ERIM: Grants for countering disinformation and hate speech during electoral processes in the Republic of Moldova

BACKGROUND

 ERIM (Equal Rights and Independent Media) is an international NGO based in Lyon, France. We work to strengthen and empower civil society and independent media, to promote human rights and to increase critical thinking.

“ProElect - Promote accountability in Electoral processes in EaP through increased participation and capacity of civic actors” is a regional project run by the Transatlantic Foundation in partnership with ERIM and funded by the European Union. The project aims to ensure that civil society actors in the Eastern Neighborhood are engaged, capable and knowledgeable in monitoring elections and promoting democratic accountability mechanisms.

 The purpose of the call is to enhance the capacity of independent media actors and civil society organisations in the Republic of Moldova to implement electoral observation and monitoring activities, to increase public awareness of disinformation campaigns, to counter hate speech, and to build trust in the electoral process.

You can find more information about ERIM’s mission and vision here and about the project here.

WHO CAN APPLY

 The call is open to independent media actors and civil society organisations, active in the field of civic engagement, community level support and civic education that are working to ensure free and credible elections, promote political participation and fight against hate speech and disinformation within the upcoming election cycles within the Republic of Moldova.

Priority will be given to applications from organisations that have not already received our support. We strongly encourage organisations led by LGBTQIA+ people, women, or marginalised communities to submit a proposal. Applications from political or religious organisations will not be considered.

 WHAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR

 Grants for raising awareness of and countering disinformation and hate speech during electoral processes. Project proposals may include (but are not limited to) activities that:

• Analyze and counter disinformation campaigns and fake news, including through fact-checking, including in collaboration with influencers on social media;
• Promote pro-democratic narratives and positive narratives of civil society organisations and their contribution to democracy;
• Monitor and report on campaign and party financing, new election technologies, or the abuse of state resources for electoral purposes;
• Provide a professional, comprehensive, and objective assessment of political diversity and balance in the news;
• Amplify independent media coverage of electoral processes;
• Build trust in the electoral process;
• Support or collaborate with public institutions and/or security experts to enhance electoral processes;
• Promote awareness about CSOs and media’s election observation wor

These grants can support activities including (but not limited to): Media monitoring, Research (combined with Advocacy), Public awareness campaigns, Social media campaigns (including in collaboration with influencers), Trainings (for journalists, activists, public institutions or security experts), Roundtables and public discussions, Pop-up stations with election information, Development of fact-checking applications or AI tools (e.g. for automatic recognition and classification of disinformation materials), Real-time reporting tools,  Artistic and Cultural projects, etc.

Projects involving local influencers to raise public awareness of disinformation campaigns, counter hate speech, and build trust in the electoral process are strongly encouraged.

Capacity Development. Organisations are welcomed to include some elements of capacity development that will complement their other activities, so as to be in a stronger position to promote free and fair elections. In this perspective, additional budget (up to 7,000 EUR) may be requested for specific capacity development activities. Such activities may include:

• Training courses in areas such as governance, public relations, strategic planning, financial management and sustainability solutions (such as increased monetisation), volunteer systems, advocacy and communication, Artificial Intelligence, IT and digital security, etc.;
• Consultancy and mentorship in developing or improving policies, strategies, structures, or processes;
• Subscription to specialised software or development of digital tools, both for internal processes and for activities related to election monitoring.

Pre-selected applicants with a capacity development component included in their proposal may be requested to submit a brief capacity assessment prior to contracting.

Please note that the action plan of the project could be flexible and potentially revised with you after selection, taking into account the rapid changes in the electoral environment.

 BUDGET AND DURATION

Project grants for countering disinformation may go up to EUR 25,000. Additional budget (up to EUR 7,000) will be available for capacity development.

The minimum duration of a project is 6 months and the maximum duration is 12 months. Projects are expected to start in May 2025.

ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Minimum Eligibility Criteria:

• Applicants must be registered in accordance with Moldovan law.
• Applicants must have been active for the last 2 years, at least.
• Applicants must have at least 2 full-time staff members.
• The applicant’s statute and mission must be in line with democratic and human rights principles.
• The applicant must have experience in implementing actions dedicated to monitoring and observing electoral disinformation or in implementing similar projects.

 More information on Selection criteria can be found at the following LINK 

HOW TO APPLY

The application forms can be downloaded at the following LINK or can be requested by e-mail: proelect.eap@proton.me.

Applications should be submitted in word, in Romanian or English. They must be sent by email to proelect.eap@proton.me by March 24, 2025, 18:00 local time. Please state in the subject line “ProElect_countering disinformation”.

ERIM will organize a Q&A session on March 12, 2025, at 15:00 (local time). To participate, please register via this LINK and submit your questions

All questions regarding this call shall be addressed at proelect.eap@proton.me. Questions, comments, and requests for clarification will not be accepted after March 17, 2025. ERIM is not obliged to provide clarifications to questions received after this date. The answers will be given no later than 5 days before the deadline for the applications submission.