Grants

 

2007- July 2008 GRANTS

The Media Democracy Fund is pleased to announce its 2007-July 2008 grants. 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 in 2006, 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.

 

Click here to see a map of MDF's 2007-July 2008 grantees.

 
Media Policy Blogging
To support research and blogging on media policy issues.
$12,000
 
White Spaces and Rural Broadband Campaign
To support the White Spaces and Rural Broadband Campaign, which advances the case for using unlicensed television broadcast spectrum (white spaces) to provide broadband Internet access to underserved rural communities.  
$25,000
 
d/b/a CCTV Center for Media and Democracy
Democratic Communications Centers: Securing Free Speech, Public Access and Open Networks in Vermont and Beyond
Toimprove the capacity of Vermont media access centers to be a local source of nonprofit media services in the digital age, build a rapid response network to protect public access and champion public broadband ownership, and work with key national partners to disseminate this model to a national network of community media centers. 
$37,000
 
 
Salary support for direct lobbying
To partially fund the salaries of FPAF lobbyists advocating on behalf of the public interest in the media policymaking process. This includes meeting one-on-one with Congress members and their staffers, testifying before Senate and House sub-committees, and working closely with media activists.
$38,000
 
Rock the Net Campaign
For continued support for the Rock the Net Campaign, which organizes musicians, independent labels, and music fans around network neutrality and articulates to the media and policymakers the impact a non-neutral Internet will have. The work expands in 2008 to use musicians as ambassadors to take proven educational messages to policymakers on Capitol Hill. The Rock the Net Campaign was launched in 2007 with MDF support.
$25,000
 
 
New Rules Project/Telecommunications as Commons Initiative
To support the New Rules Project, which provides research, technical assistance and educational reports to elected officials and social justice activists to guide them in designing and implementing equitable, advanced, and affordable broadband wired and wireless networks. The project advocates for public ownership of the physical network, and is taking a leadership role in investigating ways to use the combination of publicly owned fiber with wireless technologies to reach underserved areas.           
$30,000
 
 
The Media/Telecommunications Project
Renewal funds to help LCCREF engage the civil rights community in media and telecom debates, conduct research on how these policies impact civil rights concerns, educate citizens in the grassroots, and shape public opinion. The project builds on state and local level work that was initiated in 2007 with MDF support. 
$30,000
 
Rural Media Justice Sector Initiative
To advance a media policy and media justice agenda by organizing rural constituencies nationwide to make access to critical information and technology a significant issue in the context of the 2008 elections. The work is carried out in partnership the Rural Coalition, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, and the newly formed National Rural Assembly. Additional organizing on media justice issues takes place as part of Main Street’s work with Latinos living in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota and Oregon.     
$25,000
 
 
Wireless Digital Future Project                                                        
Funds used for research and advocacy associated with the FCC spectrum auction. The work was conducted in cooperation with the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition.
$20,000 
Rapid Response Fund
 
Application Discrimination Project
Funds were used for research and advocacy associated with the FCC hearing on Comcast’s recent network management decisions. The work was conducted in cooperation with Free Press, Public Knowledge and Consumer Federation of America.
$10,000
Rapid Response Fund
 
Lead organization: Center for Media Justice
(Fiscal sponsor: Movement Strategy Center-Oakland, CA)
Media Justice Sector Initiative
To launch the Media Justice Sector Initiative; establish eight regional hubs that will serve as bridges to social justice and other organizing groups; and build the capacity of the regional host organizations and their leaders. Funding is also used for an educational campaign on the digital television transition. The project is anchored by the Center for Media Justice and coordinated by the founding team of MAG-Net. This grant was supplemented by a Ford Foundation travel grant that brought MAG-Net leaders to the 2008 National Conference for Media Reform.
$50,000 in 2007
$175,000 in 2008
 
Rural Broadband Project
For MAIN’s coordination and mobilization of rural groups working on behalf of equitable spectrum allocation during the FCC proceeding on Rural Broadband and TV White Spaces.
$18,200 Rapid Response Fund
 
Media Policy Program
Support for advocacy work on media policy issues that benefit the Latino community. In 2008, NHMC opens an office in Washington DC to house their media policy advocacy programs. Their work focuses on the DTV transition, minority ownership and hate speech.
$30,000
 
(Fiscal sponsor: National Federation of Community Broadcasters-Oakland, CA)
Advancing Native American Participation in Media Policy
To advance Native access to and participation in media through advocacy and direct grassroots capacity-building. In addition to building and strengthening Native owned media, NPM advocates for national media policy that serves Native Americans and advances the participation of Native Americans in the media reform and media justice movements.
 
$50,000
Non-Commercial Educational Radio License Project
To advance Native access to media via the 2007 Federal Communications Commission Non-Commercial Educational Radio License filing window.
$50,000   Rapid Response Fund
 
Convening of “Wireless Visionaries”
To convene the Wireless Visionaries Summit, which gathered the key wireless network developers, technology and policy experts, community organizers, and policymakers to discuss the current state and future of wireless broadband. The Summit focused on recent successes and failures of municipal wireless. The attendees examined how these networks can better serve their target populations; the policies needed to support broader deployment of wireless systems; the latest technological and software innovations; and the near future of the wireless movement. The meeting took place in conjunction with the International Summit for Community Wireless Networks, www.wirelesssummit.org.
$20,000
 
