Media Democracy Fund Announces 07/08 Grant Awards

Twenty-four groups receive a total of $1,108,340 to support their work creating a just and open media environment.

November 25, 2008 - Washington, DC - The Media Democracy Fund is pleased to announce grant awards over the previous 11 months. A PDF list of the grants is available for download below. MDF is committed to funding where groups are positioned to make a difference with a modest or catalytic investment. Based on field analysis and building on successes from the Fund's inaugural round of grantmaking, areas identified for support include: expanding and diversifying the base of constituencies engaged in creating a media environment that serves their communities; responding to the urgent need to keep the Internet open and create low cost access to broadband Internet services in underserved areas; and investing in the promise of new technologies, new media and the blogosphere to promote and be informed by the public interest. Key constituencies involved in the grants include Native Americans, Latinos, civil rights groups, immigrants, rural populations and youth.

The Media Democracy Fund was launched in 2006 to support advocacy groups working to create a just media environment and democratic media policy. Founded on the belief that freedom of expression and access to information are basic human rights, the Fund was initiated with donations from the following: Albert A. List Foundation, Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Open Society Institute, Quixote Foundation, Arca Foundation, Otto Haas Charitable Trust, HKH Foundation, Park Foundation and individual donor, Peter Kent. In 2007 and 2008, these initiating funders were joined by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Benton Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Buddy Taub Foundation, Town Creek Foundation and Wallace Global Fund.

Grants from the fund are made on a competitive basis and the next round of grants will be awarded in December, 2008. Further information may be found at: www.proteusfund.org/mdf.