Sharing Talent, Technology, Time

Here is your chance to make a real difference at Sun! We invite members of the Friends of the Sun Microsystems Foundation to nominate their favorite charities to be one of the beneficiaries of Sun's Global Giving Drive (last year's can be found at aidmatrix.org/sun). Ten nonprofit organizations will benefit from the online drive that last year raised over US$70,000 (not including the Sun match!). The Drive will kick off in November and is an easy way to do end of year giving. The drive will be open to the entire community!

To nominate a charity, please post the organization's name as well as up to a 200 word description of it. You may consider including the organization's website, its mission, its client base, etc. Nominations will be accepted until October 24. Then Sun Foundation Amassadors will choose the final 10 organizations, with at least 4 organizations to have an international reach.

Past Recipients:
Aidmatrix (International) www.aidmatrix.org
Family Giving Tree (Bay Area) www.familygivingtree.org
First Book (International) www.firstbook.org
FISH (Colorado)
Nashua Children's Home (New Hampshire) www.nashuachildrenshome.org
Second Harvest Food Bank (US) www.secondharvest.org
Salvation Army (Massachusetts) www.salvationarmyusa.org
Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation (Canada) www.starlightcanada.org
Toys for Tots (US) www.toysfortots.org
UN World Food Programme (International) www.wfp.org
UNICEF (International) www.unicef.org
West Lothian Toy Appeal (Scotland) www.westlothiantoyappeal.co.uk

I nominate Architecture for Humanity, a registered 501(c)3 based in San Francisco. AFH operates the http://openarchitecturenetwork.org (OAN), the open source community for architecture and design focused on improving the living conditions for millions. Sun sponsored the development of the OAN, and the OAN runs on Sun technology.

I nominate CIDA Virtually Free University in Johannesburg founded by Taddy Blecher. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMmKM9wAOcc The ideas: vocational education is too expensive and now is the right time to open source sustaianbility peer to peer curricula is fabulous. When Gandhi started his truth transformations 100 years ago, education was the first system change he planted to empower community rising India. There is no entrepreneurial application capable of delivering above zero-sum economics as quickly as education. I also hear that Dr Yunus will soon be replicating the model with the First Free Womens University. http://cidafoundation.org/

Aloha Julie,

I would like to nominate the The Polynesian Voyaging Society. pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu

The Polynesian Voyaging Society wasdfounded in 1973 to research how Polynesians discovered and settled nearly every inhabitable island in the Pacific Ocean before European explorers arrived. Some scholars argue that the Polynesian drifted to these islands by accident. PVS set out to show that a voyaging canoe of Polynesian design could be navigated without instruments over the long, open ocean migration routes of Polynesia.

Since 1975, PVS has built and launched two replicas of ancient canoes, Hokule'a and Hawai'iloa and completed six voyages to the South Pacific to retrace migration routes and recover traditional canoe-building and wayfinding (non-instrument navigation) arts. The voyages sponsored by the Polynesian Voyaging Society have provided a wealth of information for scientists, anthropologists and archaeologists about traditional Polynesian migrations, documenting one of the greatest achievement of humanity--the exploration and settlement of islands in an area of over 10 million square miles during a period of over 1,000 years.

At the same time, as Hokule'a and Hawai'iloa traveled throughout Polynesia, they inspired among Polynesians an increased awareness and native pride in their seafaring heritage. They also sparked a revival of canoe building and sailing, arts that had not been practiced in over a hundred years.

I would like to nominate the International Humanities Center, a fiscal sponsorship organization providing grassroots leadership for over 100 aid, arts and action initiatives around the world. My nonprofit organization, Amoration, has grown exponentially in the last three years thanks to the leadership of International Humanities Center. You can see a bit of our work in partnership at http://amoration.org and http://ihcenter.org has details on the many projects under the International Humanities Center umbrella. A handful of popular Facebook and social media aid projects are hosted by International Humanities Center including the Action Hero Network, SOLID (providing educational resources in Lesotho), Partners for Others (aid for youth around the world) and over a dozen organizations that I have personally worked to fill needed gaps around the world. Steve Sugarman and Dave Sanders lead IHCenter and over 125 organizations under their umbrella with grace and precision care.

An award to International Humanities Center would allow for great capacity building with many organizations benefitting. Most resources or facilities where nonprofit leaders gather to discuss best practices are expensive and inaccessible for the majority of local and global grassroots leaders; by building virtual spaces in Second Life and affordable day workshops IHCenter has learned to bridge these gaps and provide a wealth of resources and information for new social interest groups to grow.

I would like to nominate two organizations.


1. Horizons for Homeless Children (http://www.horizonsforhomelesschildren.org/). I have volunteered with them, seen the work and the difference they make to our community.

Horizons for Homeless Children improves the lives of homeless children by providing early care and education in our Community Children’s Centers, creating Playspaces (recreational spaces) in shelters throughout Massachusetts and recruiting thousands of volunteers to help us in our efforts. They are a leader in advocating for homeless children and their families. At the local, state and federal levels, they promote and support policies that will benefit homeless children and families.


