Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS KAZ AST AEECA 23 002
The U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan (Embassy Astana), is offering a discretionary grant opportunity called Legal Support and Education for Media Professionals (Funding Opportunity Number: DOS KAZ AST AEECA 23 002). The program is designed to strengthen Kazakhstan's media environment by combining hands-on legal support for journalists with practical legal education for key groups that affect press freedom and media practice. The central idea is to improve both immediate access to legal protection for media workers and longer-term understanding of media law and journalists' rights, supporting Kazakhstan's broader goals related to democracy and the rule of law.
This opportunity is focused on results that can be clearly demonstrated and measured. Proposals are expected to produce concrete outputs and outcomes rather than primarily hosting one-off events or producing theoretical work. The Embassy signals that projects made up only of conferences, roundtables, academic research, surveys, or writing/publishing books are unlikely to be funded, which points applicants toward service delivery, skills-building, and ongoing monitoring activities that show real-world impact.
The project responds to several identified gaps. While previous efforts to provide legal support to journalists have been useful, the Embassy notes a shortage of legal training materials and instruction available in the Kazakh language for students and legal practitioners, along with a need to better educate law enforcement on journalists' rights. As a result, the preferred project is one that can bridge these needs by delivering legal consultations and representation where appropriate, while also building legal literacy among journalists and content creators, future and current legal professionals, and law enforcement personnel. A strong emphasis is placed on making services accessible in both Kazakh and Russian, with special attention to Kazakh-language capacity.
The target audiences are journalists and other media professionals (including content creators), law students and practicing lawyers, and law enforcement agents across Kazakhstan, including in the regions outside major cities. The implementing organization is expected to be capable of operating nationally, with attorneys either on staff or under contract in all regions of the country. In practical terms, this means the program should not be limited to a single city; it should be able to respond to legal needs wherever journalists are working.
In terms of activities, the grant supports a mix of direct legal assistance and structured training. On the legal aid side, the program should provide timely, comprehensive legal consultations for media workers and related professionals, and it may include pro bono defense attorney services to defend journalists' rights in civil, administrative, or criminal cases when those journalists or outlets were acting in line with international journalism standards and Kazakhstan's laws and regulations. On the training side, the project must deliver education on media rights and responsibilities for journalists and content creators, law students and practitioners, and law enforcement agencies, with the intent of reducing rights violations, improving professional practice, and increasing correct application of the law.
The opportunity lays out three main objectives. First, the project must increase knowledge of legal rights and relevant laws among at least 100 participants by conducting at least six trainings, with at least half of those trainings delivered in the Kazakh language. The training component can include workshops and the translation, printing, or distribution of practical legal materials like books or pamphlets. Second, the project must expand access to legal protection by providing legal services and building a regional database of lawyers who can offer pro bono support; if pro bono support is not feasible in some locations, applicants are expected to propose a workable plan for compensating attorney services. Even though the Embassy does not set a required number of consultations or cases, the implementer is expected to track what is provided, including the types of services delivered and basic demographic information about who is using them. Third, the project must increase public awareness of press freedom violations and related issues through ongoing monitoring and reporting at least quarterly, meaning regular, public-facing updates about trends, incidents, and changes in legal behavior affecting journalists.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a grant with an award ceiling of $101,000, and the Embassy anticipates making up to two awards. The CFDA number is 19.900, and the posting lists eligibility broadly under an "Others" category (with additional eligibility details typically provided in the full notice). The opportunity was created on May 16, 2023, with an original closing date of June 15, 2023. Overall, the Embassy is looking for an implementer that can deliver practical legal protection services, expand legal and rights awareness through multilingual training (especially in Kazakh), and produce consistent monitoring and reporting that documents press freedom conditions in Kazakhstan.Apply for DOS KAZ AST AEECA 23 002
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Legal Support and Education for Media Professionals" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 16, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 15, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $101,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Legal Support and Education for Media Professionals (DOS KAZ AST AEECA 23 002)
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan (Embassy Astana), titled Legal Support and Education for Media Professionals (Funding Opportunity Number: DOS KAZ AST AEECA 23 002). It supports a project that strengthens Kazakhstan's media environment by combining hands-on legal support for journalists with practical legal education for groups that influence press freedom and media practice.
2) What is the overall purpose of the program?
The program aims to improve both:
- Immediate access to legal protection for media workers (legal consultations and, where appropriate, legal representation), and
- Longer-term understanding of media law and journalists' rights through structured training and practical materials.
It is framed as supporting broader goals related to democracy and the rule of law in Kazakhstan.
3) What kinds of results does the Embassy expect?
The opportunity is focused on results that can be clearly demonstrated and measured. Proposals are expected to generate concrete outputs and outcomes, not just hold one-time events or produce primarily theoretical work.
