Open grants and requests for proposals

All Archived Television Grants

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2013

Broadcast Engineering Consulting Services: TV and Radio Station Coverage Area Analysis

CPB is seeking proposals from broadcast engineering consulting firms with public television and radio expertise to provide coverage area analysis, contour overlap data, and demographic population analysis, for certain public broadcasting stations.

Local Journalism Centers

CPB seeks to enhance the capacity of public radio and television stations to create high quality original journalism by supporting the establishment of multimedia reporting collaborations or Local Journalism Centers (LJCs) among small groups of stations. CPB is offering grants to qualified groups of three or more stations willing to form LJCs.

Program Challenge Fund

The Program Challenge Fund was created to support high-profile, primetime, limited series for the national public television schedule. The Program Challenge Fund is jointly administered by CPB and PBS, which make funding decisions based on mutually established programming goals and objectives.

Program Challenge Fund

The Program Challenge Fund was created to support high-profile, primetime, limited series for the national public television schedule. The Program Challenge Fund is jointly administered by CPB and PBS, which make funding decisions based on mutually established programming goals and objectives.

2012

CPB Emergency Alert and Communication Grants

In order to help public television and radio stations successfully engage with their local community's public safety authorities to provide essential alert and communications services during emergencies, CPB is offering Emergency Alert and Communication (EAC) Grants.

Minority Report to Congress Consultant

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is seeking a consultant (Consultant) to assist in the creation of several Congressional reports. The first report is CPB's annual report on the provision of services to minority and diverse audiences by public broadcasting and public telecommunications entities (Minority Report). For the second report, Consultant will interview between five (5) and ten (10) key minority leaders and, based on those interviews, create an assessment which identifies the current needs of minority public broadcasting audiences (Assessment Report). Finally, Consultant will combine the Minority and Assessment Reports into a single comprehensive report (Final Report). The objective in creating the Final Report is to develop a creative and innovative style document for distribution over traditional and various non-traditional platforms, e.g. via email and CPB's website.

2011

American Archive Content Inventory Project SWAT (Saving What America Treasures) Team Initiative

Funding for individuals and/or organizations to be available as SWAT (Saving What America Treasures) Teams for the American Archive Content Inventory Project. These SWAT Teams will conduct training and on-site content inventories at public media archives nationwide.

American Archive Content Inventory Project SWAT (Saving What America Treasures) Team Initiative Round II

The objective of this RFP is to solicit proposals for individuals and/or organizations to be available as SWAT (Saving What America Treasures) Teams for the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP). These SWAT Teams will conduct training and on-site content inventories at public media archives nationwide.

American Archive Preservation Selection Advisors

CPB seeks individuals and/or organizations to serve as Preservation Selection Advisors to the American Archive Content Inventory Project. These Advisors will be responsible for working collaboratively, using established criteria and their own expertise, to recommend material from the American Archive inventory for digitization.

Content Advisor to the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP)

The objective of this RFP is to solicit proposals for individuals and/or organizations to serve as a Content Advisor to the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP). This advisor will work with the original producers and public media executives (the "Pioneers" of public media) to ensure that the American Archive has identified the most important and significant audio and visual content generated over time by public media entities.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 16

CPB will be accepting applications for Round 16 DDF grants from CSG-qualified, non-commercial educational (NCE) television licensees for the projects. Stations should consider that this may be the last opportunity to receive DDF funding.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 17

CPB has determined that funds should be allocated in ways that will facilitate the delivery of digital content, enable multi-platform content distribution and provide other advanced digital services.

Digitization Project Contractor

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting seeks a vendor to facilitate the digitization of audio and video content for the American Archive initiative. The Project is expected to begin around July 1, 2011 and is anticipated to end around December 31, 2012.

Dropout Awareness and Youth Engagement Initiative Public Media Community Hubs

In response to the nation's dropout crisis, CPB is soliciting proposals from public television stations in high-need communities to become Public Media Community Hubs.

