Applications call for Facebook South Africa COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Application.

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) is partnering with the Facebook Journalism Project (FJP) to administer nine grants to independent local news organizations in South Africa that are producing quality journalism amidst the COVID-19 crisis. This grant program will provide urgent financial support for independent publishers with a special focus on investigative journalism and local news organizations that are providing trustworthy information about COVID-19.

Grants

• Two grants of $35,000 for publishers with 40 or more staff members
• Seven grants of $10,000 for publishers with less than 40 staff members

Eligibilities

• Independent nonprofit or for-profit local news organizations with their principal place of business located in South Africa.
• Publishers must not be part of a business consortium, large media groups, or government-funded.
• Candidates should have been in operation for two years or more.
• Employ at least five full-time journalists.
• Facebook pages and Instagram accounts are in compliance with Facebook community standards and partner monetization policies.

Ineligiblities 

Applicants for Facebook South Africa COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Application must not

• Discriminate based on race, gender, faith, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.
• Carry on propaganda or otherwise attempt to influence specific legislation.
• Influence the outcome of any specific public election or to carry on, directly or indirectly, any voter registration drive.
• Be on a government web-based watch list of banned entities or employ, deal with, or otherwise be associated with any individuals on such lists, or aid or support any entities or whom it knows or believes to support terrorism.
• Be a state media company, or a state-supported or funded news foundation as well as be primarily a research organization, rather than a news organization.

Selection Criteria

• Serve immigrant, rural, underserved, and economically disadvantaged communities.
• Represent areas where COVID-19 impact is particularly acute.
• Actively covering COVID-19 and producing original news content related to COVID-19.
• Clearly and candidly explain the grant’s contribution to their organization’s long-term viability.
• Are family- or community-owned or independent.
• Have an established digital reader revenue business model.
• Have not yet received grant support from the Facebook Journalism Project in 2020.

Application Materials 

Each application  for Facebook South Africa COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Application must include the following:

• A description of how grant funds will be used.
• A budget outlining how the funds will be used.
• Contact information.
• Organization information, including the number of employees and a link to your website.
• If applicable, samples of your best coronavirus coverage.
• The grant will be a one-time award and will require the grant recipient to return a follow-up report on grant impact 90 days after receipt of the funding.

 Apply Now