Applications for the Nigeria Media Innovation Program (NAMIP) are ongoing to support the editorial independence of media organizations by strengthening their financial sustainability.
Funded by MacArthur Foundation, NAMIP seeks to help these media companies increase revenues, test new business models and instill financial discipline so as to reduce the challenges of unsustainable business models, grant dependency, and poor diversity of reliable news and information sources.
Benefits
Winners of the NAMIP Sustainable Challenge will be awarded grants of up to $50,000 for their projects. The programme will provide coaching and tailored technical assistance to these media outlets.
NAMIP will also provide these early-stage outlets and established organizations with the tools they need to develop and continuously revise their models on the path to sustainability.
Interventions will include workshops and training, support from experts/consultants, community sharing and learning, and other bespoke assistance, as well as tools needed to experiment, so these media companies can grow revenues and reach new audiences.
The 3-year programme will support 25 independent media, ranging from early-stage, small scale outlets to larger, more established players, serving both urban and rural audiences of mainstream and underserved populations.
Eligibility
- Existing independent media companies, a non-profit or a new venture can apply
- Mission-driven companies and organizations passionate about trying new approaches to local news and information
- Applicants who don’t have traditional journalism and media backgrounds, particularly from the areas of technology, design and business can apply
- Applicants with independent radio (both community and commercial radio) and TV platforms who are developing unique strategies to reach their audiences can also apply
Note: participants who applied in the first call but were not successful are still eligible to apply again.
Existing independent media companies, non-profit media and new ventures should have projects or news products that address one or more of the following focus areas:
Digital native products: Do you employ new and innovative approaches to collecting news and information, and to reporting, storytelling and distribution, that embrace the possibilities of technology?
Reaching rural communities: Are you developing or have developed innovative approaches to reach and empower people outside of major urban areas, and those generally under-served by existing news media?
Technology innovation for distribution: Are you developing or have developed new media technology that distributes local news in a cost-effective and sustainable way?
New Revenue opportunities: Do you explore innovative solutions to revenue challenges that media companies face – how can we open up new revenue streams to make media organizations more sustainable and independent?
Transition to digital: Are you finding and implementing solutions, products or processes that assist legacy media to transform their businesses?
How to apply
Do you meet the above criteria? Then apply before the deadline on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.