Evaluation of CPB-funded Local Journalism Centers

CPB seeks an individual or organization to evaluate seven CPB-funded Local Journalism Centers.

Governance Consultant for Los Angeles Consortium

CPB announces a Request for Proposals for an organizational and governance consultant. The consultant or consulting firm will assist a group of up to three public television stations in the Los Angeles Market to elaborate and recommend the consortium's governance structure, encompassing key strategic areas and resulting in the establishment of a legal operational entity.

Mobile/Handheld Digital Television Program

This program will assist CPB-qualified public television stations to acquire and install equipment for mobile delivery of digital content and other advanced mobile digital services.

Organizational Consultant for Station Collaboration in Los Angeles

CPB seeks a Consultant to work with the public television stations in Los Angeles to develop and implement an organizational and governance structure for a station consortium, and to provide recommendations on a management structure and potential funding models for the consortium.

Outreach Advisor to the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP)

The objective of this RFP is to solicit proposals for individuals and/or organizations to serve as an Outreach Advisor to the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP).This advisor will provide outreach services to the independent television and radio producer community to ensure that the American Archive identifies significant public media programming produced for independent, specialty, and diverse audiences. As a component of the work scope, the Outreach Advisor will work with the CPB-funded National Minority Consortia to identify and encourage independent producers to participate in the inventory project.

Project Management Consultant for the 2012 Survey Management Project

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting seeks a management consultant(s) for the 2012 Survey Management Project. The period for the Project is 12 months, September 1, 2011 through August 31, 2012.

Research Advisor to the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP)

The objective of this RFP is to solicit proposals for individuals and/or organizations to serve as a Research Advisor to the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP). This advisor will help identify sources of significant public television and radio programming that are not held in public media archives, but instead are stored at non-affiliated universities, historical societies, government repositories, producer's facilities, collector archives, and other "off-the-radar" sources that maintain public media content. The Research Advisor will also be responsible for the creation and maintenance of an "asset map" to illustrate the association of the archives to originating public media entities.

Single-Source Cross-Platform Measurement Study

CPB seeks an individual or organization to design, implement, analyze and report on a single-source cross-platform measurement study.

SWAT (Saving What America Treasures) Team Advisor to the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP)

The objective of this RFP is to solicit proposals for individuals and/or organizations to serve as a SWAT (Saving What America Treasures) Team Advisor to the American Archive Content Inventory Project (CIP). This advisor will help select and manage teams of archivists conducting inventories of public media content (SWAT Teams) and will advise on standardizing incoming data.

Television Engineering Consulting Services (2011)

CPB seeks television technical and engineering consulting services to CPB's Media Technologies office and the Digital Television and Mobile DTV Grant Programs.

2010

2010 CPB/PBS Producers Academy Scholarship

Up to twenty-five (25) scholarships will be offered to station-based and independent producers for an intensive seven-day, hands-on training seminar at WGBH in Boston, June 19 through June 25, 2010.

My Source Impact Communication Grants

Funding to empower public television and radio stations to communicate their community impact to on a local, regional, and statewide level to key decision makers, community leader and stakeholders.

American Archive Legal Consultant

CPB seeks proposals from individuals and organizations in the intellectual property community to assist in the publication of a "White Paper" that will provide an operational legal framework for the distribution of audio and visual assets resident in the nation's public media archives.

American History and Civics Initiative Phase II Evaluation

CPB is requesting proposals from a person or firm to conduct an evaluation of Phase II -- Implementation of the American History and Civics Initiative for middle and high school students and their teachers.

ATSC Mobile/Handheld Digital Television Grant Program

The goal of this grant program is to assist CPB qualified public television stations to develop and install an end-to-end Mobile DTV infrastructure for delivery of Mobile DTV content.

Consulting Services Relating to Digital Television, Mobile DTV, and CPB Digital Distribution

CPB seeks television technical and engineering consulting services for the Digital Distribution Fund ("DDF") Grants Program administered by the Media Technologies department at CPB.