4) What types of projects are unlikely to be funded?
The Embassy indicates that projects made up only of conferences, roundtables, academic research, surveys, or writing/publishing books are unlikely to be funded. The direction is toward service delivery, skills-building, and ongoing monitoring activities with real-world impact.
5) What gaps or needs is this project meant to address?
The opportunity responds to identified needs, including:
- A shortage of legal training materials and instruction available in the Kazakh language for students and legal practitioners
- A need to better educate law enforcement on journalists' rights
- A continued need for practical, timely legal support to journalists
6) Who are the target audiences?
The target audiences include:
- Journalists and other media professionals (including content creators)
- Law students and practicing lawyers
- Law enforcement agents across Kazakhstan
The opportunity also emphasizes reaching people in regions outside major cities.
7) Is the project expected to operate nationwide or can it be limited to one city?
The implementing organization is expected to be capable of operating nationally across Kazakhstan, including regions outside major cities. In practical terms, the program should not be limited to a single city and should be able to respond to legal needs wherever journalists are working.
8) What legal capacity is the implementing organization expected to have?
The implementer is expected to have attorneys either on staff or under contract in all regions of the country. This is tied to the requirement to provide access to legal services beyond major cities.
9) What types of legal assistance are supported under this grant?
The grant supports direct legal assistance, including:
- Timely, comprehensive legal consultations for media workers and related professionals
- Potential pro bono defense attorney services to defend journalists' rights in civil, administrative, or criminal cases, when journalists or outlets were acting in line with international journalism standards and Kazakhstan's laws and regulations
10) Does the grant require pro bono legal services everywhere?
The project is expected to build a regional database of lawyers who can offer pro bono support. If pro bono support is not feasible in some locations, applicants are expected to propose a workable plan for compensating attorney services.
11) What types of training or education activities are required?
The project must deliver education on media rights and responsibilities for:
- Journalists and content creators
- Law students and legal practitioners
- Law enforcement agencies
The intent is to reduce rights violations, improve professional practice, and increase correct application of the law.
12) Are there specific training targets the project must meet?
Yes. One objective is to increase knowledge of legal rights and relevant laws among at least 100 participants by conducting at least six trainings, with at least half of those trainings delivered in the Kazakh language.
13) Are materials like books or pamphlets allowed?
Yes. The training component can include the translation, printing, or distribution of practical legal materials such as books or pamphlets. However, projects that are only about writing/publishing books (without practical service delivery and measurable outcomes) are signaled as unlikely to be funded.
14) What languages should the project use?
Services are expected to be accessible in both Kazakh and Russian, with special emphasis on strengthening Kazakh-language capacity (including training and materials).
15) Is there a required number of legal consultations or court cases the project must handle?
The Embassy does not set a required number of consultations or cases. Even so, the implementer is expected to track what is provided, including the types of services delivered and basic demographic information about who is using them.
16) What kind of monitoring and reporting is required?
The project must increase public awareness of press freedom violations and related issues through ongoing monitoring and reporting at least quarterly. This implies regular, public-facing updates on trends, incidents, and changes in legal behavior affecting journalists.
17) What are the three main objectives of the opportunity?
The opportunity outlines three main objectives:
- Training objective: At least 100 participants trained via at least six trainings, with at least half in Kazakh; materials may be translated/printed/distributed.
- Legal protection objective: Expanded access to legal services, plus a regional pro bono lawyer database (or a compensation plan where pro bono is not feasible), with tracked service delivery and basic user demographics.
- Public awareness objective: Ongoing monitoring and at least quarterly reporting on press freedom violations and related trends.
18) How much funding is available?
The award ceiling is $101,000.
19) How many awards does the Embassy expect to make?
The Embassy anticipates making up to two awards.
20) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.900.
21) Who is the funding agency and which office is administering this opportunity?
The funding is offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan (Embassy Astana).
22) What is the opportunity number and official title to reference?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DOS KAZ AST AEECA 23 002, and the title is Legal Support and Education for Media Professionals.
23) What is the project expected to do for law enforcement?
The project includes training and education intended to improve law enforcement understanding of journalists' rights, with the goal of reducing rights violations and improving correct application of the law.
24) Is the grant focused more on theory or on practical implementation?
The grant is clearly oriented toward practical implementation, including direct legal assistance, skills-building trainings, development/distribution of practical materials, and ongoing monitoring with regular reporting.
25) What were the key dates listed for this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was created on May 16, 2023, with an original closing date of June 15, 2023.
26) What does the eligibility category say?
The posting lists eligibility broadly under an "Others" category (with additional eligibility details typically provided in the full notice).
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