2017 Middle East Media Initiative | NEAPPD NEAPPD 17 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for NEAPPD NEAPPD 17 002

The 2017 Middle East Media Initiative is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity designed to strengthen professional ties and shared creative work between media practitioners in the United States and the Middle East. Administered by the Department of State's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Press and Public Diplomacy (NEA/PPD), and developed in consultation with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), the program focuses on practical training and collaborative production efforts involving television, media, and digital professionals. The central aim is to improve the ability of participating professionals to develop compelling content that captures the attention and imagination of audiences across the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on young people, while promoting the idea of a modern and pluralist future.

This opportunity was offered as an open competition under a discretionary grant category, using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument. A cooperative agreement typically signals a closer working relationship with the federal government compared with a standard grant, meaning the Department of State may remain more actively involved in shaping, guiding, or coordinating key aspects of the project as it unfolds. The funding activity category is listed as education, reflecting the initiative's focus on capacity-building, skills development, and professional exchange, rather than purely commercial media production.

The Department stated its intent to make a single award, with an expected total of one cooperative agreement issued. The award ceiling was set at up to $1,500,000, and the project period could extend for up to three years, which suggests the initiative was expected to be sustained over time rather than limited to a short workshop series. In practical terms, that multi-year structure supports an approach where initial trainings can be followed by deeper collaboration, mentorship, iterative content development, and longer-term professional networks that continue beyond one-off events.

Eligible applicants were limited to certain organizational types that can credibly deliver education and exchange programming at scale. These included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions when applying under the nonprofit category). This eligibility set points to the Department's preference for established institutions with demonstrated administrative capacity, experience managing federally funded programs, and the ability to convene media professionals across borders in structured training and collaborative environments.

Key administrative details include the funding opportunity title, "2017 Middle East Media Initiative," and the funding opportunity number "NEAPPD 17 002." The CFDA number associated with the program was 19.021, which corresponds to public diplomacy and international exchange-related assistance activities administered by the Department of State. The opportunity was created on December 14, 2016, and the original application closing date was January 27, 2017, indicating a relatively short application window typical of many annual federal program announcements.

Overall, the initiative can be understood as a public diplomacy and professional exchange effort using media training and joint creative work as the vehicle. By bringing together U.S. and Middle Eastern TV, media, and digital professionals, the program sought to encourage content and storytelling approaches that resonate with younger audiences and present constructive visions of pluralism and modernity, while also building durable professional linkages and capabilities through a multi-year, structured cooperative agreement.

• The Department of State, NEA Office of Press and Public Diplomacy in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2017 Middle East Media Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.021.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 14, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 27, 2017 No Explanation. (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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

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