The Infinity Foundation
66 Witherspoon Street, Suite 400
Princeton, NJ 08542
Phone: 609-683-0548 Fax: 609-683-0478

Call For Grant Proposals on Media Coverage of India

The Infinity Foundation is calling for project proposals to undertake a scholarly, journalistic analysis of the coverage of India and Indian religious traditions in the US media. Such an analysis should develop criteria for measuring both the quantity and quality of this coverage relative to other major world regions. Analysis of the quality should take into consideration the authenticity of the portrayal however defined, as well as the degree to which simplistic, stereotyped images or outright misinterpretations occur in major media sources. Such analyses could be historical, focusing on a single media source over a period of time, or wide ranging, looking across a variety of contemporary media. These projects would result in one or more of the following: books, articles, conference presentations, CD-ROMs, internet publications, and audio/video materials.

These initiatives are in response to growing concern over inaccurate and damaging 'Orientalist' portrayals of India and India's cultural legacy. In order to measure the validity of this perception, the Infinity Foundation would like to encourage analysis of the media. This, it is hoped, will deepen our understanding of the degree to which the media is responsible for current perceptions and misperceptions concerning India. The Infinity Foundation will consider all proposals dealing with the media portrayal of Indian and Indic traditions, provided that they fulfill the criteria listed below:

Selection Process:

All grant applications must contain the following items:

1. A detailed C. V. highlighting your demonstrable commitment to the topic area
2. A typed proposal, 2 to 5 pages in length, detailing what is to be accomplished, the methodology that will be used, the time required for completion and the amount of funding requested.

Applications should be submitted to the address or fax above, clearly marked "GRANT PROPOSAL". All complete applications will be considered on a merit basis either by the trustees of the Foundation or by an advisory committee appointed by it. All applications become the property of the Foundation. There is no deadline for submission. Awards will be made on a merit basis, judged on the importance of the project to the Foundation's mission, and also upon the availability of funds. All decisions made by the Foundation will be final.

The following criteria will be followed:

• Grant recipients will not be chosen from any particular educational or scientific institution, or from any particular geographic location. A key criterion will be the potential recipient's demonstrated commitment to the topic area.
• A grantee must be a scholar, teacher, visionary, or spiritual leader whose work in the topics above would be enhanced by a grant from the Foundation.
• The Foundation wishes to make known this availability of grants to traditional and nontraditional educational, scientific, cultural, and religious institutions.
• The Foundation will select grant recipients from among the individuals who submit completed applications, interviews or discussions as deemed appropriate.
• The Foundation will pay the grant funds directly to the grant recipient. Each grant recipient must agree in writing to use the grant funds to defray the expenses associated with the approved project.
• In those instances where the reports submitted under the grant, or other information (including the failure to submit reports) indicate that any part of a grant is not being used for intended purposes, the Foundation will investigate and will withhold further payments to the extent possible until it receives delinquent reports. If the Foundation learns that any part of a grant is being diverted from the intended purposes, it will take all reasonable and appropriate steps to recover the grant funds and/or to ensure restoration of the diverted funds to the purposes of the grant. This would include legal action if deemed appropriate under the circumstances.

The Infinity Foundation is a non-profit, charitable foundation. For more information concerning its history click here or grant-making activity click here.