Tides Awards 2012 Pizzigati Prize to Mobile Security Pioneer Nathan Freitas

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:24:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 6, 2012 Media Contact:
Kate Byrne
(415) 561-7884
kbyrne@tides.org San Francisco—The team leader of a two-year-old project that’s enhancing the safety, security, and effectiveness of activists and human rights defenders from Syria and Tibet to Afghanistan and Burma has become the sixth annual winner of the Antonio Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest. The $10,000 Pizzigati Prize honors software developers who are tapping the spirit of open source computing to fashion exceptional applications that aid activists and nonprofits. Tides—a partner to philanthropists and activists worldwide—hosts the prize selection process. This year’s Pizzigati Prize winner, Nathan Freitas, leads the Guardian Project, a team of software developers working to address what may be the cruelest irony of our mobile technology era. On the one hand, mobile phones have become absolutely essential to struggles for political and economic justice all across the world. On the other, as Ethan Zuckerman of Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society has noted, mobile devices can be “profoundly unsafe” for the activists who use them. The world’s most repressive governments can exploit mobile technology to monitor and track down protestors and their organizations. That reality first struck Nathan Freitas when he started working to support Tibetan human rights activists who would regularly be risking their freedom—and even lives—on trips into China and Tibet. Mobile phones would be the activists’ only tether to the outside world. “I felt that if we could make those phones more tuned to their needs, both from a security and functionality perspective,” says the 36-year-old Freitas, “that would help bolster their cause and make their sacrifices count.” The Guardian Project that Freitas leads has released a suite of privacy and security-minded mobile applications for Android phones. All the apps come free and, notes Freitas, “can run just as well on $100 smartphones available in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia as they do on higher-end models popular in the United States and Europe.” Over 100,000 users have already downloaded the new apps that Freitas and his team have developed. One of these apps shields the safety and privacy on instant messages sent via mobile phones. Another lets users access blocked and censored Web content. The most remarkable of these security apps? That may be “Secure Smart Cam,” an amazing camera app for smartphones that human rights defenders can use to more safely capture and distribute human rights digital media. Freitas developed the app jointly with WITNESS, a human rights video organization. With Secure Smart Cam, activists can obscure faces that appear on the videos they shoot. Another side of the software, soon to be available, will verify smartphone images and video—and make these visuals more compelling as digital evidence of human rights violations. Freitas spent ten years earlier in his career working in the commercial mobile technology industry. He watched mobile phones become “the central storage for all of our personal contacts, communications and even intimate thoughts.” “It pained me,” says Freitas, “to see how little corporate product companies were considering the privacy implications and risks inherent in that.” Freitas soon realized that the open-source community could help offset the dangers to privacy that activists faced. In 2003, he began working with that community on new mobile tools and network services that could allow activists to “coordinate, protest, and campaign in a more efficient and effective manner, no matter where they were on the planet.” Freitas has been at that work ever since, and he knows, from the feedback his team has received, that the work is making a real difference. One recent email he received came from a user of Guardian Project apps who lived in a nation where authorities heavily “filter”—censor—the Web. Wrote the user in appreciation: “U are saving us from being in prison of filtering.” Sentiments like that, notes Freitas, provide software developers like him “many more times satisfaction than any IPO or start-up acquisition could ever have.” Freitas says he’ll be using his Pizzigati Prize $10,000 award on a variety of fronts, for everything from gifts for his fellow developers—who’ve been “sacrificing fantastic high-paying jobs they could all easily get to join me in this work”—to travel expenses that will help take the Guardian Project “on the road” to hook up with local activists. Freitas doesn’t see the mobile-technology threats that activists face disappearing anytime soon. But the rising number of activists now using open-source tools has Freitas really encouraged. “Open messaging protocols, virtual servers, public key cryptography—all the things that engineers have known how to leverage for years to collaborate securely and efficiently—organizers, activists, and journalists can now use,” says Freitas, “It’s really fantastic.” Freitas, a Sacramento native, currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. He advises groups involved in social change all around the world and also teaches at New York University's Interactive Telecommunication's Program. Nathan Freitas will receive this year’s Pizzigati Prize in a presentation during the National Technology Network’s 2012 Nonprofit Technology Conference, set to begin April 3 in Washington, D.C. This year’s Pizzigati Prize judging panel included three previous winners of the prize—Darius Jazayeri, Yaw Anokwa, and Ken Banks—and two veteran professionals who have each earned wide respect within the nonprofit computing world, Joseph Mouzon and Erika Bjune. The deadline for next year’s Pizzigati Prize will be December 1, 2012. Applications forms and background information will be available later this year at the Pizzigati Prize Web site. About The Pizzigati Prize
The Antonio Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest goes annually to an open source software developer who is adding significant value to the nonprofit sector and movements for social change. The prize honors the brief life of Tony Pizzigati, an early advocate of open source computing. Born in 1971, Tony spent his college years at MIT, where he worked at the world-famous MIT Media Lab. Tony died in 1995, in an auto accident on his way to work in Silicon Valley. To learn more about the prize and its judging criteria, visit www.pizzigatiprize.org. About Tides
Tides, the Pizzigati Prize selection process host, partners with philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations across the United States and around the globe to promote economic justice, robust democratic processes, and the opportunity to live in a healthy and sustainable environment where human rights are preserved and protected. A nonprofit founded in 1976, Tides provides an array of services that amplify the efforts of forward-thinking individuals and organizations. For more information, visit www.tides.org.

The Center for Social Inclusion Names Maya Wiley as President

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:21:00 -0600

The Board of Directors of the Center for Social Inclusion (CSI), a national policy strategy...

Redwood High School to honor distinguished alumni

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Redwood High School plans to honor four of its "distinguished alumni" with a banquet in 2013 and an...

