FY 2017 U.S. - Pakistan Professional Partnership for Journalists in Urdu Program | ECA ECAPEC 17 029

Opportunity Information: Apply for ECA ECAPEC 17 029

The FY 2017 U.S. - Pakistan Professional Partnership for Journalists in Urdu Program is a U.S. Department of State exchange grant opportunity run through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically the Office of Citizen Exchanges and its Professional Fellows Division. The program is set up as a two-way professional exchange focused on journalists working in Urdu, with the broader aim of strengthening mutual understanding between the United States and Pakistan through direct, structured collaboration among media professionals. Rather than being a general media training grant, it is designed as a partnership-style fellowship and exchange that builds skills while also creating durable professional networks between participants in both countries.

Programmatically, the exchange is centered on practical and ethics-driven journalism competencies. Core topics include modern newsgathering strategies, media ethics, journalist safety in conflict or high-risk environments, investigative reporting methods, and an understanding of the business side of journalism in the United States. The intent is to expose participants to professional standards and practices that can be applied in their home news environments, while also creating a space for candid peer-to-peer engagement about shared challenges such as credibility, verification, safety protocols, and the pressures facing independent reporting.

A key feature of the opportunity is the emphasis on structured interaction between American and Pakistani journalists. This is not limited to classroom-style instruction; it is meant to foster sustained professional ties and long-term relationships. In practice, this kind of ECA exchange programming typically prioritizes collaborative activities, professional meetings, and relationship-building that continues after the formal exchange ends, so that participants remain connected and can share resources, ideas, and opportunities across borders.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary federal funding opportunity issued as a cooperative agreement, meaning the U.S. government is expected to have a more involved role than it would under a standard grant, often through ongoing collaboration, oversight, and programmatic input during implementation. The opportunity is cataloged under CFDA 19.415, and the funding opportunity number is ECA ECAPEC 17 029. The total award amount could be as high as $600,000 (award ceiling), with the application closing date listed as May 22, 2017, and the opportunity originally posted on March 23, 2017.

Eligible applicants are organizations capable of designing and running an international exchange program of this type. The announcement lists public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), and other eligible entities. In practical terms, applicants would typically be expected to demonstrate experience with exchange programming, journalist training or professional development, participant selection and support, logistical coordination, and the ability to carry out a two-way engagement model that produces measurable professional outcomes and sustainable connections.

Overall, the grant opportunity is aimed at using professional journalism exchange in Urdu as a bridge for public diplomacy and professional capacity-building. It combines skills development (ethics, safety, investigative methods, and media business literacy) with the longer-term goal of building trusted networks between U.S. and Pakistani journalists, supporting a more informed, resilient, and professionally connected media community in both countries.

• The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2017 U.S. - Pakistan Professional Partnership for Journalists in Urdu Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.415.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-03-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-05-22. (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 $600,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for ECA ECAPEC 17 029

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