Civil Society and Media Activity | 72012224RFA00001

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72012224RFA00001

The Civil Society and Media Activity (CSMA) is a USAID funding opportunity to support a five-year bilateral program in Uzbekistan focused on strengthening the country s civil society and media sectors. The overall purpose is to increase citizen engagement in decision making processes by helping civic actors and media organizations become more capable, resilient, and effective in informing the public, representing community interests, and participating in or influencing policy discussions. This opportunity is framed as a cooperative agreement, which typically means USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation, such as collaboration on technical direction, monitoring, and learning, rather than a hands off grant structure.

USAID plans to make an award to the applicant or applicants that most strongly align with the objectives described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), using merit review criteria and a separate risk assessment. The opportunity is administered by USAID Uzbekistan in Tashkent, and it falls under the Law, Justice and Legal Services activity category with CFDA number 98.001. The funding opportunity is discretionary and is intended for qualified organizations with the capacity to deliver results over a multi year period in Uzbekistan, likely requiring a solid local presence or partnerships, credible safeguarding and compliance systems, and a practical strategy for strengthening institutions and engagement mechanisms.

Eligibility is broad: both U.S. and non U.S. organizations may apply, listed under "Others," which generally signals that a range of entity types may be considered as long as they meet USAID s qualification requirements. The opportunity number is 72012224RFA00001 and the title is Civil Society and Media Activity. The NOFO was created on 2023 12 20, and the original closing date for applications is 2024 05 22. The award ceiling is up to 10,000,000 USD, indicating a single large activity or potentially multiple awards depending on USAID s final determination, although the posting lists "ExpectedAwards" without a specified number.

In practical terms, a competitive application would be expected to present a clear theory of change showing how strengthening civil society organizations and media can translate into more meaningful citizen participation in governance and public decision making. While the short description does not list specific components, activities of this type often include capacity building for civil society groups, support for coalition building and advocacy, assistance to improve organizational governance and sustainability, training and resources for independent or professional journalism, efforts to improve access to information, and initiatives that connect citizens with local or national decision makers through consultations, community forums, or feedback mechanisms. USAID s emphasis on merit review and risk assessment also implies that applicants should be prepared to demonstrate strong financial management, compliance controls, monitoring and evaluation capacity, and an understanding of the operating context in Uzbekistan.

Anyone intending to apply is encouraged to read the full NOFO and all attachments closely, since that is where USAID will specify the required application format, programmatic and cost submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and the exact selection process.

• The Uzbekistan USAID-Tashkent in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Civil Society and Media Activity" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-22. (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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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