Union Square Awards Honors 13 New York City Grassroots Organizations

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:15:00 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2011
Contact: Irini Neofotistos
(212) 579-2653
ineofotistos@unionsquareawards.org

NEW YORK, NY – Thirteen non-profit organizations working throughout New York City will receive the prestigious Union Square Award along with grants totaling $560,000 at its annual celebration on Friday, December 2^nd. Seven awards of $50,000 will be made for outstanding work addressing critical social justice and economic issues facing New Yorkers and six Arts Awards with a $35,000 grant will be given in recognition of innovative programs for youth and families in low-income communities. The Union Square Awards has distributed more than $16 million in grants since 1998. “Union Square Award recipients make extraordinary contributions to the City. They are at the forefront tackling our most pressing problems from homelessness and hunger to the rising rates of HIV/AIDS. They are community organizers and advocates who provide vital programs and services not otherwise available, especially in difficult economic times. The Award supports emerging organizations by covering general operating expenses, seeding programs, expanding existing services, and helping to leverage additional funding,” said Iris Morales, Union Square Awards Executive Director. Named after the park on 14th Street where New Yorkers have organized and spoken out about major social issues since the nineteenth century, the Union Square Awards realize an anonymous donor’s dream of honoring those who take action to improve people’s lives and advance social justice. He believed that grassroots activism deepens public discourse, strengthens neighborhoods, adds to the city’s vitality, and creates social change. Identified through a public nominations selection process, the 2011 Union Square Awards recipients join a distinguished network of 225 organizations that have received the award and will be recognized at a special ceremony in Manhattan.

UNION SQUARE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Brooklyn Food Coalition is a grassroots, multi-racial, multi-cultural alliance of residents working to promote food justice, food security, and a sustainable food system in Brooklyn. Community Connections for Youth is a Bronx-based organization mobilizing neighborhood organizations and residents to develop effective alternatives to youth incarceration. Da Urban Butterflies works with young women living in the Washington Heights/ Inwood neighborhoods to build strong, conscious, and pro-active leaders. SEVA Immigrant Community Advocacy Project uses grassroots organizing, leadership development, civic participation, and campaigns to address the needs of South Asian and West Indian communities in Queens. The New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City is an interfaith network of immigrant families, religious congregations, and organizations that oppose unjust deportations and seek just immigration policy reform. Trinity Place Shelter is a transitional shelter serving homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth in New York City. Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition is a Brooklyn-based organization that supports young women with advocacy, organizing and partnerships to reduce rising rates of HIV/AIDS.
UNION SQUARE ARTS AWARD RECIPIENTS

Artistic Noise provides young people in the juvenile justice system the opportunity to use the visual arts to document their lives while learning valuable life and job skills. ARTs East New York is committed to the development of the East New York neighborhood through programs presenting, promoting, and preserving multicultural arts. Ayazamana provides young people with a dance program emphasizing Ecuadorian customs, traditions and diversity. BombaYo is dedicated to preserving Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance through education and performance, and engages young people to celebrate their cultural identity. UpBeat NYC provides free music instruction to children and youth, in Brooklyn and the Bronx and fosters personal achievement, creative self-expression, and community cooperation. Young Urban Christians and Artists, Inc. nurtures young artists with the skills to succeed in the visual arts through the use of new digital technologies. For more information, visit: www.unionsquareawards.org. About The Union Square Awards
The Union Square Awards is a project Tides whose mission is to actively promote change toward a healthy society – one founded on principles of social justice, equal economic opportunity, a robust democratic process, and environmental sustainability.

Tides Fellows Program Launched, Three Nonprofit Leaders Selected for Innovative Contributions to the Sector

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:11:00 -0600

Media Contact:
Heidi Hernandez Gatty
415.561.6300
hgatty@tides.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE San Francisco, CA—Tides has launched a new Tides Fellows program focused on research-based approaches to increasing innovation and capacity in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. The inaugural cohort of Tides Fellows includes three distinguished sector leaders, who will each pursue a unique set of projects to support a broad progressive agenda.

Anthony Jewett, Co-founder of the National Center for Global Engagement, will focus on framing Tides’ strategic foci in education, equality and environment. He will also explore the role of crowd-funding in the social sector, particularly for racial justice work.
Gara LaMarche, former President and Chief Executive Officer of The Atlantic Philanthropies, will continue his work examining the role of morality in philanthropy and will document his experience in various social movements.
Sonal Shah, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the first White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, will focus her initial research on impact investing and developing tools for the philanthropic sector to better partner with the public and private sectors on critical social and economic issues.

The Tides Fellows program is part of a series of new strategic initiatives instituted under the leadership of Melissa L. Bradley, a social entrepreneur who became Tides Chief Executive Officer in November of 2010. “I am pleased to welcome this group of incredibly talented and passionate leaders to Tides,” said Bradley. “Each of our Fellows has already made significant contributions to the social change sector, and I am thrilled that Tides will support them in amplifying their work to new issues and communities.” About Tides
Tides is a values-based, social change platform that leverages individual and institutional leadership and investment to positively impact local and global communities. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides visit www.tides.org.

Hadar Susskind, Political Strategist, Selected as Tides Vice President, Managing Director of Tides Washington, DC Office

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 2011 Contact: Heidi Hernandez Gatty
415.561.6300
hgatty@tides.org WASHINGTON, DC—Hadar Susskind has joined Tides leadership as Vice President and Managing Director of the newly-opened office in Washington, DC. In this new position, Susskind will expand Tides’ profile to further engage political leaders, particularly those who work on critical issues that are not currently represented in national political dialogue. He will also lead the creation of a “Tikkun Olam Fund” to support Jewish social justice work and manage staff and operations for the new Tides office. Susskind joins Tides from J Street, having served as the Vice President of Policy and Strategy, where he worked towards bringing an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and oversaw the organization’s growth and impact in Congress. “Hadar possesses a wealth of experience in engaging political leaders and processes towards positively impacting some of the world’s most confounding problems,” Bradley said. “I am thrilled that he will share his passion and political knowledge with the Tides community of organizations and philanthropists, and will help raise Tides’ profile in DC and across the country.” Susskind joins the organization in a period of strategic recalibration and growth, with the direction and leadership of Melissa L. Bradley, who assumed leadership of Tides as Chief Executive Officer in November of 2010. He is one of several new hires that support and enhance the ability of Tides to assess its programs and strategies to increase the organization’s impact. In the coming weeks, Bradley will continue to bring in new talent like Susskind with the aim of developing new services and supporting streamlined operations. In addition to welcoming new staff, this month Tides opened a new office in Washington, DC, a current hub of activity and key location for driving meaningful social change. “I couldn’t be happier to join Tides at this critical moment, not only for Tides, but for the social change sector at large,” said Susskind. “I look forward to furthering Tides work through innovative partnerships that bring together donors, nonprofit leadership, social entrepreneurs, and political players to create new models and programs for social change.” About Tides
Tides partners with individuals and institutions to support values-based social change throughout the world. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides visit www.tides.org.