CPB Workforce Diversity Associates Program

CPB is initiating this Request for Proposals to encourage and solicit stations and content developers interested in participating in a workforce diversification program, geared towards targeted employment opportunities, for a diverse group of media professionals.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 15

CPB will be accepting applications for Round 15 DDF grants from CPB-qualified, non-commercial educational (NCE) television licensees for the following Categories. Stations should consider that this may be the last opportunity to receive DDF funding.

Dropout Awareness and Youth Engagement Initiative Manager

In close consultation with CPB, the Initiative Manager will oversee, coordinate and support the integrated components of the initiative which include national and local on-air and online content, interactive educational curricula, and on-the-ground community engagement.

Strengthening Local Journalism, Round Two

This Request for Proposals calls for the creation of Local Journalism Centers in the South and the Northwest United States.

2009

2009 CPB/PBS Producers Workshop Scholarship

CPB/PBS Producers Academy is offering a "scholarship" opportunity to 20 individuals for a Producers Workshop to be held at WGBH Boston, Saturday, June 20 through Friday, June 26, 2009.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 14

CPB will be accepting applications for Round 14 DDF grants from CPB-qualified, non-commercial educational (NCE) television licensees for Priority One: Digital Television Transmission Facilities and Priority Two: Digital Master Control Services projects.

Economy Response Grant Program

CPB has created the Economy Response Grant program in response to the widespread economic downturn, and is open to all CPB-qualified public radio and television stations. The program seeks to support stations' efforts to help their communities through initiatives that establish collaboration with community partners and that raise awareness of the impact the current economic crisis is having on the station's community.

Engaging Communities on the Economy

The Engaging Communities on the Economy Grants may be used by stations to convene civic leaders, community groups and citizens in productive dialogue - in person, on-air or online - addressing regional and local economic issues. Grants may be used to plan or conduct collaborative projects in response to identified community needs related to the financial crisis (e.g., joblessness, bankruptcies, credit card debt).

Grow the Audience: Strengthening Local Journalism

This Request for Proposals seeks proposals from groups of 3-6 stations willing to form multi-platform reporting Local Journalism Centers around a single topic or issue that will result in an elevated quality and quantity of journalism. The Local Journalism Centers should create compelling content and community engagement opportunities that include audio, video, text, photos, blogs, social networking, dynamic syndication, and mobile applications.

Research Study to Measure Impact of Primetime Program Scheduling Strategy

CPB is interested in measuring the impact of the Program Challenge Fund tent pole program scheduling strategy. To that end, CPB will order and analyze available Nielsen NSI ratings data. CPB is now seeking proposals for a research study (or studies) designed to add insight beyond the Nielsen data with respect to both the tent pole program scheduling strategy as well as the awareness, attitudes, and usage of a segment of the target audience (i.e. Hispanic television viewers).

STEM Digital Media Resources for Learning Production Grants

The CPB STEM Digital Media Resources for Learning Production Grants will provide grant funding to enable public broadcasting stations to develop, produce and evaluate Digital Media Resources which may include audio, video, interactives, animations, documents, games, simulations and images. Funds are available for up to 12 grants of $75,000-$125,000. Grants will create content to support the Middle School (Grades 4-8) Earth Sciences with an emphasis on Climate.

2008

American Archive Initiative Manager

The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to solicit proposals to be the Initiative Manager of the American Archive Pilot Program. The Initiative Manager, working in close consultation with CPB, will coordinate and support the development, execution, and evaluation of grants to public television and radio stations for the collection, coding, digitization, and possible restoration of existing content.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 12

CPB established the Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) to award grants to CPB-qualified, non-commercial educational (NCE) television licensees to assist stations in transitioning to digital transmission.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 12b

DDF funding for Round 12b projects will assist stations in the purchase and installation of digital transmission equipment necessary to (1) complete construction of digital television transmission facilities as required by FCC Construction Permits that expire on February 17, 2009, and/or (2) complete DTV transmission facility changes, whether or not the project completion target coincides with the February 17, 2009 analog shutoff.

