Media Startups Skills: Reshaping Journalism | M NOFO 19 111

Opportunity Information: Apply for M NOFO 19 111

Media Startups Skills: Reshaping Journalism (Funding Opportunity Number: M NOFO 19 111) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to India, focused on strengthening practical, entrepreneurial skills for people working in journalism or preparing to enter the field. The core goal of the program is to deliver hands-on training that helps journalists and journalism students understand and apply "media startup" concepts in ways that can reshape how journalism is produced, sustained, and scaled, especially in fast-changing media markets where business models, audience habits, and digital tools are evolving quickly.

The funded project is expected to organize and implement a total of four workshops, each lasting two days, under the theme "Media Startup Skills: Reshaping Journalism." The target participants are practicing journalists and journalism students, meaning the workshops should be designed to be immediately useful both to professionals already working in newsrooms or independent media and to early-career journalists still building foundational skills. The structure implied by the announcement suggests an intensive short-format training model, likely emphasizing practical application, peer learning, and actionable takeaways rather than purely academic discussion.

Geographically, the program is anchored in Western India, with two workshops scheduled for Mumbai and two for Ahmedabad. Mumbai is highlighted as one of India's largest media markets, which makes it a natural venue for reaching a dense concentration of major outlets, freelancers, digital-first news organizations, and journalism schools. Ahmedabad is described as a tier-II city and an emerging regional hub for journalists and journalism students, indicating the program is intentionally balancing a major national media center with a growing regional ecosystem. Both cities are recognized in the notice as centers for an active press corps, reinforcing that the workshops are meant to engage real-world journalism communities where demand for modern skills and sustainable media approaches is strong.

Timing is a key operational requirement: the workshops are intended to take place in August 2019. Applicants would therefore need to propose a plan that can realistically recruit participants, secure venues, finalize trainers and curriculum, and execute four separate two-day events within that month. The short timeline also implies that the funder is looking for an organization that already has relevant capacity, networks, and experience running professional training programs or similar convenings.

In terms of funding, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $35,000 and anticipates making one award. That budget cap suggests a single implementing partner will be responsible for delivering the full four-workshop series, covering typical project costs such as trainer fees, venue and logistics, training materials, participant support where appropriate, and coordination. Because only one award is expected, the application would need to present a complete, end-to-end implementation plan rather than a partial or pilot concept.

Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations (including those with and without U.S. 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education) and private institutions of higher education. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity categories associated with the notice include community development, education, humanities, and law/justice/legal services, which signals the program sits at the intersection of skills-building, civic information ecosystems, and broader public-interest goals connected to journalism.

Key administrative details include a creation/posting date of June 7, 2019, and an original application closing date of July 15, 2019. The notice also indicates that additional specifications are available in the full announcement under the "related documents" section, implying that important requirements (such as expected curriculum topics, monitoring and evaluation expectations, reporting, participant selection standards, branding/acknowledgement rules, or allowable costs) are likely spelled out in the complete solicitation package.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the community development, education, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Media Startups Skills: Reshaping Journalism" 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 Jun 07, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 2019. (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 $35,000.00 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for M NOFO 19 111

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