Chad Bolick, Expert on Strategic Partnerships and Program Development, Selected as Tides Director of Impact and Innovation

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2011 Contact: Heidi Hernandez Gatty
415.561.6300
hgatty@tides.org SAN FRANCISCO, CA—Chad Bolick has joined Tides leadership as the new Director of Impact and Innovation, focusing on research, fundraising, and developing strategic partnerships and services to meet shifting needs within the non-profit and philanthropic sectors. In this new position, Bolick will also direct the work of Tides’ newly created Impact & Innovation department with a focus on developing frameworks for evaluating the impact of Tides’ $150M annual programming. Bolick joins Tides having served most recently as the director of global partnership development at BSR, where he designed partnerships among Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), companies, private foundations, and governments at the nexus of international development and business. “Chad brings a depth of expertise around partnerships and creative work with global businesses to support social change,” Bradley said. “His experience will be invaluable as Tides reviews programs and reaches out to the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors to continue to provide the most useful platform for efficient and meaningful collaboration.” Bolick joins the organization in a period of strategic recalibration and growth, with the direction and leadership of Melissa L. Bradley, who assumed leadership of Tides as Chief Executive Officer in November of 2010. This is one of several new hires that support and enhance the ability of Tides to assess its programs and strategies to increase the organization’s impact. In the coming weeks, Bradley will continue to bring in new talent like Bolick with the aim of developing new products and services and supporting streamlined operations. In addition to welcoming new staff, this month Tides opened a new office in Washington, DC, a current hub of activity and key location for driving meaningful social change. "I am incredibly enthusiastic to be joining Tides at such a pivotal time in its 35-year history,” said Bolick. “Despite strong headwinds facing the nonprofit sector in an era of city, state, and national budget cuts, the value of Tides' programs and services to the nonprofit sector is clear. Innovative collaboration among nonprofits, donors, and government is a part of the solution." About Tides
Tides partners with individuals and institutions to support values-based social change throughout the world. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides visit www.tides.org.

Nominations Open for Nation’s Top Honor in Public Interest Computing

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Media Contact:
Heidi Hernandez Gatty
415.561.6300
hgatty@tides.org San Francisco, September 20, 2011 – Nominations have now opened for the sixth annual Antonio Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest, the nation’s highest honor for software developers working with nonprofits to help advance innovative social change. Tides is now accepting nominations for this year’s $10,000 prize through October 31. The 2012 winner will be announced in April at the Nonprofit Technology Network annual conference in San Francisco. Each year, starting in 2006, the Pizzigati Prize has accepted nominations for talented and creative individuals who develop open source software products that demonstrate impressive value to the nonprofit sector. Tides welcomes nominations from both developers and the nonprofits who work with them. The most recent Pizzigati Prize winner, Ken Banks, created software that speaks directly to the reality that millions of people globally have only simple mobile phones and no access whatsoever to the Internet. The software Banks has developed turns mobile phones into grassroots organizing tools for everything from mobilizing young voters to thwarting thieving commodity traders. The 2010 Pizzigati Prize winner, Yaw Anokwa, led the development on Open Data Kit, a modular set of tools that’s helping nonprofits the world over on a wide variety of battlefronts, from struggles to prevent deforestation to campaigns against human rights violations. "Open source software developers like these fill an indispensable role," explains Tides Chief of Staff Joseph Mouzon, a Pizzigati Prize judge and the former Executive Director of Nonprofit Services for Network for Good. "The Pizzigati Prize aims to honor that contribution — and encourage programmers to engage their talents in the ongoing struggle for social change." The Pizzigati Prize honors the brief life of Tony Pizzigati, an early advocate of open source computing. Born in 1971, Tony spent his college years at MIT, where he worked at the world-famous MIT Media Lab. Tony died in 1995, in an auto accident on his way to work in Silicon Valley. Full details on the Pizzigati Prize, the largest annual award in public interest computing, appear online at www.pizzigatiprize.org. About Tides
Tides is a values-based, social change platform that leverages individual and institutional leadership and investment to positively impact local and global communities. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides visit www.tides.org.

Newborn Possibilities Fund Awards Grant to Memorial Hermann Foundation to Support Groundbreaking Pediatric Research

