Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS BUD FY23 AEECA001
The U.S. Ambassador's Independent Media Support (AIMS) Fund is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity run through the U.S. Embassy in Budapest that aims to strengthen independent media and media freedom in Hungary. The program is set up as a cooperative agreement, meaning the selected implementing organization will not just receive funds and operate independently, but will work in regular coordination with the Embassy on key decisions, activities, and monitoring and evaluation. The overall intent is to bolster high-quality journalism and improve the long-term sustainability and resilience of independent Hungarian media outlets, journalists, and media-freedom-focused civil society organizations.
At the center of the program is a re-granting model. The implementing partner is expected to manage a pool of funds and then disburse that money to local sub-recipients (beneficiaries) to cover either planned costs or "rapid response" needs that come up unexpectedly. These supported expenses can include core reporting and production needs, such as travel for journalists and other essential staff to do interviews, research, and on-the-ground reporting, as well as logistical and operational items like translation and transcription, audio/video production costs, equipment or venue rental, and similar reporting-related expenditures. The fund can also cover professional growth and training elements, including short-term non-degree courses, internships, fellowships, and other development programs for emerging journalists or technical staff. For journalists outside the capital, the program specifically contemplates support for transportation, lodging, and per diem-type costs so rural journalists can travel to Budapest for trainings, conferences, consultations, and reporting opportunities.
The opportunity also supports the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that helps independent outlets survive and compete. Eligible cost areas include access fees for research databases and archives, subscriptions and licensing, marketing, financial management tools, consulting services, and relevant software and databases. Digital resilience is another major emphasis, with allowable support for web design, hosting, optimization, mobile app development, and community management. The fund can also pay for legal and administrative expenses tied to essential operations, including costs related to access-to-information efforts, legal proceedings, or administrative processes that affect a newsroom or media support organization. In addition, the program can back broader public-facing media ecosystem activities like journalist trainings, media literacy initiatives, public information campaigns, exhibitions, and the publication of educational materials, including translation into Hungarian. The Embassy may approve other similar activities if they align with the goal of advancing independent journalism and media freedom.
A key requirement is that the implementing partner must create and maintain a clear, efficient, transparent, and publicly available process for sub-recipients to apply for support. In practice, this means the organization running the program needs to publish how funding decisions are made, what the eligibility rules are, how to submit requests, what documentation is required, and how rapid response requests will be handled, while still meeting compliance expectations and protecting sensitive information when necessary. Because funds will flow onward to multiple beneficiaries, the implementing partner must also have strong grants management capacity, including the ability to disburse funds quickly while complying with U.S., Hungarian, and EU regulations.
The implementing partner is expected to be based in Hungary (preferred) or elsewhere in Central Europe, or otherwise demonstrate a substantial local presence that allows for hands-on program management and credible monitoring and evaluation. The Embassy also expects regular consultation on funding decisions and program performance, which is typical for a cooperative agreement structure. The intended sub-recipients fall into three main categories: independent media outlets operating in Hungary, independent civil society organizations or NGOs that advance media freedom in Hungary, and independent educational institutions or entities that provide academic or professional development resources to journalists, students, or other media professionals.
Independence is treated as a strict eligibility concept. For program purposes, an "independent" organization is one that is not directly or indirectly affiliated with, or funded by, a political party, partisan organization, or political candidate. The Embassy retains the authority to make the final determination of whether an applicant or sub-recipient qualifies as independent, which can affect both who receives support and how risk is managed within the portfolio of sub-awards.
In terms of who can apply to run the overall program (the prime applicant), eligibility is broad and includes Hungarian, U.S., or other foreign entities. Examples specifically noted include not-for-profit organizations such as think tanks and NGOs, public and private educational institutions, and public international organizations and governmental institutions. The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Mission to Hungary under CFDA 19.900, listed as a discretionary funding opportunity. The funding opportunity number is PDS BUD FY23 AEECA001, with an award ceiling of $500,000. The opportunity was posted on 2023-05-03 and had an original closing date of 2023-06-30.Apply for PDS BUD FY23 AEECA001
- The U.S. Mission to Hungary in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Ambassador's Independent Media Support (AIMS) Fund" 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 2023-05-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-06-30. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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FAQs: U.S. Ambassador's Independent Media Support (AIMS) Fund (Hungary)
What is the U.S. Ambassador's Independent Media Support (AIMS) Fund?
The AIMS Fund is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity run through the U.S. Embassy in Budapest. Its purpose is to strengthen independent media and media freedom in Hungary by supporting high-quality journalism and improving the long-term sustainability and resilience of independent Hungarian media outlets, journalists, and media-freedom-focused civil society organizations.
Which U.S. government entity runs this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Mission to Hungary (U.S. Embassy Budapest) under the U.S. Department of State.
Is this a grant or a cooperative agreement?
