Supporting Civil Society in Bahrain | NEAAC ACBURGR 16 006

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Supporting Civil Society in Bahrain (NEAAC ACBURGR 16 006)

What is the "Supporting Civil Society in Bahrain" grant opportunity?

It is a U.S. government grant opportunity issued by the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC). The Funding Opportunity Number is NEAAC ACBURGR 16 006, and it was offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement.

What is the main purpose of this program?

The program is designed to strengthen citizens' ability to engage constructively in public life in Bahrain. It focuses on helping people and organizations advocate for government action on issues that matter to them, communicate and debate those issues in productive ways, and build effective public-private partnerships.

What types of outcomes was the program trying to achieve?

In practical terms, the opportunity emphasized improving how civil society actors organize, communicate, and collaborate so that public concerns can be raised through channels that are more informed, professional, and solution-oriented.

What approaches or tracks were projects expected to use?

Projects were expected to pursue the program goals through one of two main approaches: (1) professionalizing Bahraini media, or (2) strengthening social accord through civic engagement.

What does the "professionalizing Bahraini media" approach focus on?

This approach emphasizes technical training and the fundamentals of responsible journalism in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) context. It implies activities such as strengthening reporting skills, ethical standards, and fact-based coverage, with the aim of improving the quality and credibility of information in the public sphere.

What kinds of activities were implied under the media professionalization approach?

The description suggests activities like technical journalism training, reinforcing ethical and responsible journalism standards, improving reporting and verification practices, and supporting more fact-based coverage and core professional practices.

What does the "strengthening social accord through civic engagement" approach focus on?

This track emphasizes civic engagement efforts that encourage participation, dialogue, and community-based problem solving. Competitive proposals under this approach would likely prioritize initiatives that reduce polarization, improve communication across social groups, and create constructive, sustainable spaces for collaboration on shared concerns.

What kinds of activities were implied under the civic engagement approach?

The opportunity points to initiatives that support participation and dialogue, facilitate communication across different social groups, reduce polarization, and enable community-based problem solving and collaboration around shared issues.

Is the program limited to one approach, or can an applicant choose?

Based on the notice, projects were expected to reach the program goals through one of the two main approaches described, meaning applicants would generally align their proposal primarily with either the media professionalization track or the civic engagement/social accord track.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was broad and included U.S. and foreign non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, small businesses, private and public institutions of higher education, and public international organizations.

Were any applicants especially encouraged to apply?

Yes. NEA/AC strongly encouraged applications from civil society organizations headquartered in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, indicating a preference for locally grounded leadership and regional expertise.

Could organizations based outside the MENA region apply?

Yes. International non-governmental organizations based outside MENA were also encouraged to apply, reflecting openness to partnerships that bring specialized experience or training capacity, particularly in journalism and related technical areas.

What type of award instrument was used?

The solicitation described the award as a cooperative agreement, and it was characterized as a discretionary award.

How much funding was available per award?

The opportunity listed an award ceiling of up to $1,000,000.

How many awards were expected?

The opportunity indicated an expectation of making two awards.

Which assistance listing (CFDA) was referenced?

The assistance listing referenced CFDA 19.600.

What activity categories did the opportunity align with?

The activity categories aligned with law, justice, and legal services as well as regional development, consistent with the program focus on civic participation, public discourse, and public-private collaboration.

When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on May 11, 2016.

What was the application closing date?

The original application closing date was June 10, 2016.

What geographic focus did the program target?

The program targeted Bahrain, with a strong emphasis on strengthening civil society actors and public-life engagement within the country.

Does the opportunity emphasize advocacy, dialogue, or partnerships?

All three. The program description explicitly highlights helping citizens and civil society advocate for government action, communicate and debate issues in productive ways, and build effective public-private partnerships.

How does this program define "constructive" engagement in public life?

From the description provided, constructive engagement is tied to informed, professional, and solution-oriented channels for raising public concerns, along with productive communication and debate and collaborative approaches such as public-private partnerships.

What is the significance of the MENA context mentioned in the media track?

The media approach explicitly references responsible journalism fundamentals in the Middle East and North Africa context, signaling that training and standards were expected to be relevant to regional realities and professional norms applicable to MENA.