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Media Contacts: Kathy Engle
kengle@cordblood.com Elizabeth Jameson
Office: 312-729-4274
ejameson@golinharris.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SAN FRANCISCO, September 14, 2011 –The Newborn Possibilities Fund, a grant making program established by Cord Blood Registry (CBR), today announced it has provided a grant to the Memorial Hermann Foundation in collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital (UTHealth’s children’s teaching hospital). The UTHealth Medical School is conducting an innovative FDA-regulated clinical trial evaluating the use of a child’s own cord blood stem cells as a potential medical intervention for traumatic brain injury. The grant will provide financial support to help with travel and other expenses for families with a child participating in the trial. The study will include 10 children, ages 18 months to 17 years who have suffered moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) within the past 6-18 months. After trial eligibility has been confirmed, study participants will travel to Houston to undergo a medical history and physical exam, neuropsychiatric evaluation, DT-MRI imaging of the brain, and baseline laboratory evaluation. The participant’s cord blood will be infused intravenously and they will be monitored as an in-patient for 24 hours, returning the following day for a final examination. Follow-up visits will occur back at UTHealth at 180 days, 1 year and 2 years post-infusion. “This important clinical study will provide new insights into the potential of cord blood stem cells to help children recover from nerve tissue damage to the brain,” said Heather Brown, vice president of scientific and medical affairs at CBR. “However, the study design requires a family to make trips at their own expense to the study center. The goal of The Newborn Possibilities Fund is to remove financial barriers that may prevent eligible children from participating in this cutting-edge research and receiving investigational treatments that may improve their quality of life.” The Newborn Possibilities Fund (NPF) was created to help advance clinical research investigating the use of a child’s own cord blood stem cells as a treatment for conditions like cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injury. The NPF directs financial grants to non-profit organizations to help cover the cost of travel for families who have the chance to participate in FDA-regulated trials. The Fund is administered by Tides, a public charity, on behalf of CBR. Patients who meet the inclusion criteria and are enrolled in the trial at UTHealth will be notified of the Newborn Possibilities Fund and have the opportunity to receive funds to use toward the cost of travel to Houston for the cord blood infusion procedure and required follow up visits. “Our research helps to show that cell-based therapies are not science fiction. Preclinical models have demonstrated fascinating neurological preservation effects to really support these Phase 1 trials,” said principal investigator Dr. Charles Cox, The Children’s Fund, Inc. Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Surgery and director of the Pediatric Trauma Program at Children’s Memorial Hermann. A growing body of research has shown that infused stem cells help to initiate repair and induce healing in the brain. A recently completed Phase I study at UTHealth (results published in the journal Neurosurgery, March 2011), which investigated a bone-marrow stem cell therapy in children with acute traumatic brain injury, revealed positive safety results and led Dr. Cox to design this cord blood stem cell trial. Through generous donations, the Newborn Possibilities Fund hopes to provide financial support for additional trials already underway at leading research universities across the country. For more information on the program or to donate, please visit www.newbornpossibilities.com/donate. About Tides
Tides is a values-based, social change platform that leverages individual and institutional leadership and investment to positively impact local and global communities. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides visit www.tides.org. About Cord Blood Registry
Cord Blood Registry® (CBR) is the world’s largest and most experienced family cord blood bank. The company has consistently led the industry in technical innovations and safeguards more than 375,000 cord blood collections for individuals and their families. CBR was the first family bank accredited by AABB and the company’s quality standards have been recognized through ISO 9001:2008 certification—the global business standard for quality. CBR has also released more client cord blood units for specific therapeutic use than any other family cord blood bank. Our research and development efforts are focused on helping the world’s leading clinical researchers advance regenerative medical therapies. For more information, visit www.cordblood.com.

New York City’s First-Ever Social Justice Artists’ Convening

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

New York, September 12, 2011—Undeterred by shifting economic conditions and motivated by passion for justice, a unique gathering of NYC-based arts organizations, artists, funders, and activists are convening to create a blueprint for sustaining New York City’s cultural grassroots. Through cutting-edge, star-studded performances and dynamic workshops designed to mobilize for impact, the goal of this unprecedented gathering by artists working with low-income communities is to ensure that those most affected by injustice have creative supports and networks for generating change. “This work matters right now because art is not a luxury. It is an essential element of creating and sustaining equitable conditions,” said Iris Morales, Executive Director of the Union Square Awards and a co-sponsor of the Social Justice Artists’ Convening. “We have come together with the intent of sharing best practices and developing a network that supports social justice work and the sustainability of our arts, culture, artists, and organizations.” Generously hosted by El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem, the city’s leading Latino cultural institution, this event takes place on Wednesday, September 21. Gonzalo Casals, Director of Education & Public Programs for the museum commented, “It is with pleasure and honor that we are hosting this programming.” At a time when arts groups in New York are struggling to keep their doors open, and increasingly artists and communities are being forced to compete for financial support, this convening is about fostering partnerships and much-needed capacity. “We are stronger when we work together,” explained Rise Wilson, founder of the Laundromat Project and spokesperson for the Social Justice Artists' Collaborative that initiated this call to action. “Through arts programs, young people not only discover new talents and voices, but truly rise as the next generation of creative leadership this city needs. We can only maintain those opportunities if we dream of new models and practices together, and stand shoulder to shoulder to fight for, create and imagine new resources. We have so much to offer and learn from each other -- this convening puts that power in our hands.” Jessica Green, Cinema Director for the Maysles Institute in Harlem, noted that the gathering is unprecedented because “it is by and for us, in particular as artists and activists who are part of our communities, fighting for real immigrant and racial justice, and against homophobia. Artists who are pushing back hard on the gentrifying forces that reduce our neighborhoods to some sort of tabla rasa for commercial and cultural exploitation.” Charles Rice Gonzalez, Director of the Bronx Academy for Art and Dance (BAAD), reflected that, “this day marks the next level of community-building that we need to sustain ourselves and scale our impacts. Art has the power to spark dialogue and shape new understanding. We know that without our work, our hands, our communities, our voices, our songs, our dances and our visions, the city will not remain a nexus of innovation.” Underscoring the beauty and richness of the city’s arts programs, the day-long convening of artists and arts organizations begins with a walking tour by El Museo del Barrio of its East Harlem neighborhood, highlighting both history and present day struggles. With remarks by key figures in the field and an invocation by the incredible hip-hop artist and playwright Rha Goddess, the opening plenary is set to explore the relationship between art and social justice. Through workshops, discussion, and networking participants will share best practices for sustainability and building solidarity. Due to high demand, registration for the convening is already closed out with a full wait-list. “The response has been amazing, but not a surprise. It just underscores how much we need to do this,” reflected Ms. Wilson. To keep the momentum going following a high-energy and sold-out day, the Social Justice Artists' Collaborative is hosting “Performance Artivism! A Cultural Evening of Visual Art & Performance with Heart, Soul and Guts!” FREE of boundaries, FREE of mind and FREE of charge, Performance Artivsm! is set of high-voltage cultural performances open to the public starting 7:30pm. Emceed by Mildred Ruiz-Sapp, the evening of live performances feature Bryonn Bain, Yalini Dream, Climbing Poetree and Angel Rodriguez with percussionists. All groups welcome. Sponsored by the Lambent Foundation, Union Square Awards (a project of Tides), and NYFA Immigrant Artist Project. The Social Justice Artists' Collaborative is a working group of progressive artists, practitioners, and funders. Initial conveners are the Union Square Awards, Maysles Institute, The Laundromat Project, Lambent Foundation, NYFA Immigrant Artist Project, Hip-Hop Theater Festival, Global Action Project (GAP), Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD!), and Art for Change. For more information and updates, visit Facebook.

