Posted on March 30, 2007

MacArthur Announces 2007 Winners of Award for Creative, Effective Nonprofits

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has announced that eight organizations in six countries will receive the second annual MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.

While the recipient organizations have diverse missions, all have demonstrated significant impact in their fields, and each manages to effect significant change on a modest budget. Each of the winning organizations will receive up to $500,000 — a large sum given that all have annual budgets under $1.6 million. To qualify for the award, organizations must have reached a critical or strategic point in their development; have budgets of less than $2.5 million per year; show strong leadership and stable financial management; have previously received MacArthur support; and engage in work central to one of the foundation's core programs.

This year's recipients are Action Health Incorporated in Lagos, Nigeria; the Institute for Law and Public Policy in Moscow; the Institute for Security and Democracy in Mexico City; Kartemquin Educational Films in Chicago; the National Housing Law Project in Oakland, California; the Resources Himalaya Foundation in Kathmandu, Nepal; the Society for Education, Welfare and Action in Jhagadia, India; and the Chicago-based Woodstock Institute.

"In creating this award, we wanted to make a strong statement that the institutions of civil society matter," said MacArthur president Jonathan Fanton. "These eight extraordinary organizations empower ordinary citizens to shape their own destinies, and they accelerate our collective journey toward the highest aspirations of human dignity, security, and opportunity. While they have already made a huge difference in the world, we believe that they are poised to have an even greater impact."

To learn more about the recipients, visit the foundation's Web site.