Local Service Initiative Round 3

The Local Service Initiative is designed to provide seed money to develop new or significantly enhance current public service initiatives aligned with a public television station's strategic plan. The amount of each grant will not be greater than $200,000.

Manager of Station-Based Election Programming Initiative

CPB requests proposals from qualified organizations to manage the Station-Based Election Programming Initiative.

My Source Community Impact Awards

The My Source Community Impact Awards are designed to recognize and showcase examples of local public broadcasting's connection to community. CPB will honor awardees at the 2009 National Leaders Meeting.

Small Station Statewide Collaboration Initiative

The Small Station Statewide Collaboration Initiative (SSSCI) is a competitive grant program that offers financial assistance to facilitate the creation of collaborative relationships through statewide or regional associations among public television stations that share common cause and collaborative interest in serving a broader definition of community that extends beyond their coverage areas.

Station-Based Election Programming Initiative

The Station-Based Election Programming Initiative (SEPI) provides grant funding to enable local public broadcasting stations to create television programs and multi-platform media content about 2008 election issues.

STEM Community Engagement Pilot

In response to the pressing national need for student improvement in Science and Math subjects, KETC, on behalf of CPB, is pleased to release this Request for Proposals for public broadcasting stations to take part in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Community Engagement Pilot. Note: Responses to this RFP are to be sent to the STEM Initiative Manager, KETC. CPB's posting of KETC's RFP does not constitute a commitment, express or implied, by CPB to fund proposals under consideration.

WETA News Academy 2008

WETA News Academy 2008 is an intensive, five day residential course designed to offer applicants experience in the practical and technical capabilities of contemporary local news gathering and reporting, both on TV and online.

2007

2008 Audience Awareness, Attitude and Usage Study

CPB is seeking the services of an outside vendor to design, implement and analyze a quantitative research study of adults 18+ who watch television in primetime.

Accessibility Best Practices Process Facilitation

CPB requires the services of an outside vendor who can design, coordinate, and implement a process that will effectively communicate research findings to a public television working group.

Community Engagement Initiative

The goal of this request for proposals is to invite a representative group of public broadcasting stations to take part in the Community Engagement Initiative, a two-year initiative representing a collaboration between the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, to deepen and expand station efforts at civic engagement.

Consultation and Administrative Services for TV Digital Grants

This Request for Proposals seeks to identify and select an experienced consultant that will provide services and assistance to CPB's Media Technologies Group in connection with DDF grants. The term of the services shall be for a period of twelve months.

CPB Nielsen Digital Encoders Program

The reimbursement program is intended to assist stations in the purchases of the digital Nielsen encoders to ensure the accurate measurement of PBS national and local station viewership. The program provides a 60/40 CPB/station split to encourage stations to purchase the digital Nielsen encoders. The program begins on January 15th, 2007. Encoder purchases made between January 1, 2006 and January 15th, 2007 are also eligible.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 11

CPB established the Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) to award grants to CPB-qualified, non-commercial educational (NCE) television licensees to assist stations in transitioning to digital transmission. DDF Round 11 is funded through a special federal $29.7 million FY07 CPB appropriation for transition to digital technology.

Election 2008 Initiative

CPB seeks to fund a public media demonstration project focusing on the 2008 elections. The successful project will be national in scope and will embrace cross platform approaches to provide content, tools and interactive experiences that will result in a more informed, engaged electorate.

Enthusiastic and Open Audience Segment Qualitative Research

CPB is seeking the services of an outside vendor to design and conduct qualitative research to inform efforts to build loyalty and increase viewing among a core public television audience segment known as the "Enthusiastic & Open."

Ethnographic Research

CPB is seeking the services of an outside vendor to design and conduct ethnographic research to inform efforts to overcome some of the barriers and obstacles that get in the way of television viewers finding Public Television content in an increasingly complex digital television environment.

Local Service Initiative Round 1

The Local Service Initiative Matching Grant Program is designed to provide seed money to develop new or significantly enhance current public service initiatives aligned with a station's strategic plan. The LSI is a multi-year matching grant program with subsequent rounds to be announced.

