Google Grant Offers Sunlight Free Web Advertising

September 18, 2007

Contact: Gabriela Schneider 202-742-1520 ext 236

WASHINGTON, DC – The Sunlight Foundation has been awarded a Google Grant in the way of free Google AdWords worth $10,000 a month to support its efforts to reach Internet users searching for information about Congress.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded free online advertising through the Google Grants program,” said Ellen Miller, executive director of the Sunlight Foundation. “We expect this grant will strengthen our ability to connect citizens to tools Sunlight created to effectively watchdog Congress.”

Sunlight’s text-based ads now appear alongside or above Google search results whenever someone enters a search into Google that matches a series of keywords, such as “open government” or “ethics reform.”

The Google Grants program supports organizations sharing Google's philosophy of community service to help the world in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy, and the arts.

Designed for 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, Google Grants is a unique in-kind advertising program harnessing the power of Google AdWords advertising product. Google Grants has awarded AdWords advertising to hundreds of non-profit groups whose missions range from animal welfare to literacy, from supporting homeless children to promoting HIV education.

The Sunlight Foundation supports, develops and deploys new Internet technologies to make information about Congress and the federal government more accessible to the American people. Through its projects and grant-making, Sunlight serves as a catalyst to create greater political transparency and to foster more openness and accountability in government.

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