2. Deepalaya (http://www.deepalaya.org)
I am familar with the imapact and actively involved in their work.
The US 501-c infomration is at http://www.deepalaya.org/who-we-are/going-global/deepalaya-foundation-usa/
Deepalaya works on issues affecting the urban and rural poor, with a special focus on children. For the past 28 years Deepalaya has been working in the urban slums of Delhi and more recently in the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand.

They focus on three areas
a) Street & Working Children Projects
Deepalaya focuses on capacity building and self-reliance. In its drive for holistic development of street children, Deepalaya rehabilitate and reunites them with their families. In addition, there are vocational training centers that provide these children a platform to learn and earn their bread and butter.

b) Rural Health Projects
Deepalaya promotes effective and sustainable mechanisms in the realm of health to improve access to health services for the weaker sections of the society. It's mobile clinic travels village to village to cure diseases and spread preventive measures.

c) Literacy & Education Projects
Deepalaya aims at providing quality education at affordable costs to socially and economically deprived children and communities. Its' Formal and Non-Formal school setups impart trainings in diverse fields that lead to an educated and skilled individual.

I nominate Network for Good (www.networkforgood.org), a national nonprofit organization that helps small to medium-sized nonprofits raise money online. Network for Good has helped over 16,000 nonprofits raise over $135 million online, and on average every dollar invested in Network for Good's online fundraising tools returns $9 in donations for nonprofits. As a beneficiary of the global giving drive, Network for Good would be able to provide free online fundraising training & services to an even larger network for qualified nonprofits.

I would like to nominate 3 nonprofits:

1. People's Grocery, http://www.peoplesgrocery.org/
Mission: People's Grocery is a community-based organization in West Oakland that develops creative solutions to the health, environmental and economic challenges our community faces every day.

2. Urban Sprouts, http://urbansprouts.blogspot.com/
Mission: Urban Sprouts is a nonprofit school garden program that serves low-income youth from San Francisco’s under-served neighborhoods. We teach youth to grow, harvest, prepare and eat vegetables from the school garden in order to help them become more engaged in school, eat better, exercise more, and connect with the environment and each other.

3. Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, http://ellabakercenter.org
Mission: The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights is a strategy and action center working for justice, opportunity and peace in urban America. Based in Oakland, California, we promote positive alternatives to violence and incarceration through our four cutting-edge campaigns.

They took their Green Collar Jobs program to the Clinton Global Initiative this year.

I would like to nominate, Direct Relief International www.directrelief.org

Based in Santa Barbara CA, DRI has been providing medical assistance to improve the quality of life for people victimized by poverty, disaster and civil unrest in the US and throughout the world since 1948.

Why do I choose them when there are some many other deserving NGOs out there?

1.- They are highly efficient - Forbes magazine has rated them 100% efficient 5 years in a row.

2.- They strongly believe in accountability - Their financials are highly transperent.

3.- The are highly rated by Charity Navigator www.charitynavigator.org

4.- They highly leverage each dollar. "During each of the past 6 years, each dollar spent has provided between $21 and $35 (wholesale) of medical material specifically requested by in-country health professionals to care for patients"

So when I donate to them I know my donation makes a real difference and does not get lost in administrative and fund raising costs. Please visit their web site as my words here can't fairly describe the amazing work they do.

Ricart Prats

I can't help but put forth a nomination for the Global Fund for Women. The Global Fund for Women is a nonprofit grantmaking foundation that advances women's human rights worldwide. They are a network of women and men who believe that ensuring women's full equality and participation in society is one of the most effective ways to build a just, peaceful and sustainable world. They raise funds from a variety of sources and make grants to women-led organizations that promote the economic security, health, safety, education and leadership of women and girls. Focus areas include leadership, violence against women, education, health, and human trafficking.
http://www.globalfundforwomen.org/cms/

A second nomination goes to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure:
http://ww5.komen.org/home/
They are leading the way to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease through research, education, screening and treatment for women and men worldwide.

I am nominating Project PCOS (http://www.projectpcos.org). Project PCOS envisions polycystic ovarian syndrome, a hormonal disorder, being recognized as a significant public health concern. This site invokes, inspires and incites the PCOS community and its supporters to be vocal proponents in the media, advocacy coalitions, and educational forums. Woman and girls with PCOS, their families, supporters, the medical community and the general public all actively participate. Project PCOS is national and international in scope.

Project PCOS was established in Feb. 2007, and will become a 501c3-designated non-profit organization by the end of 2007.

The project is a collaboration with PCOS Community Leaders, Medical and Lifestyle professionals and associations, and other organizations serving the PCOS and women's health communities.

The first stage of their campaign is a central online resource revolutionizing the way PCOS information, Professionals Treating PCOS and the PCOS Community come together.

