U.S. Embassy Jakarta Media Small Grants Competition

The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta is offering a Media Small Grants Competition, with awards between $5,000 and $20,000, to support journalism capacity-building projects across Indonesia. The program funds one grantee who will train journalists, student journalists, and community organizations in press freedom, digital freedom, data-driven journalism, investigative journalism, and AI in journalism. Projects must take place in Indonesia, with priority given to work in Sumatra, West Java, Kalimantan, and Papua. The grant comes with specific, measurable targets. The winning project must engage at least 200 Indonesian journalists and community members, with 70 percent of participants demonstrating a new skill. It must also produce at least 40 pieces of public-facing content reaching a combined audience of 5 million people, and strengthen the Embassy's network by engaging at least 10 organizations in the priority regions. The project period runs until these objectives are met, and the recipient will work closely with the Embassy throughout, keeping it informed of any changes to scope, duration, or budget. The U.S. Embassy Jakarta is part of the U.S. Department of State's diplomatic mission in Indonesia. It manages public diplomacy programs, exchange initiatives, and grants that advance U.S. foreign policy priorities in the Indo-Pacific region. This competition specifically supports the Embassy's goal of protecting freedom of speech, digital freedom, and regional security by strengthening the capacity of Indonesian media professionals to report accurately on critical issues like democratic governance, economic development, and emerging technologies. Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country, with over 270 million people and one of the largest social media user bases globally. Journalists there work in a complex media environment where false information, manipulated digital media, and coordinated inauthentic behavior are growing concerns. The grant explicitly requires that any fact-checking or verification activities rely on objectively verifiable evidence and recognized investigative methodologies, including technical approaches for identifying manipulated or AI-generated content. Importantly, the program does not classify policy disagreements or political viewpoints as misinformation simply because they differ from official positions. Eligible applicants are Indonesian nationals who are past or current participants of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs and who work as journalists or directly within the field of journalism. Individuals and teams of individuals may apply. The grant will not fund activities that began with other funds, citizen exchange programs without a U.S. angle, projects involving international travel, political party activities, religious activities, or social welfare projects.