DCMS Launches Media Literacy Taskforce Fund

Grants are available to support projects piloting new methods of delivering media literacy interventions to ‘hard to reach’ citizens across England.

The Media Literacy Taskforce Fund is providing funding to organisations piloting new methods of engaging ‘hard to reach’ citizens with media literacy initiatives. Media literacy is described as the ability to apply critical thinking skills to the messages transmitted through mass media, including print, video and the internet.

The scheme will fund pilot projects that will work through communities to engage citizens in ways that are tailored to their needs and relevant to their daily lives, delivering media literacy interventions at a local level.

A range of approaches will be supported, including and going beyond conventional classroom-style learning, such as delivering learning in more informal and community-based ways.

The administering body, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) expects to award a maximum of £250,000 in grant funding to individual projects this financial year. However, exact amounts will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no minimum funding requirement for this bid.

Applications are accepted from charities and non-profit organisations, private organisations and public bodies that have expertise in media literacy initiatives. As well as applications from individual organisations, DCMS is accepting applications from consortia, which can include public bodies outside of central government. Applicants must be based in the UK and the project must target a local area in England (eg a town or county).

The deadline for receipt of applications is 30 August 2022 (09:00 BST).

(This report was the subject of a GRANTfinder Newsflash.)