Local NGOs and international organizations, including US-based agencies can apply for grants between $500,000 and $2.5 million from the United States Department of State under its Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) program to implement pilot projects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) that can put into use innovative and new technologies of communication for connecting with people, especially the youth in the region. These technologies can include mobile platforms and the internet, which can now be used for promoting democratic practices, civic participation and learning. “In the MENA region, these new technologies offer means to effectively engage youth and difficult to reach or previously unengaged populations. NEA/PI seeks implementers to educate, train, organize, and empower audiences and interlocutors through technologies such as, but not limited to, social networking, digital video conferencing, interactive online learning, widgets, Wiki-functions, mobile applications, and blogging. These efforts should promote civic and political participation; women’s and youth empowerment; or economic and social entrepreneurship.”
The priority areas under the grant program are mentioned below. All proposals should cover any one of them:
- Social networking – platforms, training, applications, or program modules.
- Increasing new media capabilities of civil society – development of information technology capacity among civil society, including individuals, civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and independent media outlets.
- Enhancing online learning – improved access to and dissemination of online curricula, training, and information, including for NGOs and civil society, especially activists and thought leaders
Proposals have to be submitted in the given format, which include the MEPI cover sheet, the proposal narrative and the budget along with the required Standard Forms. All submissions have to be made through grants.gov. The deadline to submit proposals is 23 October 2009. For more information, visit this link.
