Media Democracy Fund

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Media Democracy Fund is a nonprofit grant making initiative that works with foundations and individual donors to support digital rights, internet access, online freedom of expression, internet privacy, internet security, and equality. Media Democracy Fund is hosted by the New Venture Fund. [1]

Contents

History

Media Democracy Fund was founded by Helen Brunner, and awarded its inaugural round of grants in 2006. [2]

Activities

Media Democracy Fund is known for creating, managing and funding campaigns to support the open internet, [3] including the successful defeat of SOPA/PIPA in 2012, [4] and the Federal Communications Commission’s Open Internet rulemaking in 2015. [5] [6]

Media Democracy Fund has provided seed funding for organizations that now serve as leaders in the field of digital rights, including Fight for the Future, [7] Media Action Grassroots Network [8] and Open Technology Institute.

Structure

Media Democracy Fund is hosted by the New Venture Fund, [1] and has an affiliated 501c4 project called Media Democracy Action Fund.

Media Democracy Fund maintains sub-funds that focus on specific issue areas, which include an Open Internet Defense Fund, Copyright Initiative, Surveillance Fund, Global Initiatives and Rapid Response Fund. [9]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Advocacy in the New World of Policy Influence". Arabella Advisors. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  2. "Media Democracy Fund-2006 Grants | Grantmakers in Film and Electronic Media". Old.gfem.org. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  3. Laura Vitto (2014-11-11). "Tumblr taps artists to design shirts for net neutrality". Mashable.com. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  4. "Worcester's Fight for the Future helped ignite an Internet revolt against antipiracy bills - Metro". The Boston Globe. 2012-01-27. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  5. "How We Won Net Neutrality | Craig Aaron". Huffingtonpost.com. 2015-02-26. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  6. Jessica Meyers (2015-02-19). "Outsider group from Massachusetts helped shift the net neutrality fight - Nation". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  7. Carl Franzen (2012-01-20). "How The Web Killed SOPA and PIPA". Talkingpointsmemo.com. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  8. "MAG-NetAbout". MAG-Net. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
  9. "Sub Funds". Mediademocracyfund.org. Retrieved 2015-03-09.