FY 2023 Digital Connections Program

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The Office of Citizen Exchanges at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposals for the FY 2023 Digital Connections Program (Digital Connections) in Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere. U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to conduct this unique exchange program designed to counter new and emerging digital threats from authoritarianism, the weaponization of information, and the undermining of democratic values by malign actors. Digital Connections provides a framework for developing, fostering, and connecting human networks of likeminded digital activists, entrepreneurs, educators, media professionals, and influencers. It is anticipated that this cooperative agreement will support four to six distinct “on-demand” or rapid response projects, including at least one U.S.-based exchange, and provide direct support to the Digital Communication Network (DCN) to continue program activities in select regions. Virtual and in-person rapid response programming (including international exchanges, network creation/activation, and global activities, Digital Connections projects and initiatives) will support information integrity to counter emerging threats to economic, environmental, political, and social systems stemming from disinformation, malinformation, and misinformation. Digital Connections advances U.S. foreign policy goals by harnessing the power of networks, in partnership with U.S. embassies and consulates around the world and across the U.S. State Department, to leverage resources, share knowledge and expertise, and crowdsource solutions that foster societal resilience to disinformation, online hate, and harassment and promote healthy, inclusive information ecosystems. Digital Connections will act as the primary program through which ECA will engage and support the DCN, a network of communication professionals, educators, civil society leaders, content creators, designers, developers, journalists, gamers, opinion leaders, and technology specialists working across borders, to translate ideas into digital platforms, address the root causes of malign information, and shape the information landscape. Of the total $2,575,000 in funding, $1,575,000 is intended to directly support ECA’s engagement with the DCN and DCN activities. See A.3.f. DCN in the NOFO for more information. Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant organization. See Section C.2. Other Eligibility Requirements in the NOFO for important eligibility details.

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