world case analysis, and other modern learning models.

From a budgeting and compliance perspective, applicants can request the amount they genuinely need as long as it does not exceed the USD 30,000 ceiling. If an applicant does not have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA), indirect costs may be charged using the 10 percent de minimis rate applied to modified total direct costs (with certain categories excluded, such as equipment, capital expenditures, some rental costs, scholarships/fellowships, and the portion of subawards over USD 25,000). Budget reallocations can be allowed if circumstances change, but shifts must be reasonable, justified, and communicated to the grants officer in advance. Applicants may use a reasonable near-market exchange rate for currency conversions. The Embassy also notes that the U.S. fiscal year end does not impose extra restrictions on the implementer regarding when activities occur or are accounted for.

There are also clear administrative constraints. Applications cannot be submitted late. SAM.gov registration may be obtained after the application deadline, but an active registration is required before the U.S. government can finalize and obligate the award. The eligible applicant pool includes government entities at multiple levels, public and state-controlled higher education institutions, and nonprofits both with and without U.S. 501(c)(3) status, as reflected in the opportunity listing (CFDA 19.040; activity category: Education; agency: U.S. Mission to Germany; funding instrument: Grant).

Finally, the Embassy identifies categories of activities that are not a fit for this funding. These include social welfare projects; paying to complete activities that were started with other funds (though new activities building on lessons learned from earlier projects can be acceptable); partisan or electoral campaign-related activities; exchange programs; one-time standalone events like a single conference or roundtable (while a structured series of workshops within a broader program concept is acceptable); medical research and clinical studies; and cultural presentations, cultural research, cultural clubs, or festivals. Overall, the opportunity is geared toward practical, well-evaluated media literacy training initiatives in Germany that use modern teaching methods, reach thoughtfully selected audiences, and produce measurable learning outcomes and insights.

• The U.S. Mission to Germany in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Promoting Media Literacy" 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 2020-12-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-02-05. (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 $30,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, 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.

Apply for BER NOFO FY21 001

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