Media Training Program FY2024 | TIRMEDIATRAINING1FY24

Opportunity Information: Apply for TIRMEDIATRAINING1FY24

The Media Training Program FY2024 is a U.S. Embassy Tirana (U.S. Department of State) funding opportunity focused on strengthening investigative journalism capacity in Albania. The core aim is to raise the skills of Albanian journalists and journalism students so they can more effectively serve as watchdogs over government institutions and public spending. By improving reporting quality and professional practice, the program is designed to support a better-informed public and encourage greater transparency and accountability from Albanian public institutions.

The opportunity prioritizes practical training and support that leads to more independent, well-researched journalism. Proposals are expected to address concrete skill-building for journalists and students, especially in producing investigative work that can uncover wrongdoing, document misuse of public resources, and explain institutional decision-making clearly. A strong emphasis is placed on improving the quality of investigative stories across formats, including print, broadcast, and multimedia, signaling that the Embassy is looking for programs that reflect modern newsroom needs such as digital storytelling, verification techniques, and audience-oriented presentation of complex investigations.

A key element is independence: the program specifically highlights the need for venues or environments where journalists and journalism students can participate in investigative efforts free from political or economic pressure. That can include structured investigative labs, mentorship-based reporting projects, training-centered newsrooms, or other organized spaces that protect editorial integrity and encourage rigorous work. The program also explicitly calls for training grounded in U.S./Western professional standards and ethics, which points toward content such as accuracy and verification, source protection, conflicts of interest, fairness, anti-corruption reporting practices, and responsible investigative methods.

In terms of eligibility and geography, the program is limited to Albanian not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations. U.S. organizations and individuals are not eligible to apply, so applicants must be Albania-based entities that fit the non-profit profile. The project is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the funder expects an active partnership role during implementation rather than a hands-off grant relationship.

The funding details indicate a single award is expected, with a maximum (ceiling) of USD 100,000. The opportunity is listed under the U.S. Mission to Albania with CFDA number 19.900, and the closing date for submissions was February 16, 2024. Overall, the program is structured to produce measurable improvements in investigative reporting skills, expand independent investigative opportunities, and ultimately strengthen media accountability functions within Albania.

• The U.S. Mission to Albania in the humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Media Training Program FY2024" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-16. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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