Disability Rights Fund Receives AUD 1.2 Million from AusAID

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Diana Samarasan, Director
Email: dsamarasan@disabilityrightsfund.org Boston, MA, September 6, 2011 – On the opening day of the fourth Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) is pleased to announce the receipt of a grant of AUD 1.2 million (USD 1.28 million) from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). This grant provides ongoing support for grantmaking to disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) in the Global South to advocate for their rights. “This contribution underscores the Australian government’s ground-breaking commitment to disability inclusive development,” stated DRF’s Director Diana Samarasan, “and supports Australian Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd’s, recent declaration that, ‘enhancing the lives of people with disabilities has been incorporated within the core development objectives of the aid portfolio.’” Utilizing the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD), DRF supports the human rights advocacy of DPOs in the Middle East, Eastern Europe/former Soviet Union and the Global South. The Disability Rights Fund is a unique organization advised by a global panel whose members come from five continents and reflect a broad cross-section of the disability community. Advisors work with donors to oversee the grantmaking process. AusAID’s Director of Disability Inclusive Development, Rosemary Mckay, who is attending the Conference of States Parties on the CRPD stated that, “The DRF is a very important partner for AusAID as it helps us to reach small and emerging DPOs allowing them to have their voices heard, many for the first time. AusAID’s assistance has enabled the DRF to open grantmaking to countries in our region including all Pacific Island countries and Indonesia. For example, a grant of $30,000 in 2010 to the Papua New Guinea Assembly of Disabled Persons enabled them to successfully lobby for CPRD signature and to build momentum for ratification by expanding knowledge about the Convention among people with disabilities in rural areas.” Since launch of the Fund in 2008, DRF has granted a total of $5,660,368 in grants to 151 organizations in eighteen countries. Grantees include a Ugandan organization of lawyers with disabilities, an emergent national cross-disability group in Tuvalu, an organization of the deaf in Indonesia, and a grassroots network in Bangladesh of women-led disabled persons’ organizations. For a full list of grantees and more information about DRF, see www.disabilityrightsfund.org. Other donors to DRF include: the American Jewish World Service, the Open Society Foundations, The Sigrid Rausing Trust, and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID).

Serving LGBT elders: Local organizations work together to improve care, understanding

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:26:00 -0500

A first-ever survey of LGBT elders who reside in elder care communities in Alameda County was...

Geeks Without Frontiers Announces Final Development of Low Cost, Open Source, Wi-Fi Software

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:29:00 -0500

Mountain View, California, August 2, 2011 – Geeks Without Frontiers (“GEEKS”) announces the final development of an innovative, low cost, Open Source, Wi-Fi software technology facilitated by a grant from the Tides Foundation. GEEKS expects that this technology, built mainly by Cozybit, managed by GEEKS and sponsored by Google, I-Net Solutions, Global Connect, Nortel, One LapTop Per Child (OLPC) and the Manna Energy Foundation, will enable the development and roll out of large scale mesh Wi-Fi networks, for nearly half of the traditional network cost. This is a major step in the direction of affordable broadband for all, capable of bringing tremendous economic and social benefits to millions, especially in areas where legacy broadband models are currently considered to be uneconomical. According to Michael Potter, one of the founders of the GEEKS initiative, “By driving down the cost of metropolitan and village scale Wi-Fi networks, millions more people will be able to reap the social and economic benefits of lower cost Internet access. Potter estimates that the Open Source architecture will pressure traditional Wi-Fi deployment costs to drop by up to 45%. GEEKS is honoured to work with the Tides Foundation, Google, and others, in moving towards making the dream of global access a reality.” Geeks specially recognizes Javier Cardona of Cozybit and security expert Dan Harkins who have worked to ensure that the GEEKS Wi-Fi software utilizes the strongest authentication methodology known to exist. GEEKS also recognizes to Andrew Gold of I-Net Solutions, and Karl Garcia of Google who, in developing two free Wi-Fi networks currently delivering free broadband to more than 100,000 people in California, helped to define the components of low cost highly scalable, mesh Wi-Fi. The next step in the GEEKS project is to complete the current open source implementation of the upcoming IEEE mesh standard 802.11s which is expected be ratified in the 4th quarter of this year. The software is currently available at www.open80211s.org GEEKS is an initiative of The Manna Energy Foundation ("Manna") which represents a revolution in philanthropy, with the vision that positive change results from a combination of both philanthropic action and social enterprise. Manna’s goal is to positively impact the lives of one billion people in the next ten years through the use of social entrepreneurship. The GEEKS vision is to positively impact the lives of one billion people in the next ten years through the use of technology led social enterprise. For more information please check out www.geekswf.org or email info@geekswf.org. About Tides:
Tides is a values-based, social change platform that leverages individual and institutional leadership and investment to positively impact local and global communities. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides visit www.tides.org.

