Leveraging Media to Support Togo’s National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Violent Extremism (SNAPLEV) | PDS LOME FY2022 02

Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS LOME FY2022 02

The grant opportunity "Leveraging Media to Support Togo's National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Violent Extremism (SNAPLEV)" is a discretionary U.S. Department of State funding competition run by the U.S. Mission to Togo (U.S. Embassy Lome) through its Public Affairs Section. It sits within the broader U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability announced by the White House on April 1, 2022, which named Coastal West Africa as a priority region and explicitly included Togo alongside Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Guinea. The basic idea is to support stability in Togo by using media literacy as a practical tool for peacebuilding, social cohesion, and prevention of violent extremism.

The opportunity is framed around Togo's changing security context. While Togo has historically been relatively stable compared to some neighbors, the rise in violence linked to violent extremist activity in the Sahel, especially the escalation in Burkina Faso, has increased pressure on bordering countries. The notice highlights that both Togo and Benin have recorded their worst Global Terrorism Index scores to date and cites national-level impacts reported by Togolese officials, including more than 40 military casualties, over 100 civilian deaths, and roughly 2,000 Togolese seeking refuge outside the country. Against that backdrop, the grant is positioned as a preventive effort: strengthening public resilience to manipulation, disinformation, and divisive messaging that can inflame tensions and facilitate recruitment or support for extremist groups.

At the center of the program concept is media literacy awareness for the general public, treated not just as a technical skill but as an educational and cultural approach that can help people navigate information responsibly and interact more constructively across religious and cultural lines. The notice ties this directly to peacebuilding by describing media literacy as a way to create "bridges of understanding" between individuals from different backgrounds. It also references the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in emphasizing that media literacy is especially relevant when the goal is to improve intercommunal understanding. Importantly, the activity is also aligned with Togo's own National Strategy to Prevent and Combat Violent Extremism (SNAPLEV), which explicitly calls for stronger media literacy efforts and deeper collaboration with journalists as part of prevention.

The stated objective of the Notice of Funding Opportunity is to leverage U.S. expertise and the growing U.S.-Togo relationship to support Togo's prevention strategy by using media literacy as a mechanism to reduce vulnerability to extremist narratives and strengthen social cohesion. While the announcement does not list specific required activities in the excerpt provided, the overall intent is clear: fund a program that increases public awareness and practical capability to critically assess information, encourages responsible media consumption and sharing, and supports messaging or engagement that reduces suspicion and hostility among different communities. The emphasis on collaboration with journalists suggests applicants may be expected to involve media professionals, newsrooms, or journalism trainers as partners, and to connect community-level learning with the information ecosystem people actually use.

Eligibility is broad. Applicants may include non-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/NGOs), public and private educational institutions, for-profit organizations, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. A specific note is included for U.S.-based NGOs: they should be able to demonstrate meaningful local expertise in Togo and include local experts to help implement the project, signaling that the Embassy expects contextual knowledge, local language and cultural competency, and credible in-country relationships rather than a fully external, fly-in model.

One practical requirement stands out: applicants are responsible for negotiating any necessary prior agreements with Togolese state institutions to implement the program. The Public Affairs Section may request proof that these agreements are in place. In other words, proposals need to be realistic about government coordination and permissions, and applicants should be prepared to show they have already done the groundwork with relevant Togolese counterparts.

Key administrative details included in the source data are: Funding Opportunity Number PDS LOME FY2022 02; instrument type is a grant; activity category is listed as "Other" under CFDA 19.979; the award ceiling is $250,000; the opportunity was created June 15, 2023; and the original closing date was August 15, 2023. The notice indicates an open competition, meaning proposals are competitively reviewed rather than awarded by invitation, with the Embassy selecting the strongest application(s) based on how well they meet the objectives and feasibility requirements described above.

• The U.S. Mission to Togo in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Leveraging Media to Support Togo’s National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Violent Extremism (SNAPLEV)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.979.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-06-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-08-15. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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