Funding for New Counter-Disinformation Game

 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

U.S. EMBASSY THE HAGUE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION 

Notice of Funding Opportunity  

Funding Opportunity Title:  Funding for New Counter-Disinformation Game 

Funding Opportunity Number:  S-NL800-20-GR-3011 

Deadline for Applications: August 19, 2021 6PM Local Time 

CFDA Number:  19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs  

Total Amount Available: $275,000   

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

The U.S. Embassy The Hague Public Affairs Section announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to 1)  produce an English- and Dutch-language pilot version of a counter-disinformation game (requirements below), 2) produce a French version of the game, 3) produce one additional translation into a European, Asian, and/or African language, to be determined at a later date 4) host the game on the company's own servers, and 5) develop and implement data collection and analysis methodologies to demonstrate the project’s achievement of expected results, and 6) promote games to target audiences. Please carefully follow all instructions below. 

Digital games have proven to be an effective tool in building cognitive resistance to disinformation across diverse environments and cultural contexts. The U.S. Embassy in The Hague is accepting proposals for the development of a digital game that incorporates active inoculation theory1 along with other digital media literacy education methods in a fun, interactive experience targeting global internet users ages 15 and up. Primary gameplay should simulate the experience of engaging in common disinformation and propaganda activities, while educating the user on digital literacy applicable in the real world. 

Successful proposals will incorporate active inoculation theory and address current disinformation and propaganda tactics. The delivered product should be modular, scalable, and expandable so that later iterations could address additional problem sets, such as violent extremism and health misinformation. The game will be piloted simultaneously with players in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and lessons learned from these pilots will inform the final version of the game intended ultimately for global audiences. The next translation will be produced for French speakers in Europe and Africa, followed by one more translation into a European, Asian, or African language to be determined later. Ideally, the proposed project would use in-game surveys or other in-game methods to measure effectiveness. The total amount of funds available for a successful proposal would be $275,000. 

Priority Region: Global 

Program Goal: Degrade malign actors’ ability to diffuse disinformation among target audiences. 

Expected Results 

 Objective 1: Target audiences have increased their ability to discern disinformation, self-confidence in these abilities, and motivation to share factual narratives. 

Outcome 1.1: Members of the target audiences played the game to completion. 

Output 1.1.1: Produced counter-disinformation game consistent with funding requirements. 

Output 1.1.2: Launched pilot versions and gathered lessons learned 

Output 1.1.3: Updated game based on pilot lessons learned 

Output 1.1.4: Translated and launched game for specific target audiences. 

Output 1.1.5: Promoted game through key channels for each target audience 

Outcome 1.2: Players of the game participated in pre and post survey to gauge the effectiveness of the game. 

Output 1.2.1: Developed and implemented methodology to collect and analyze data on the effectiveness of the game.  

Main Activities 

To contribute to the stated goals and achieve expected results, the awardee will carry out the following activities: 

·        Produce an English- and Dutch-language pilot version of a counter-disinformation game and gather lessons learned 

·        Produce a translation for a French-speaking audience 

·        Produce a translation of the gameinto one more European, Asian, or African language (to be determined in consultation with Grant Administrators during development) 

·        Host the game on the company's own servers 

·        Develop and implement data collection and analysis methodologies to demonstrate the project’s achievement of expected results 

·        Promote games including translated versions to target audiences, may use up to $10,000 of award funds for paid promotion (paid promotion is optional) 

Performance Indicators 

The project should monitor and report on performance indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and time-bound. Prior to implementation, the implementer shall produce a monitoring and evaluation plan documenting indicators for each expected result, key definitions, performance baselines (where possible), performance targets, justification of performance targets, sources of data, methods of data collection, methods of analysis, frequency of measurement, and units of measurement.  In addition to disaggregation by target audiences, all indicators should also be disaggregated by sex and age where feasible. Preferably, the project should establish an automated means of collecting and analyzing performance metrics, with a dashboard displaying these metrics for easy sharing or review by Grant Administrators.  

Potential indicators may include: 

Objective 1 

·        Average change in surveyed individuals’ abilities to discern disinformation 

·        Average change in surveyed individuals’ self-confidence in discerning disinformation  

·        Average change in the proportion of surveyed individuals reporting that they are less likely to share disinformation and more likely to share factual narratives 

Outcome 1.1 

·        # of individuals that completed the game 

·        # of individuals that started but did not complete the game 

Output 1.1.1 

·        # of counter-disinformation games produced and launched following funding requirements 

Output 1.1.2 

·        # of pilot versions launched 

Output 1.1.3 

·        # of updated games produced based on pilot lessons learned 

Output 1.1.4 

·        # of translated versions produced and launched 

Output 1.1.5 

·        # of promotion activities conducted, by type of promotion (ex. social media ads) 

·        # of individuals reached by promotion activities 

·        # of articles covering project-funded game 

·        # of key stakeholders promoting project-funded game 

Outcome 1.2 

·        # of individuals that completed the pre and post surveys 

·        # of individuals that responded to pre and post surveys 

Output 1.2.1  

·        # of survey methodologies developed to measure the effectiveness of the game in Objective 1 

·        # of times that the developed data collection method was implemented