Three LGBTQ Youth Activists Honored by Colin Higgins Foundation

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:00:00 -0500

Press Contact:
Gary D. Schwartz
Tides Foundation
(212) 509-1052
gschwartz@tides.org New York, June 25, 2011 – The Colin Higgins Foundation is proud to announce the 2011 Colin Higgins Youth Courage Award winners, a stellar group of LGBTQ youth activists working diligently to bring visibility to some of the most urgent issues facing queer youth today. In spite of the obstacles in their personal lives, Phuong Tseng, Daunasia Yancey and Cyrus Sinai have made significant contributions to their communities in crucial areas that have intensified for youth during the current economic crisis, including bullying, increasing rates of HIV infection, homelessness, and safety from violence. Phuong Tseng was born and grew up in a biracial and bicultural family in Vietnam. Phuong and her family came to San Francisco when she was nine years old – a time when she was questioning and exploring her gender identity in middle school. Phuong experienced isolation, discrimination, and prejudice because her peers could not tolerate or accept her. Phuong went on to intern at Oasis for Girls as a RISE intern in 2008 when she heard about Lavender Youth Recreation & Information Center (LYRIC) and outLoud Radio. Phuong proceeded to lead in her role as President of her school’s Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) – striving to create a safe campus for LGBTQ students. She has continued her activism at Mills College and credits her young brother’s life challenging battle with leukemia as a turning point when she realized that she could not “sit around and do nothing.” Daunasia Yancey was born to a sex worker and an incarcerated man in Boston, MA and at the age of four, lost her mother to AIDS. She came out in the 8^th grade and mobilized support for a GSA in her school – the first GSA in a public middle school in Massachusetts. Daunasia was sexually assaulted by a family member when she was 15 and was kicked out of her house shortly after reporting the incident. Despite the lack of support both at home and at school, Daunasia’s community activism continued when she became a safe sex educator with Boston Gay & Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, a volunteer with the Sex Workers Outreach Project and a facilitator at BAGLY (Boston Alliance for LGBTQ Youth). She is now the coordinator of BAGLY’s Health Education & Risk Reduction Tea, the co-chair of the Youth Leadership Committee – and a member of their Board of Directors. Cyrus Sinai comes from an Iranian immigrant family and was actively attending the Mormon Church as a young person. Cyrus describes the battle over his sexuality as a young person and the countless hours spent trying to “pray the gay away.” As with many young people in such painful times, Cyrus was convinced his homosexuality was a disease and considered suicide. He eventually left the Mormon Church and took a life-changing trip to West Africa when he was 16 – finally coming out to his family, friends, and school. Under Cyrus’s leadership as the GSA President in his school, the membership more than tripled in size and has become one the most prominent clubs on his high school campus. His activist work continues to focus on education and cross-cultural dialogue on LGBTQ issues. Cyrus states that “if every person in the world walked a day in the shoes of an LGBTQ person, the issue of gay rights would not even be an issue.” This year’s award winners showcase the importance of how ordinary people make extraordinary contributions to their communities and create movement through reaching out, inspiring and supporting others, building communities, and creating safer spaces. “In a year beset with the many suicides of LGBTQ young people and with much attention given to bullying and harassment in our nation’s school systems, the Colin Higgins Youth Courage Awards are yet another reminder of the resilience and perseverance of determined young people, who despite their own circumstances and conditions, deliver acts of compassion and great leadership to their fellow human beings in these times,” says Gary D. Schwartz, Managing Director of Tides Foundation and Administrator of the Colin Higgins Courage Awards. Youth Courage Award recipients receive a grant of $10,000 and will be honored at the Trevor Project Gala in New York City on June 25^th. The Trevor Project operates the nation’s only 24/7 suicide and crisis prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth. The awardees will also receive an expense-paid trip to attend the National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, presented by the National Gay & Lesbian Taskforce. The Courage Awards were established in 2000 to further spirit and lifework of Colin Higgins, the acclaimed screenwriter/director, who created such films as Harold and Maude and Nine to Five. Following his films – which celebrate characters who displayed honesty and integrity in the face of adversity – the Courage Awards were created to honor ordinary yet remarkable individuals whose courage helped to educate and enlighten others about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer experience. In 2005, the program shifted its focus specifically to support LGBTQ youth. Over the last decade, the Foundation has issued 41 awards to activists hailing from 17 states and Puerto Rico. A list of previous winners can be found at www.colinhiggins.org. About Tides:
Tides is a values-based, social change platform that leverages individual and institutional leadership and investment to positively impact local and global communities. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides visit www.tides.org.

Communities and Organizations Win When Nonprofits Share Resources, Tides Study Finds

Tue, 10 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Media Contact:
Nicole Shore
Zero To Sixty Communications
Nicole.Shore@zerotosixtycommunications.com
201.401.0498 LOS ANGELES, May 10, 2011 – Thriving communities resulting from better public services for more people, new civic infrastructure, and successful models for public and private partnerships are some of the benefits when organizations co-locate and share resources, according to a study released today by The NonprofitCenters Network, a program of Tides. This first-ever assessment of organizations sharing facilities in the US and Canada found that 86 percent of organizations housed in shared spaces experience significant improvements in their overall effectiveness and efficiency, which ultimately yield greater benefits for the communities they serve. “In the current economic climate, proven cost-effective solutions that benefit dozens of organizations in one city or town are a real win-win,“ said China Brotsky, Senior Vice President of Tides. “Measuring Collaboration: The Benefits and Impacts of Nonprofit Centers” study reveals two key types of outcomes resulting from facilities that house multiple organizations: direct benefits to resident organizations such as cost savings, and community economic and social benefits. The study’s findings reveal why nonprofit centers are effective models for large-scale social change and collaboration between nonprofits, government and business. “Demand for these kinds of shared centers is on the rise,“ said Tamitha Walker, a Program Officer for The Kresge Foundation, one of the foundations that funded the study. “The increase in proposals from organizations interested in forming nonprofit centers prompted our need to understand their real benefits and impacts.” Nonprofit centers are often buzzing central hubs defined by the needs of the communities in which they are located. Service centers typically bring together organizations such as health clinics, food banks, job training and other social services in one location to provide comprehensive care for community members. Service centers are able to leverage shared resources to serve more people and improve client services. Over half of the study’s participants report improvement in quality of services and almost forty percent increased the number of people they serve. Other centers have a specific focus like the environment or the arts. Resident organizations in these centers often combine forces where they have common ground, yielding significant impacts such as vibrant cultural districts, greater civic participation and positive policy changes. Nonprofit centers have also been very successful in leveraging collaborative relationships with key leaders from local government and business in order to strengthen their communities. “As a foundation that works to provide the nonprofit community with successful models of collaboration, we see nonprofit centers as a leading model for the future,” said Lois Savage, President of The Lodestar Foundation, which also funded the study. Organizations housed in nonprofit centers typically gain access to higher quality facilities in better locations for up to 75 percent below market value. As a result, inclusion in a nonprofit center increases the visibility of resident organizations yielding greater community participation, access to funding and overall credibility. More than seventy percent of organizations in the study reported increased community awareness and credibility, while nearly 60 percent reported higher visibility to funders. With results like this, securing a space in a nonprofit center can be highly competitive. Even in this economy, most centers have extremely low vacancy rates. Eighty percent of centers in this study maintain waiting lists. Many communities have just one or two centers to serve hundreds of community organizations. “This study highlights both a pressing need in our communities and a proven model for solving it,” said Ms. Brotsky. “We hope that public and private sector leaders will take this study and use it as a roadmap for a strategy that really works.” “Measuring Collaboration: The Benefits and Impacts of Nonprofit Centers” is a commissioned research effort by Mt. Auburn Associates. Research methodology included a survey of nonprofit center directors and resident organizations, interviews and focus groups, plus five case studies. The full report summary can be found at www.nonprofitcenters.org/ImpactStudy. About Tides
Tides is a values-based, social change platform that leverages individual and institutional leadership and investment to positively impact local and global communities. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides visit www.tides.org.