Local Service Initiative Round 2

The Local Service Initiative Matching Grant Program is designed to provide seed money to develop new or significantly enhance current public service initiatives aligned with a station's strategic plan. The LSI is a multi-year matching grant program with subsequent rounds to be announced.

Management of Existing TV Digital Distribution Fund Grants

This Request for Proposals seeks to identify and select an experienced consultant that will provide ongoing administrative assistance to CPB in administering thirty-seven open DDF grants. This will include transitioning such administrative services from PBS to the successful bidder under this RFP.

Public Awareness Initiative Pilot Program

Stations chosen to participate will have the opportunity to help shape the Public Awareness Initiative (PAI) and will receive significant professional support, including assistance with implementation ideas and strategy from Powell Tate Weber Shandwick Public Affairs (PTWS).

Senior Television Audience Research Analyst

CPB seeks a senior audience research analyst to provide leadership and technical guidance for CPB's strategic development, analysis, understanding and application of a major quantitative research study known as the 2008 Audience Awareness, Attitudes and Usage Study.

Strategic Framework 2008

CPB seeks a vendor to assume responsibility for and provide appropriate services for the continuation of the Strategic Framework Process.

Strategic Planning Initiative

The Strategic Planning Initiative will provide funds, based on application to a grant program, to CPB-qualified public television Stations for developing or revising their strategic plans.

2006

2006 CPB/Emma Bowen Foundation Summer Internship Grant Program

Grants of up to $2,000 per internship salary per summer will be awarded on a 50% station matching basis.

2006 CPB/PBS Producers' Academy

Awards scholarships for an intensive seven-day, hands-on training seminar at WGBH in Boston.

2006 Television Rechannelization Study

Funds research to establish remaining RF/rechannelization needs of a pre-determined group of public television stations with respect to completion of their conversion from analog to digital transmission of over-the-air broadcast signals.

2007 CPB/Emma Bowen Foundation Studentship Grants

CPB recognizes the importance of attracting talent to public broadcasting and cultivating the range of voices, backgrounds, cultures, and ideas within the industry. Accordingly, CPB has developed two work/study scholarship programs (a three year program that engages students year-round and a 5 year summer-only program) through the Emma Bowen Foundation, an organization that facilitates minority student placements within the media industry.

2007 Public Television Strategic Framework Project

The grantee will take results of audience research that has been commissioned by CPB concerning public television audiences and provide the services required to facilitate two public broadcasting working groups in analyzing and understanding the data, and developing a plan to determine the strategic implications of the research data in order to increase the reach of public television, the frequency viewers tune to public television and the loyalty of those viewers as expressed by their desire to financially support public television.

AFI-CPB Digital Training

Awards cash and team participation in a digital R&D project and travel vouchers to selected AFI Digital Content Lab training events.

Assessment of Public Broadcasting Outreach

This Request for Proposals is for a wide ranging, but rapid, assessment of public broadcasting outreach -- an assessment deep enough to help CPB make decisions about some of its FY07 investments and to lay the groundwork for a longer-term outreach/community engagement strategy for both radio and television.

Digital Broadcast Technology Market Analysis

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting seeks an applicant to explore opportunities for utilizing public broadcasting's digital infrastructure to enhance public television's educational mission with the goal of identifying successful business models.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 09

CPB will be accepting applications for Digital Distribution Fund grants from CPB-qualified, non-commercial educational (NCE) television licensees for digital television transmission equipment.

Digital Distribution Fund (DDF) Round 10

Pursuant to the requirement that all analog television stations cease operations in February 17, 2009, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) commissioned a research project to determine the impact of the pending FCC Final DTV Table of Allotments on costs and requirements for CPB-qualified non-commercial educational (NCE) television licensees. This research informed the Digital Television Consultation Panel which recommended DDF Round 10 to assist NCE licensees in the costs of Rechannelization.

Local Service Grant Program Administrator

The Local Service Grant Program Administrator will be responsible for the design, management and oversight of the Local Service Grant Project program, a large-scale, multi-year grant program for public television stations.