New Voices in Independent Journalism
(Fiscal sponsor: Tides Center-San Francisco, CA)
George Washington Williams Fellowship and Campus Journalism Project
General support to mentor a diverse pool of independent journalists, train them in media policy and media justice issues, and produce stories on public interest issues through two major projects, the George Washington Williams Fellowship and the Campus Journalism Project. Targeted work is done with journalists covering post Katrina recovery efforts.
$20,000
 
 
Working Group on the Future of American Telecommunications
To bring together top scholars to outline a new vision for telecommunications policy for the United States, resulting in a book released in time to educate policymakers coming into office in early 2009. Topics include, but are not limited to, network neutrality, competition in broadband, the cable industry, universal service, rural connectivity, spectrum allocation, municipal broadband, public broadcasting, minority ownership and content issues.                     
$75,000
 
 
Digital Expansion Initiative
To support the Digital Expansion Initiative, a project that uses participant-led research, media production, public education, and community organizing to bring new constituencies into a meaningful debate and advocacy campaign for Internet access for all New Yorkers. Research partners include New York University, the City University of New York Graduate Center, and the Center for Urban Pedagogy. Community partners include Domestic Workers United, the Street Vendors Project of the Urban Justice Center, Nah We Yone, Families for Freedom, and New Immigrant Community Empowerment. 
$25,000
 
 
Technology Investment and Democratic Culture Program
Support for PSN’s Technology Investment and Democratic Culture Program, to help reframe the technology issue as part of the broader progressive agenda, and foster an expanding campaign network in multiple states. Grant funds are used to partially support a staff person dedicated to media policy issues.             
$50,000
 
 
Non-Commercial Educational Radio License Project              
To support outreach, educational materials, and technical assistance to potential 2007 applicants for Non-Commercial Radio Licenses.
 
$50,000 Rapid Response Fund
 
Open Broadband Project
To increase Public Knowledge’s capacity to 1) have a greater leadership role in policy debates concerning access to, and control of, high speed broadband Internet; and 2) shape the public debate around the need for an open Internet that is universally accessible and controlled by users, and not the cable, telephone and wireless companies that provide the “on ramps” to the Internet. 
$50,000
 
(Fiscal sponsor: Center for Social Justice)                         
To enable Reclaim the Media to mobilize and respond to the last of six 2007 FCC hearings on media ownership by supporting rural and minority constituency organizing and providing transportation and logistical support for hearing participants from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.
$4,000 
Rapid Response Fund
 
Building Bridges to Reform Our Media
Support for the second year of Building Bridges to Reform Our Media, which works to recruit new organizations to the media reform movement, build ongoing networks, and develop organizational capacity. In 2008, the State PIRGs organize around the following issues: media ownership, net neutrality, the DTV transition, and universal broadband efforts at the state and local level.
$25,000
 
Interfaith Task Force Initiative
To create an Interfaith Media Task Force of leaders of Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Islamic and other spiritual traditions; take a delegation of faith leaders to the National Conference for Media Reform; and build an interdenominational website with educational materials on media justice and media policy. 
$20,000

Total for 2007-July 2008: $964,200
 
 2006 GRANTS
 
Click here to see a map of MDF's 2006 grantees.

 
American Forum
To support the expansion of American Forum's Youth Media Justice Project.
$30,000
 
Center for Rural Strategies
To support increasing the involvement of rural constituencies through two national convenings and an Internet-based media campaign. This work is being undertaken in cooperation with the Main Street Project.
$50,000
 
Ethos Group / Acorn Active Media Foundation
To support a centralized Municipal Wireless Broadband Resource Center and Online Toolkit.
$40,000
 
Federation of State PIRGs / Center for Public Interest Research
To support the Federation of State PIRGs Building Bridges to Reform Our Media project.
$75,000
 
Future of Music Coalition
To support the Future of Music Coalition's Concert Series on the integrated issues of media ownership and network neutrality.
$40,000
 
New Rules Project / Institute for Local Self Reliance
To support the New Rules Project's Telecommunications As Commons Initiative.
$30,000
 
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund
To support involving LCCREF's growing base of state coalitions in media policy issues.
$75,000
 
Main Street Project
To support increasing the involvement of rural constituencies through two national convenings and an Internet-based media campaign. This work is being undertaken in cooperation with the Center for Rural Strategies.
$50,000
 
Media Action Grassroots Network (MAG-Net) / Media Alliance
To support MAG-Net's emerging national network of regional organizations that is strengthening the leadership, strategy and coordination of grassroots constituencies as part of the media reform movement.
$50,000 matching grant
 
Progressive States Network
To support the Progressive States Network's Technology Investment and Democratic Culture Program.
$30,000
 
Rockwood Leadership Program
To support a bank of consulting hours that can be drawn on by graduates of Rockwood Leadership Program's Media Policy Reform Leadership Enhancement Program.
$25,000 matching grant
 
Urban Dreams
To support Urban Dream's community broadband Internet network in the low income Enterprise Community area of Des Moines, Iowa. This work is being undertaken in cooperation with One Economy and beehive.org. 
$50,000

Total: $545,000. An additional $100,000 has been set aside for a Rapid Response Fund.
2007 Rapid Response Fund Grants Total: $100,000.

 
Native Public Media / National Federation of Community Broadcasters
To advance Native access to media via the upcoming Federal Communications Commission Non-Commercial Educational Radio License filing window.
$50,000
 
Prometheus Radio Project
To support in-depth outreach, accurate educational materials, and effective technical assistance to potential applicants for Non-Commercial Radio Licenses.
$50,000