The Hitachi Foundation Names Tides CEO Melissa Bradley to Board of Directors

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:10:00 -0500

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 15, 2011) – The Hitachi Foundation announced the addition of Tides Foundation CEO and social entrepreneur Melissa Bradley to its Board of Directors. Bradley brings extensive experience in financial services, socially responsible investing, and philanthropy to the Foundation.

“Melissa Bradley’s extensive background and successful track record is a compelling addition, one that is strategically aligned with the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to create transformative opportunities for low-wealth Americans, their families and communities through sustainable business practices,” said Barbara Dyer, president and CEO of the Foundation. “My life’s work has been to create resources and opportunities for those society has deemed ineligible.” Bradley said. “The Hitachi Foundation understands the central role that business must play in this work. The Hitachi Foundation is poised to make game-changing contributions to the fields of social enterprise and corporate sustainability, and I am thrilled to play a part.” Prior to joining the Tides Foundation as Chief Executive Officer, Bradley founded New Capitalist, an organization that leverages human, financial, and social capital to create sustainable and profitable individuals, businesses, and communities. In this role, she facilitated over $20 million in venture capital transactions for seed stage companies, generated an average of 20 percent return on behalf of investors, and created proprietary investment vehicles instrumental in capital sourcing for minority-owned firms. Bradley is also the founder of Reentry Strategies Institute, the only national criminal justice intermediary focused explicitly on creating viable entrepreneurial ventures for formerly incarcerated individuals, and The Entrepreneurial Development Institute (TEDI), an international, non-governmental organization serving youth ages 7 to 21 and their families – the former was selected as the “Outstanding National Youth Entrepreneurship Program” by the Kauffman Foundation. Bradley currently holds board positions with The Corporation for Enterprise Development, Georgetown University Board of Governors, Victory Fund, and Grist, and previously with Green America, the Tides Network, and Tides Foundation. The Hitachi Foundation was established as an independent nonprofit philanthropic organization by Hitachi, Ltd. in 1985. Governed by a Board of Directors composed of highly accomplished Americans, the Foundation’s broad purpose is to discover and expand business practices that create tangible and enduring economic opportunities for low-wealth Americans, their families, and the communities in which they reside. To learn more about the Foundation, visit www.hitachifoundation.org.

Newborn Possibilities Fund Awards Grant to Georgia Health Sciences University Foundation to Support Groundbreaking Pediatric Research

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:00:00 -0500

Media Contacts: Kathy Engle
Cell: 415-259-9775
kengle@cordblood.com Jennifer Forst
Office: 312-729-4347
jforst@cordblood.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE San Francisco –– March 29, 2011 –The Newborn Possibilities Fund, a grantmaking program established by Cord Blood Registry (CBR), today announced it will provide its first-ever grant to the Georgia Health Sciences University Foundation. The university's medical center is conducting the first FDA-regulated clinical trial evaluating cord blood stem cells as a medical intervention for cerebral palsy. The grant will provide financial support to help curb travel and other expenses for families with a child participating in the trial. The study will include 40 children, ages 1 to 12 and will begin with a neurological exam. Then, half of the study participants will receive an infusion of their own cord blood while the other half receives a placebo. Three months later, the children will be evaluated without physicians knowing which group received the stem cell infusion. Afterward, children who didn't get their cord blood initially will receive an infusion. Children in the study will return three and six months later for evaluation, where researchers will assess their motor skills and neurological development. "This is a very well-designed clinical study that will provide new insights into the potential of cord blood stem cells to help children recover from nerve tissue damage to the brain," said Heather Brown, vice president of scientific and medical affairs at CBR. "However, the study design requires a family to make trips at their own expense to the study center. The goal of The Newborn Possibilities Fund is to remove financial barriers that may prevent eligible children from participating in this cutting-edge research and receiving investigational treatments that may improve their quality of life." The Newborn Possibilities Fund (NPF) was created to help advance clinical research investigating the use of a child's own cord blood stem cells as a treatment for conditions like cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injury. The NPF directs financial grants to non-profit organizations to help cover the cost of travel for families who have the chance to participate in FDA-regulated trials. The Fund is administered by Tides, a public charity, on behalf of CBR. Patients who meet the inclusion criteria and are enrolled in the trial at Georgia Health Sciences University will be notified of the Newborn Possibilities Fund and have the opportunity to receive funds to use toward the cost of travel to Augusta, Georgia for the cord blood infusion procedure and required follow up visits. "The hope for stem cells, really from the beginning, is that they might serve as some type of replacement for cells in the nervous system that have been destroyed or never developed properly," said Dr. James Carroll, professor and chief of pediatric neurology at Georgia Health Sciences University and principal investigator on the study. "The main goal of our research is to try to help improve the lives of children with cerebral palsy and find out if the method we're using is going to help these children in the future." A growing body of research in animals has shown that infused stem cells help to initiate repair and induce healing in the brain. While the Georgia Health Sciences University is the first controlled clinical trial to be conducted, anecdotal reports from previous studies have shown marked improvement in children with cerebral palsy about three months after an initial infusion of cord blood, which led Dr. Carroll to design his trial. Through generous donations, the Newborn Possibilities Fund hopes to provide financial support for additional trials already underway at leading research universities across the country. For more information on the program or to donate, please visit www.newbornpossibilities.com/donate. About Tides Tides partners with philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations across the United States and around the globe to promote economic justice, robust democratic processes, and the opportunity to live in a healthy and sustainable environment where human rights are preserved and protected. A nonprofit founded in 1976, Tides provides an array of services that amplify the efforts of forward-thinking individuals and organizations. For more information, visit www.tides.org. About Cord Blood Registry Cord Blood Registry® (CBR) is the world's largest and most experienced family cord blood bank. The company has consistently led the industry in technical innovations and safeguards more than 350,000 cord blood collections for individuals and their families. CBR was the first family bank accredited by AABB and the company's quality standards have been recognized through ISO 9001:2008 certification—the global business standard for quality. CBR has also released more client cord blood units for specific therapeutic use than any other family cord blood bank. Our research and development efforts are focused on helping the world's leading clinical researchers advance regenerative medical therapies. For more information, visit www.cordblood.com. # # #

