Call for Proposals: AOC Small Grant for Media Organisations

UNDP is inviting media-focused civil society organizations to submit proposals for a small grant that aims to advance issue-based reporting by producing high-quality communications content on critical issues related to corporate accountability to the environment and/or climate change. 

A. BACKGROUND

UNDP’s latest business and human rights initiative, the ‘Agents of Change: Youth and Media for Responsible Business Practices’ (AOC), funded by the European Union, seeks to partner with, and empower, youth and media actors to drive accountability and influence policy action in Asia.  By engaging youth and media as mobilizers, the initiative aims to urge policymakers and businesses to address business-related human rights abuses and adverse environmental impacts in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and other global standards. The countries of focus for programming intervention include Malaysia, Indonesia, Mongolia and Thailand.  The objective of the project is to 1) ensure greater engagement with youth on business, human rights and environment (BHR+E) issues, creating the necessary political dynamics that boost implementation of the UNGPs; 2) strengthen the role and deepen the interest of media professionals to cover B+HR and environmental rights issues in a gender responsive manner, thus galvanizing momentum in support to access to effective remedy for abuses of rights in the context of business operations; and 3) raise the scale of dialogue on B+HR issues among media professionals and youth through regional and national dialogues, enriching the enabling environment for the uptake of policy measures that lead to a level playing field for those businesses committed to responsible business practice.

In Malaysia, the Business and Human Rights Agenda continues to advance on key thematic areas – governance, labour and the environment – while underscoring intersectionality and the ways in which specific groups remain vulnerable through impacts on their substantive and procedural rights. Critically, climate change is emerging as a compounding risk, particularly for underrepresented groups such as low-income communities, and migrant workers. These populations often face disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards such as flooding, heat stress, and coastal erosion – underscoring the need for duty bearers such as businesses to assess and mitigate their environmental and human rights risks.

B. THEMATIC AREAS 

AOC aims to bring awareness to crucial community-level issues and explore interventions that have seen success within the local context, specifically those that support responsible business practices that mitigate harm while safeguarding vulnerable communities, through this call for proposal. Application proposals for this grant must align with the following thematic areas: 

Priority areas: 

• Produce a 3-part data storytelling series that highlight critical human or environmental issues covering corporate accountability to the environment and/or climate change in Malaysia, with a focus on successful BHR+E initiatives, policies, or community-led actions;
• Highlight the perspectives of underrepresented communities disproportionately affected by climate/environmental-linked challenges caused by impacts of businesses, featuring local experiences, and incorporating cultural and gender-sensitive approaches;
• Employing new innovative media approaches to storytelling in media outputs, such as long-form “scrollytelling”, visual storytelling (e.g. mini documentary/ video series), and/or data-driven journalism/storytelling to mobilize public awareness and action.

C. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 

• Only non-governmental and independent media-focused civil society organisations registered in Malaysia, active for at least the last 3 years, which promote independent, and quality journalism can apply for this grant.
• Unregistered media collectives or informal groups may also apply, provided they do so in partnership with an eligible registered organization that will serve as the lead applicant and grant recipient.
• Demonstrated experience in producing high-quality, in-depth journalism pieces related to environmental or social issues.
• Able to produce a list of similar projects/samples (minimum of 3) executed over the past three years by the organisation.
• Proposals should be focus on humans or environmental issues related to corporate accountability to the environment and/or climate change and relevant to the local or regional context.
• Proposals should promote positive advocacy approaches to B+HR and the environment.  
• To ensure alignments with the grant's objectives, proposals must include a detailed storyboard outlining their proposed topics, sources, and methodology for review and approval by the UNDP project team before production begins. Proposals must also include a risk assessment addressing potential political, legal, or safety concerns related to their reporting, along with mitigation measures.

D. PROJECT CRITERIA 

Under the small grants programme, UNDP will contribute up to 20,000 USD to one CSO.  

The proposed project activities must be completed by 30 November 2025.

The selection criteria will involve the following elements: 

1. Experience and capacity of the applicant
2. Relevance of the proposal to the theme of the grant
3. Innovation in the proposed storytelling approach
4. Feasibility of project implementation
5. Commitment to inclusive representation

Prior to disbursement of each funding tranche, grant recipients must submit an updated media risk landscape analysis as part of mandatory compliance with grant reporting requirements.

E. ADDITIONAL NOTES 

Selected stories will require prior review and approval by the UNDP project team before publication. While editorial integrity will be respected as much as possible, the primary purpose of the grant is to raise awareness of Business, Human Rights, and Environmental (BHR+E) linkages, which will take precedence over unrestricted editorial freedom.

UNDP retains the final decision to identify suitable topics through stakeholder consultations and risk analysis, accounting for country-specific circumstances when working with media partners and youth initiatives.

F. HOW TO APPLY

Interested organizations must submit the following application documents to the e-mail: anusha.rym@undp.org and cc jehan.wan.aziz@undp.org with the subject “Agents of Change Media Small Grant Application” not later than 27 May 2025. Inquiries can be made using same email addresses.

Application dcouments: 

Fully completed project proposal using the template provided in the download card below. 

Copy of the registration certificate of the applicant organisation

Only successful candidates will be notified by June 2025.