Front

Decisions being made today will determine if information and communication in the digital age will be open and fair. MDF partners with funders to make grants that protect and promote the public’s rights in this new era. READ MORE

A Broadband Bridge Across the Digital Divide

For the last decade, 40-year old Anthony Celestine has owned a small Jani-King commercial cleaning franchise. Without knowing it, one of the best business decisions he ever made was moving from his Brooklyn apartment to Harlem... READ THE FULL STORY

R U Missing Something?

A San Francisco teenager is concerned about the fact that a condom broke during sex. The teenager needs confidential and reliable information fast, so the number "1" is texted to SexInfo. The teen receives a short message in return: "U may B at risk for STDs + pregnancy S.E... READ THE FULL STORY

Connecting New Voices in the Electoral Process

Wendy Carillo was a major advocate for GOTV efforts throughout 2008. "I was excited to see young Latinos register and go vote for the very first time," she said. "We motivated people as young as 18 to register online through Voto Latino, the nonpartisan voter-registration group... READ THE FULL STORY

Native Names

"One of my elders told me, 'Your tribal territory goes on as far as your language goes and that is what determines your geographic boundaries,'" says Valerie Fast Horse, director of IT, for the Coeur D'Alene tribe in Idaho... READ THE FULL STORY

Recent Developments Around Net Neutrality

Voice/Posted By: Helen Brunner, MDF Director

August 6, 2010

It's been a rollercoaster of a week in the world of the open Internet. Anybody paying attention may have seen some of the recent major media on net neutrality, in particular the stories of back room negotiations at the FCC among industry insiders, followed by reports of a deal between Google and Verizon, denials by Google and Verizon of that deal, followed by yesterday afternoon’s news of the collapse of the industry negotiations at the FCC... READ MORE

Notes and Audio from June 9-10 meeting Media Grantmaking: The State (and Future) of the Field

July 8, 2010

The Media Democracy Fund and Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media are pleased to share these notes from our recent funder convening Media Grantmaking: The State (and Future) of the Field, held June 9-10, 2010, in New York at the offices of the Open Society Institute... READ MORE

Why Foundations of All Kinds Should Promote Internet Access

Voice/Posted By: Jenny Toomey, Program Officer for Media Rights and Access, Ford Foundation and MDF Funding Partner

April 15, 2010

The Ford Foundation is making Internet policy a top priority over the next five years, and we think it is critical for foundations concerned with issues from education to economic development, arts, and human rights to join in protecting and promoting our digital future. In the op-ed below (originally published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy), our President Luis Ubiñas explains further... READ MORE

Media Democracy Fund Awards Grants to Preserve Open Internet and Expand Broadband Access

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: April 5, 2010
Contact: Helen Brunner, Director

WASHINGTON -- The Media Democracy Fund announced four awards in its Rapid Response Fund program to support organizations working to preserve open Internet protections and expand broadband access. The grants will help bolster campaigns and support public interest research, advocacy, education and organizing efforts as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) advances rulemakings on net neutrality and its National Broadband Plan... READ MORE