Grants for science podcasts [Brazil]

The Serrapilheira Institute welcomes Brazilian podcast projects whose main objectives are to tell good stories in which science and the scientific method are present.

Up to 8 projects will be selected, which will participate in a training program and receive resources for the production of one season. 

Important dates

Deadline for submitting proposals
June 24 (until 11:59 pm) 2023

Publication of the results of the projects selected for the training
August 22, 2023

Online training and mentorships
September and October 2023

In-person training and prior pitch presentation
October 2023

Continuation of mentoring and final deliveries
November 2023

what we want to find

The notice is not only looking for “science podcasts”, but good podcast projects in which science plays an important role and the areas of science supported by Serrapilheira –  life  sciences, geosciences, physics, chemistry, computer science or mathematics  – have visibility . 

We are looking for candidates who demonstrate seriousness, commitment and affinity with Serrapilheira’s values . 

We accept podcast proposals from the most diverse formats, but we will prioritize projects that present good script structures and potential to develop captivating narratives. 

We encourage proposals from black and indigenous people.

In 2019, we launched a guide that consolidates our policies to support diversity in science and seeks to inspire our grantees and other institutions to promote inclusion actions, providing guidance to those who wish to form more diverse research groups. Discover our “Guide to good practices on diversity in science”.

Eligibility

Proposals for podcasts that are still in the design phase (pre-launch) will be accepted, as well as projects already in progress that wish to include or improve the presence of science in their programs. 

It is not necessary to be part of a large organization such as a media group, a radio station or a news portal. Proposals from small organizations or independent producers will also be analyzed, as long as they can demonstrate previous experience and conditions to carry out the project.

Proposals that cannot clearly argue about the role of science in their podcast or that disregard the areas of knowledge supported by Serrapilheira will be disregarded . Are they:

natural sciences (life sciences, geosciences, physics, chemistry);

computer Science;

mathematics;

Selection Criteria

Making a podcast requires more than a good idea. So we want to know: what is the identity of the project? Who is your target audience? What makes your producers the right people to do it? The candidates’ reflections on these questions will be essential for selection, as well as the presentation of good notions on how to sustain the project in the short, medium and long terms. Let’s evaluate:

• General quality of the proposal (concept and justification)
  We will evaluate the premise of the podcast, as well as the main themes, characters and angles proposed to approach them. Does the proponent have good arguments about the relevance of the themes? Is there a common thread between seasons, episodes and characters?
• Argumentation about the role of science in the podcast
  We will assess the clarity and structure of the argument about the role of science in the project, as well as the detail in how it relates to other topics in the podcast.
• Applicant’s previous experience
  We will evaluate the applicant’s previous experience not only in making podcasts, but mainly in conducting good editorial and narrative projects, regardless of the format.
• Clarity about the project’s objective and desired audience
  We will assess whether your target audience is specific and clear. To detail your target audience, think about the profile of one of your listeners. What’s he like? What else do you listen to? What kind of media do you consume? Proposals that describe their target audience simply as “the general public” will not be reviewed well.
• Clarity and quality of the submitted audio sample
  We will primarily assess the sample’s content, structure, and pacing.
• Seriousness of the proposal and commitment to the development of the project in the short, medium and long terms.
• The proponent’s ability to predict the use of financial resources, in addition to their vision of the project’s sustainability.

Phases

After registration, the selection will be made in two stages: 

• Pre-selection: Pre-selected candidates will be called for an interview 
• Final selection: After the interviews, the selected projects will be announced (up to 8)

Selection Committee

Projects will be evaluated by a committee made up of professionals from the podcast industry.

About the training program

The training will be conducted by Laboratório 37, a communication company focused on audio. The company is responsible for creating the podcast 37 Graus, which was one of the 14 projects supported by Serrapilheira in 2018 and one of the six selected in the Google Podcasts creator program, a public notice that had more than 10,000 entries around the world. 

The training program’s main goal will be to refine and develop the proposals of the selected podcasts according to their objectives and target audiences. In addition, the purpose is to strengthen the technical and editorial skills of the producers – from the agenda to the publication –, as well as the necessary skills to prepare the distribution planning, marketing and financial viability of the podcasts, aiming at the sustainability of the projects. Classes will feature professors and guest speakers.

At the end of the training, participants will have built the technical and conceptual bases to develop their projects with clarity about their objectives and the processes necessary to achieve them. The idea is that, in that period, each podcast will develop a professional-level pilot and the complete planning of a season. The selected projects will also have remote mentoring sessions by Laboratório 37. 

Language of projects, training and mentoring

Proposals must be submitted in Portuguese. The training and follow-up sessions will also be conducted in Portuguese.

Financial resources and duration of contracts

Those selected will receive up to 50,000 reais in funding from Serrapilheira to carry out their projects. The final amount of support will depend on approval of the proposed budget. 

Contracts will run for 10 months from the start of training.

Registrations

1. From May 9th, you can register.
2. Once inside the system, select Camp Serrapilheira 2023: Podcasts from the menu on the left. Read the instructions for each question carefully. 
3. Register your organization by clicking on “Add New”.
4. Fill in the form with the requested information. 
5. At the end, click on “Save”. Then”, click on “Submit” in the lower right corner. You will receive an email notifying you that your proposal has been successfully submitted. Proposals that are only saved but not submitted will not be considered.

Contact

[email protected]