Tides Awards the 2011 Pizzigati Prize to Ken Banks

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 09:26:00 -0500

SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2011 -- The developer of FrontlineSMS, a simple yet powerful program that's speeding social change in over 60 nations, has become the fifth annual winner of the Antonio Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest. The $10,000 Pizzigati Prize honors software developers who, in the spirit of open source computing, are fashioning exceptional applications that aid activists and nonprofits. Tides — a partner to philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations worldwide — hosts the prize selection process. This year Pizzigati Prize winner, Ken Banks, has created software that speaks directly to a harsh global communications reality: Millions of people in remote areas have no access whatsoever to the Internet. But many of these millions do have simple mobile phones. The software Banks created six years ago enables grassroots groups to reach these millions, using only a laptop computer, a USB cable, and a plain-vanilla mobile phone. And the constituents of these groups can use their own mobile phones to communicate back. Since 2005, nonprofits have downloaded the totally free — and easy to use — FrontlineSMS software almost 13,000 times, for use in a strikingly varied assortment of projects across the globe. The first independent news agency in Iraq, for instance, is using the software to text message updates to readers in eight different countries. Other users have a more targeted focus. Some groups are using FrontlineSMS to share fair market prices with local farmers, information that can help these farmers spot — and avoid — commodity traders out to cheat them. In Azerbaijan, FrontlineSMS has helped mobilize the youth vote in national elections. In Zimbabwe, the software is enabling groups to monitor human rights violations. One group serving overseas Filipino workers is using FrontlineSMS as an emergency help line. The 44-year-old Ken Banks has based the entire FrontlineSMS effort on basic open source principles. His kiwanja Foundation wants any organization working for grassroots social change to have "the ability to build on and take advantage of the code we've developed." This devotion to the open source ethos goes beyond just working with software programmers. "We're committed," says Banks, "to involving even non-developers among our users in the ongoing improvement of FrontlineSMS." Banks, an anthropologist by training, has lived and worked all around Africa since the early 1990s. A long-time computer coder, he first started thinking about connecting computers and mobile phones while working on a conservation project in South Africa. In 2005, Banks raised a small amount of money, bought some equipment and cables, and sat down, over five summer weeks, to write the first FrontlineSMS software. That October, Banks released his new code over the Web. "What's happened since," he says, "has been pretty amazing." A number of groups and organizations, ranging from National Geographic to the MacArthur Foundation, have noted the wide and positive impact that Banks has had with FrontlineSMS. Banks himself is hoping that his work will have an equally positive impact on the next generation of software developers. "Stories like mine — developing FrontlineSMS with very limited resources over a five week period — can inspire younger developers," he points out. "They prove that anyone with an idea can make a real difference if they stick with it." Banks, currently based in Cambridge, UK, will receive this year's Pizzigati Prize in a presentation during the National Technology Network's 2011 Nonprofit Technology Conference, set to begin March 17 in Washington, D.C. This year's Pizzigati Prize judging panel included three previous winners of the prize — Darius Jazayeri, Yaw Anokwa, and Barry Warsaw — and two veteran professionals who have each earned wide respect within the nonprofit computing world, Joseph Mouzon and Erika Bjune. The applications forms, background information, and deadline for next year's Pizzigati Prize will be available later this year at the Pizzigati Prize Web site. About The Pizzigati Prize The Antonio Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest goes annually to an open source software developer who is adding significant value to the nonprofit sector and movements for social change. The prize honors the brief life of Tony Pizzigati, an early advocate of open source computing. Born in 1971, Tony spent his college years at MIT, where he worked at the world-famous MIT Media Lab. Tony died in 1995, in an auto accident on his way to work in Silicon Valley. To learn more about the prize and its judging criteria, visit www.pizzigatiprize.org. About Tides Tides, the Pizzigati Prize selection process host, partners with philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations across the United States and around the globe to promote economic justice, robust democratic processes, and the opportunity to live in a healthy and sustainable environment where human rights are preserved and protected. A nonprofit founded in 1976, Tides provides an array of services that amplify the efforts of forward-thinking individuals and organizations. For more information, visit www.tides.org.

Message from CEO Melissa L. Bradley

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Three months into my new job as CEO of Tides I am delighted to share some of the highlights of Tides 2.0. The goal of Tides 2.0 is to position Tides as a worldwide leader in powering social change and scaling impact. With over 20% of our grant making placed internationally, and over 230 partner projects across the U.S., we are well on our way. As we celebrate 35 years of service, I am honored to be partnering with our donors, projects, and the entire Tides community to realize this vision. As part of Tides 2.0 I invite you to join us in our efforts to build community. Over the next several months we will be creating learning spaces for donors, activists, entrepreneurs, legislators and others to discuss best practice, identify areas of need in the sector, and facilitate an exchange of ideas and innovation. We will accomplish this through webinars, conference calls, publications, small gatherings, and more. One example is our upcoming teleconference with NCG entitled Fostering Civil Discourse and Tolerance on February 23, 2011. This is part of our National Dialogue on Tolerance. A key priority of our roadmap for 2011 is the growth and sustainability of Tides. For the past three years we have managed the recession internally through cost reductions. While successful and challenging, we were able to recognize some temporary financial gains. Unfortunately, this process is no longer sustainable. Now is time for us to invest in important infrastructure that powers social change in collaboration with stakeholders and partners. As a nonprofit social enterprise we need to be mindful of our own sustainability in order to support the field. Due to current economic conditions, coupled with our need to enhance internal systems and technology, we will be making changes in our pricing models that are necessary. The outcome of this investment is to improve our product and service offerings in order to scale and sustain social change around the globe. I am thrilled to announce some changes at Tides. At the end of last year, Jane Levikow became Senior Vice President of Tides Center. She has over 15 years of experience at Tides and is committed to the growth and success of the Center and its partner projects. This year, we launched a new department called Impact and Innovation. Leveraging internal talent, this department is dedicated to analyzing our impact, framing our value to the world and identifying partners with whom we can catalyze social change. I am honored and humbled in my new role as CEO. It is a new day! With new leadership, new goals and new products and services, the Tides team looks forward to working with you to actualize your commitment to social change. In Service, Melissa L. Bradley

Nonprofit Center Helps Immigrants Build Business

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0600

China Brotsky of Tides interviewed on American Public Media's Marketplace - Plaza Adelante in San...