[NFCB] PRX is 2008 MacArthur Award recipient

[Jake Shapiro]

Big news for PRX and public radio today:

The MacArthur Foundation has selected PRX as one of its 2008 recipients
of the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.


     "Public Radio Exchange (PRX)/Station Resource Group – Cambridge,
Massachusetts: By gathering and distributing new programming and using
technological innovation to expand content choices, PRX is leading
public radio to become more interactive, diverse, and participatory.

     PRX is taking public radio in new and stimulating directions,
giving a larger dimension to one of America’s most important
intellectual resources.

     PRX will use their $500,000 grant to establish a cash reserve fund,
a content venture fund, and to develop new technologies."

Here's the AP release:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Nonprofit-Grants-List.html

And we've posted more about it here:
http://about.prx.org/2008/04/prx_selected_for_macarthur_fou.php

The "Content Venture Fund" in particular is something we're excited to
launch and develop creative uses for with producers and stations. More
on that soon!

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MacArthur Announces 2008 Winners of Award for Creative and Effective
Institutions

Chicago, IL (April 10, 2008) – Continuing its tradition of encouraging
creativity and building effective institutions to help address some of
the world’s most challenging problems, the John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation announced today that eight organizations in six
countries will receive the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective
Institutions.

These nonprofit organizations have diverse missions – from helping
public radio thrive in the digital age to defending human rights in
Nigeria to seeking a more fair juvenile justice system in the United
States. Still, they have much in common. All are highly creative and
effective organizations that have made an extraordinary impact in their
fields, while driving significant change on a modest budget. Each
organization will receive up to $500,000, a large sum considering their
annual budgets are under $2.5 million. The organizations will use their
new funding for a range of purposes, including purchasing new office
space, developing training and research facilities, upgrading
technology, and undertaking new research.

“From its founding, the MacArthur Foundation has sought out people and
organizations that have the creativity, energy and breadth of vision to
change the world for the better,” said MacArthur President Jonathan
Fanton. “These imaginative and influential small organizations have an
impact altogether disproportionate to their size. They are addressing
problems and injustices, finding fresh solutions, and proving themselves
as leaders and innovators.

Full press release: http://tinyurl.com/5xh4kz
PRX MacArthur page: http://tinyurl.com/3tdb8x