Major Giving Initiative: Board Effectiveness Project

Funds activities to evaluate and improve station board performance.

Partnership for a Nation of Learners Community Collaboration Grant

Funds collaboration and shared resources that enable partners to meet clearly defined needs for one or more audience segments within their local communities.

Pilot Test Research Design and Implementation for New Science Program

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting seeks an applicant to design and conduct pilot testing to be used as the basis for guiding the development of a new science series for primetime public television.

Science Series Research and Analysis

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting seeks an applicant to design and conduct comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research to be used as the basis for guiding the development of a new science series for primetime public television.

Senior Television Audience Research Analyst

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting seeks a senior audience research analyst to provide leadership and technical guidance for CPB's strategic analysis, understanding and application of television audience research.

Small Station Fund: Partnerships for Impact

This competitive grant program offers financial assistance to facilitate the creation of identified and sustainable collaborative relationships among public broadcast stations and between small public stations and other community-based public service organizations.

Small Station Fund: Partnerships for Impact

This competitive grant program offers financial assistance to facilitate the creation of identified and sustainable collaborative relationships among public broadcast stations and between small public stations and other community-based public service organizations.

Small Station Strategic Planning Initiative

This initiative provides CPB-qualified public television stations with revenues under $2.0 million the funds to hire consultants from a list provided by CPB. The consultants will work with the station and its key stakeholders to develop a three year strategic plan and a one year action plan. The Consultants will use a planning template in the delivery of strategic planning services to Stations.

Small Station Strategic Planning Initiative

This initiative provides CPB-qualified public television stations with revenues under $2.0 million the funds to hire consultants from a list provided by CPB. The consultants will work with the station and its key stakeholders to develop a three year strategic plan and a one year action plan. The Consultants will use a planning template in the delivery of strategic planning services to Stations.

Technical Research of Electronic Program Guides

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting seeks an applicant to research, write and present a report on the complex technical and business infrastructure of electronic program guides and information systems currently and generally available.

Television Rechannelization Study for Analog to Digital Conversion

The Television Rechannelization Study will recommend the necessary resources for stations to complete their analog to digital conversion and will identify for CPB the estimated funding levels required at each station to meet the conversion requirements.

Web-Based Self-Directed Major Giving Practices Curriculum

This Request for Proposals seeks an external service provider to design and develop a web-based application transforming the Major Giving Initiative website content and other Major Giving Initiative materials into an interactive, graphical training tool for public television professionals involved in major giving activities at their stations.

2005

2005 CPB/PBS Producers Academy

Each scholarship will include the cost of the workshop, and reasonable expenses for airfare, hotel accommodations, meals, and limited ground transportation.

American History and Civics Initiative

Supports new, groundbreaking media projects that measurably improve the learning of American history and enhance civic participation among middle and high school students.

Audience Awareness, Attitude and Usage Study

Funds research into the understanding of public television's audience and its motivations and how, if at all, these motivations have changed since 2004.

Public Television Major Giving Initiative Consulting Services

Funds onsite consulting to assist stations in the implementation of their development plan.

Public Television Major Giving Initiative Consulting Services Request for Qualifications

The consulting services sought by this RFQ and a subsequent request for proposals are intended to assist stations with organizational issues that may impede the implementation of a major giving program and the establishment of a culture of philanthropy.

Ready To Lead in Literacy

This 3-year, competitive funding initiative will provide funds as well as capacity-building activities for up to 100 stations that are currently Ready To Learn stations.

2004

America at a Crossroads

Funds programs that examine and explain where we are and where we're going as a nation -- programs that elevate, enlighten, entertain, and, most importantly, rise above the minutiae of the moment and see the big picture.

About CPB

CPB promotes the growth and development of public media in communities throughout America.

About Public Media

Digital, Diversity, and Dialogue are the framework for public media's service to America.

Programs & Projects

CPB awards grants to stations and independent producers to create programs and services.