Investigative Journalism to Counter Disinformation: A Regional Language Media Initiative | C NOFO 20 103

Opportunity Information: Apply for C NOFO 20 103

The grant opportunity titled "Investigative Journalism to Counter Disinformation: A Regional Language Media Initiative" is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to India) funding program administered through the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai. It is designed as a public diplomacy project that strengthens investigative reporting capacity among regional-language journalists in South India, with the broader goal of reducing the impact of disinformation and misinformation in the media ecosystem. The program emphasizes practical verification and investigative techniques, aiming to help journalists more confidently authenticate photos, videos, and datasets while producing stronger accountability reporting that can serve as a direct counterweight to false or misleading narratives.

The core focus is skill-building for non-English language media professionals working in Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. The project is structured to reach 45 journalists across South India and includes instruction from a visiting U.S. subject matter expert, supplemented by additional U.S. counterparts who would participate remotely through digital video conferences. Beyond training sessions, the initiative also seeks to expand awareness and use of the recently published Countering Disinformation Handbook by introducing it to a wider audience of working journalists and, indirectly, to journalism educators and students through shared curriculum materials.

The opportunity sets clear, outcome-based objectives. First, it requires the training of 45 regional language journalists in investigative journalism methods and disinformation-countering practices, combining in-person expertise from a U.S. speaker with virtual engagement from other U.S.-based specialists. Second, it expects real-world reporting outputs: each participant must publish at least one investigative article focused on disinformation or misinformation, written in Tamil, Malayalam, or Kannada, within three months after the training concludes. Third, it requires each participant to submit at least one example of a fact-checked item, which can be in text, video, audio, or photographic form. These fact-check examples are meant to serve two purposes: they can be incorporated into the training curriculum as model materials, and they can be used by the participants' media outlets to raise public awareness about how disinformation and misinformation spread and how they can be identified.

Another important element is the creation or contribution to a curriculum on investigative journalism that can be shared with journalism departments in South India. This signals that the program is not just aimed at one-time professional development, but also at leaving behind training assets that can be reused by academic institutions, helping embed investigative and verification skills into longer-term journalism education pipelines.

From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument is a grant (listed as a grant/cooperative agreement in the narrative), categorized under discretionary funding and aligned with an education activity category. The assistance listing is CFDA 19.040. The program anticipates making one award, with a maximum award amount (ceiling) of $65,000. The funding opportunity number is "C NOFO 20 103." The posting indicates an original closing date of May 22, 2020, and a creation date of March 23, 2020.

Eligibility is limited to legally recognized non-profit, non-governmental organizations that can meet both U.S. and Indian technical and legal requirements. In the provided eligibility field, it specifies nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education). In practice, that points toward established nonprofit implementers capable of designing and running journalism training programs, coordinating expert participation, managing participant selection and outputs, and delivering tangible deliverables like published investigations, fact-check exemplars, and sharable curriculum modules.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Investigative Journalism to Counter Disinformation: A Regional Language Media Initiative" 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 Mar 23, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 22, 2020. (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 $65,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for C NOFO 20 103

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