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Overview
| Donor: | Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) |
| Application procedure: | Online Application |
| Donor base: | United States |
| Reference number: | - |
| Eligible applicants: | Non-Profit Organisation, Social Business |
| Deadline: | ongoing |
Financial details
| Grant size: | Medium - up to $1,000,000 |
| Minimum grant size: | - |
| Total available budget: | - |
| Funding type: | Equity, Loans, Other |
| Maximum grant size: | - |
| Funding ratio: | up to 100% |
Sectors
- Governance & Democracy
- Human Rights
- Media & Journalism
- Research, Technology & Innovation
Project Locations
Africa
Botswana, Lesotho, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Zimbabwe
America
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela
Asia
Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal
Europe
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia
Description
1) Objective
Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) was founded in 1995 as Media Development Loan Fund by journalists Sasa Vucinic and Stuart Auerbach. The Fund was driven by the idea to launch a ‘media bank’ to help journalists in countries with a history of media oppression to build sustainable news businesses, strong enough to stay independent of governments, political parties and oligarchs. MDIF invests in independent media around the world providing the news, information and debate that people need to build free, thriving societies.
They provide low-cost capital and technical know-how to help journalists in challenging environments build sustainable businesses around professional, responsible, quality journalism. The Fund is not a grant-maker but provides affordable financing – in the form of loans and equity – to independent news businesses in challenging environments. All loans are backed up by technical assistance, depending on the needs of the news outlet, from developing a business plan to strategic advice.
The applicant must have a reputation for contributing to the provision of unique, credible, independent news, information or debate in the public interest. A significant part of the content produced, delivered or facilitated by the applicant must be (a) news and information (including news reporting, analysis, data, photo-journalism or imaging, audio-visual documentary programming, or similar content), and/or (b) provide a range of political opinions and promote informed societal debate. Such content must be produced, delivered or facilitated with the aim to provide timely, accurate and relevant information and debate that contribute to building a free, thriving society.
2) Eligibility
The applicant must be independent from the government or of any other interest group. The applicant must have a record consistent with the fostering of democratic practices and institutions, political pluralism, transparency, human rights, and dignity and equal rights for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion and other subjects of discrimination.
3) Location
The applicant must work in a country (i) with a history of media oppression or ownership concentration, (ii) that is in a state of democratic transition, and/or (iii) suffers from information poverty.
4) Budget
The amount of assistance is decided based on the details of the project and the project budget plan.
5) Application
To apply for regular MDIF financing, first complete an inquiry form. They will then evaluate whether the organisation meets the basic eligibility criteria for becoming an applicant. If it does, they will start the application process and ask the applicant for more details about the business and the project. Applying for MDIF financing is a detailed process that usually takes several months. They will need to fully understand the business, and applicants need to understand the demands that they will make on them should they be successful, such as completing detailed monthly financial reports. There are no deadlines.