It is structured as a cooperative agreement. That means the selected implementing organization is expected to coordinate regularly with the U.S. Embassy on key decisions, activities, and monitoring and evaluation, rather than operating fully independently after receiving funds.
What is the overall goal of the program?
The intent is to bolster high-quality journalism in Hungary and strengthen the sustainability and resilience of independent media outlets, journalists, and media-freedom-oriented civil society organizations.
What is the central program model (how does funding reach beneficiaries)?
The program is built around a re-granting model. The implementing partner manages a pool of funds and disburses support to local sub-recipients (beneficiaries) for planned needs and for rapid response needs that arise unexpectedly.
What types of expenses can sub-recipients receive support for related to reporting and production?
Supported expenses can include core reporting and production needs such as travel for journalists and essential staff for interviews, research, and field reporting. It can also include translation and transcription, audio/video production costs, equipment or venue rental, and similar reporting-related expenditures.
Does the fund support training and professional development?
Yes. Allowable professional growth elements include short-term non-degree courses, internships, fellowships, and other development programs for emerging journalists or technical staff.
Is there specific support for journalists outside Budapest?
Yes. For journalists outside the capital, the program specifically contemplates transportation, lodging, and per diem-type costs to enable rural journalists to travel to Budapest for trainings, conferences, consultations, and reporting opportunities.
Can the fund support operational and business sustainability needs for independent outlets?
Yes. Eligible areas include access fees for research databases and archives, subscriptions and licensing, marketing, financial management tools, consulting services, and relevant software and databases that help independent outlets survive and compete.
Is digital resilience and online capacity included?
Yes. Digital resilience is a major emphasis, and allowable support includes web design, hosting, optimization, mobile app development, and community management.
Can the program pay for legal and administrative costs?
Yes. It can cover legal and administrative expenses tied to essential operations, including costs related to access-to-information efforts, legal proceedings, or administrative processes that affect a newsroom or a media support organization.
Are broader public-facing media ecosystem activities eligible?
Yes. The program can support journalist trainings, media literacy initiatives, public information campaigns, exhibitions, and the publication of educational materials, including translation into Hungarian. The Embassy may approve other similar activities if they align with advancing independent journalism and media freedom.
What does "rapid response" mean in this program?
The re-granting model is designed to cover both planned costs and rapid response needs that arise unexpectedly. The implementing partner must explain how rapid response requests will be handled as part of its publicly available process.
What is required of the implementing partner regarding the application process for sub-recipients?
The implementing partner must create and maintain a clear, efficient, transparent, and publicly available process for sub-recipients to apply for support. This includes publishing how funding decisions are made, eligibility rules, how to submit requests, what documentation is required, and how rapid response requests will be handled, while still protecting sensitive information when necessary.
What grants management and compliance expectations apply to the implementing partner?
Because funds will be re-granted to multiple beneficiaries, the implementing partner must have strong grants management capacity, including the ability to disburse funds quickly while complying with U.S., Hungarian, and EU regulations.
Where is the implementing partner expected to be located?
The implementing partner is expected to be based in Hungary (preferred) or elsewhere in Central Europe, or to demonstrate a substantial local presence that enables hands-on program management and credible monitoring and evaluation.
Who are the intended sub-recipients (beneficiaries) of the re-grants?
The intended sub-recipients fall into three categories: (1) independent media outlets operating in Hungary, (2) independent civil society organizations or NGOs that advance media freedom in Hungary, and (3) independent educational institutions or entities that provide academic or professional development resources to journalists, students, or other media professionals.
What does "independent" mean for eligibility purposes?
Independence is a strict eligibility concept in this opportunity. An organization is considered "independent" if it is not directly or indirectly affiliated with, or funded by, a political party, partisan organization, or political candidate.
Who makes the final decision on whether an organization is "independent"?
The U.S. Embassy retains the authority to make the final determination of whether an applicant or sub-recipient qualifies as independent.
Who can apply to run the overall program (the prime applicant)?
Eligibility to apply as the prime applicant is broad and includes Hungarian, U.S., or other foreign entities. Examples noted include not-for-profit organizations such as think tanks and NGOs, public and private educational institutions, and public international organizations and governmental institutions.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is PDS BUD FY23 AEECA001.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.900.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $500,000.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. It is listed as a discretionary funding opportunity.
When was the opportunity posted and when was it originally due?
The opportunity was posted on 2023-05-03, and the original closing date was 2023-06-30.
How involved is the Embassy expected to be during implementation?
Because it is a cooperative agreement, the Embassy expects regular consultation on funding decisions and program performance, along with coordination on activities and monitoring and evaluation.
Does the program allow support for both planned activities and unexpected needs?
Yes. The re-granting pool is intended to cover planned costs and rapid response needs that emerge unexpectedly, as long as the supported activities align with advancing independent journalism and media freedom.
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