> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://oecd-media-support-principles.gfmd.info/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://oecd-media-support-principles.gfmd.info/toolkit/role/programme-and-project-managers/key-considerations-for-programme-design.md).

# Key considerations for programme design

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### In brief

**Programme and Project Managers translate strategic priorities into operational programmes.** Decisions on design, funding structures, partnerships, and risk management directly shape whether support strengthens - or unintentionally undermines - media and information ecosystems.
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### Why this role matters

There is a persistent gap between commitments to media freedom and information integrity, and how these priorities are reflected in programmes on the ground.

**This gap is often shaped at the programme level, within broader institutional constraints.** Choices about what is funded, how funding is structured, and how risks are managed influence whether interventions strengthen ecosystems - or create unintended harm, fragmentation, or dependency. Programme managers operate within budgetary, contractual, and procedural frameworks, and responsibility for programme design is often shared with implementing partners.

### Why it matters

**Programme design is where the OECD Principles are either applied or overlooked.** Small decisions at this stage can have long-term systemic effects.

> Field Note\
> “If support ends, what happens to the journalists or organisations that relied on it?”\
> *– Donor representative*

### Where this role has influence

Programme and Project Managers shape how support is structured and delivered. **Key areas of influence include:**

**Programme design and scope**\
How objectives and theories of change are defined - including the ability to interlink media support with related priorities such as governance, security, digital transformation, and information integrity

**Funding modalities**\
Whether funding is short-term or multi-year, rigid or flexible, project-based or institutional.

**Partner selection and requirements**\
Who is able to access funding, and under what conditions ([*see case study 6: local leadership and adapting compliance frameworks*](/toolkit/case-studies-and-field-insights/case-study-6-local-leadership-and-adapting-compliance-frameworks.md)).

**Risk management**\
How political, operational, and safety risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated ([*see case study 3: operational risk linked to donor visibility and safety*](/toolkit/case-studies-and-field-insights/case-study-3-operational-risk-linked-to-donor-visibility-and-safety.md)).

**Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL)**\
What is measured, how success is defined, and whether learning is built into the programme.

**Coordination and alignment**\
How programmes connect (or fail to connect) with other donor interventions and local actors.

**These decisions shape not only individual projects, but the wider ecosystem in which they operate.**

> Field Note\
> “Local actors are expected to deliver, but the system is not always set up for them to access funding directly.”\
> *– Local implementing partner*

### Core challenges

Across contexts, Programme and Project Managers consistently face a set of recurring challenges:

**Limited contextual understanding**\
Programmes are not always informed by sufficiently detailed insight into local media ecosystems, market dynamics, or political constraints, although this has improved in many contexts over time.

**Short-term and inflexible funding structures**\
Rigid funding cycles and compliance requirements can limit sustainability and reduce the ability to adapt, often reflecting broader institutional frameworks.

**Risk of unintended harm**\
Interventions can expose partners to political or security risks, distort local markets, or create long-term dependency if risks are not actively managed.

**Fragmented and ad hoc coordination**\
Coordination between donors often depends on individual initiative rather than structured mechanisms.

**Unclear prioritisation of media support**\
Media and information integrity are not always treated as core development or security priorities, making integration inconsistent.

**Pressure for rapid delivery**\
Administrative timelines and reporting requirements can conflict with the need for context-sensitive and adaptive approaches.

**These challenges are interconnected and can reinforce each other**, making it difficult to apply a systematic approach without deliberate effort.

> Field Note\
> “Coordination still depends too much on individual initiative rather than systems.”\
> *– Consultation participant*

### What good looks like in practice

**Effective programme and project management applies the OECD Principles consistently across the programme cycle.** This includes design, implementation, and evaluation.

In practice, this means:

* Grounding programme design in a clear understanding of the local media and information ecosystem
* Using funding modalities that reflect how media organisations operate in practice
* Integrating risk awareness - including safety and political sensitivities - across all stages of programming, with flexibility to adapt
* Supporting locally led approaches and reducing barriers to access
* Coordinating with other donors and actors to avoid duplication and fragmentation
* Building in learning and adapting programmes over time

**This often involves navigating trade-offs** - for example between accountability and flexibility, visibility and safety, or speed and contextual relevance.

Rather than treating media support as a standalone activity, effective programmes take a broader perspective - recognising links to governance, digital transformation, security, and economic development.

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### In practice

**Strong programmes are not defined by their size or visibility, but by how well they respond to context and support local actors.** Over time, their effectiveness is measured by whether they contribute to a more resilient and functioning media and information ecosystem.
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