SUNLIGHT FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES OVER $200,000 IN GRANTS TO START OFF 2007

March 21, 2007

Contact: Gabriela Schneider 202-742-1520 ext 236

WASHINGTON, D C – The Sunlight Foundation is announcing its first round of grants for 2007, totaling over $200,000. The grants are being awarded to organizations that are using new “Web 2.0” technology to further the organization’s mission of putting information into citizens’ hands to increase transparency in Congress. “Our new grantees, each in their own way, are making use of new technology and the Internet to create greater transparency for Congressional activity and engaging citizens in understanding more about Congress and its members,” said Ellen Miller, executive director of the Sunlight Foundation. “They are truly on the cutting edge of work that will open up our legislative branch, and we’re very excited about the work they have in store.” The Sunlight Foundation will award more grants throughout the year. Last year, the organization gave more than $1.6 million in grants. The grants being announced today,are: $140,000 to the Center for Media and Democracy. This grant supports the second year of the joint Sunlight Foundation/Center for Media and Democracy wiki on Congress – Congresspedia. www.congresspedia.org The second year’s work builds on the highly successful first year and will focus on growing and developing the community of Congresspedia users and editors and increasing the user-friendliness of the wiki. $55,000 to the Center for Democracy and Technology. This grant will support CDT’s Open CRS project, www.opencrs.com to harness the power of the Internet to promote the distribution of Congressional Research Service reports to the public. This grant will allow for major technical upgrades to the site to ensure complete and timely access to CRS reports, develop new features and functions, and launch a campaign to promote the site’s availability and attract new partners. $22,000 to Taxpayers for Common Sense. This grant will allow TCS to develop a comprehensive plan to integrate and advance the use of the Internet and related technologies into their overall work. This work will include an initial assessment and planning process to redesign TCS organizational web presence and online outreach, communication, and constituency development strategies. Founded in January, 2006, the mission of the Sunlight Foundation is to strengthen the relationship between lawmakers and their constituents. Sunlight puts information and tools in citizens' hands so they can learn more about what Congress and their elected representatives are doing. Its ultimate goal is full transparency by Congress, its Members and staff will help reduce corruption, ensure greater accountability, and foster public trust in this vital institution of democracy. Since its founding, the Sunlight Foundation has issued $1.6 million in grants to groups to digitize existing information about Congress and to others that use Internet technology to further Sunlight's goals. Additionally, the Sunlight Foundation has fostered its own projects such as Congresspedia, OpenCongress.org and Congress as a Family Business. ###