Goals of Project PCOS are:

* Legislative action for better diagnosis
* Treatment and awareness of PCOS
* A large scale media campaign about the importance of recognizing PCOS
* Local support services for women and girls with PCOS worldwide
* Comprehensive online resources, tools and communities to aid in better education and awareness for PCOS

I am nominating WOW Children's Museum World of Wonder (www.wowmuseum.com). It is a non profit organization that offers educational and interactive exhibits for children – bringing families together in a safe environment that sparks imagination, inspires learning and nurtures growth through play.

Their goals include:

1. Engaging families in unique learning experiences that they can enjoy together
2. Challenging children to learn in new ways while exploring interactive exhibits at their own pace
3. Enhancing self-esteem through self discovery and exploration
4. Creating an aesthetic, positive environment for children and their families

Their core values are that:

1. All children deserve respect
2. Families are important as children’s first teachers
3. Learning occurs in different ways
4. Communities are diverse and need "connecting" centers

They serve many Sun families in the Broomfield area and depend on the community for bringing new exhibits, holding special educational events, and keeping the playing and educational environment safe, clean, and welcoming for children and adults alike.

Thanks,

Dario Atallah
Managed Services
Sun Microsystems

I'm going to be self-promoting and nominate my favorite campaign that I work on at the UN Foundation- www.NothingButNets.net - its a great campaign that makes it easy to involve your friends and family in saving lives by sending bed nets to children in Africa.

Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa. Inspired by Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly, tens of thousands of people have joined the Campaign that was created by the United Nations Foundation in 2006. Founding campaign partners include the National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares, The People of the United Methodist Church, and Sports Illustrated. It only costs $10 to provide an insecticide-treated bed net that can prevent this deadly disease. Visit www.NothingButNets.net to send a net and save a life.

I would like to nominate Curriki- the Global Education and Learning Community.

* cur·ric·u·la [kuh-rik-yuh-luh] – All the courses of study offered by an educational institution

*wi·ki [wik-ee] -- A collaborative website whose content can be edited by anyone who has access to it

*cur·rik·i [kuh-rik-ee] -- The very first comprehensive Internet site for the best of Open Source Curricula


Curriki is a 501 (c) 3 whose sole mission is to educate. Spun off from Sun Microsystems in 2006, Curriki is the first comprehensive site for world-class learning. Our content is community developed and supported and published for free to ensure that anyone, anywhere can participate.

Curriki is based on the open source model, a strategy that has been at work at Sun since 1982. We develop, aggregate, evaluate and support Open Source Curriculum (OSC). The impact of applying open source to curriculum represents a paradigm shift in education. Open source means the curricula and learning tools are universally accessible at no charge. Open source means that anyone has the opportunity to contribute. Open source means that anyone from anywhere has the power to learn.

Curriki has more than 6000 education assets and 35,000 registered members and will ultimately become the largest repository for open source curricula, resources and tools. Our focus is on K-12 curricula, delivering content and learning tools for reading & writing, mathematics, science & technology and languages.

www.curriki.org

I would like to nominate the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF- http://jdrf.org). Their mission is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Hope is in a Cure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2uE0TlBZGc

One of my daughters (5 years old) was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes this year and I would like to see a cure in her lifetime!

I'd like to nominate, from CANADA, Camp de Vacances Lac Simon inc.


The Camp de Vacances Lac Simon is an official Canadian (province of Quebec) registered non-profit organization. It operates in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Its main field of operation are the south-west inner city borough of Montreal, more precisely the borough of Pointe St Charles.

The Camp de Vacances Lac Simon is a non profit corporation in charge of organizing a summer camp for children which, for the most part, are emotionally or materially deprived. The staff and management are all volunteers; there are no wage earners.

The main objectives are the following: offer, free of charge, to these children a chance to spend part of the summer in the great outdoors, to take them away from social and family pressures, and open new life horizons.

I would like to nominate Rebuilding Together. Rebuilding Together is a non-profit organization which assists low-income or disabled homeowners to maintain a safe living environment. These are people who bought into the American Dream and purchased a home only to find that is it now falling down around them. This incredibly worthy organization rehabilitates the homes of thousands of Americans each year and generates millions of dollars worth of volunteer labor and contributed materials. There are affiliates in almost every city and town in America - working tirelessly to help eliminate unsafe and substandard housing. I've worked with this organization from coast to coast, serving on their board of directors in Atlanta, GA, volunteering with thier national affiliate in Washington, DC to plan for adequate volunteer training and swinging a hammer rebuilding homes in New Orleans. I also volunteer with them here in my new home of Petaluma, CA. Everywhere I've gone with Rebuilding Together, I've seen renewed joy and faith in the eyes of the homeowners they help.

I would like to nominate the Engineers Without Borders organization:

*Engineers Without Borders - USA* (EWB-USA) is a non-profit humanitarian organization established to partner with developing communities worldwide in order to improve their quality of life. This partnership involves the implementation of sustainable engineering projects, while involving and training internationally responsible engineers and engineering students. Currently EWB-USA Has over 200 developing and established chapters working on over 170 projects in 41 countries.

The activities of *EWB-USA* range from the construction of sustainable systems that developing communities can own and operate without external assistance, to empowering such communities by enhancing local, technical, managerial, and entrepreneurial skills. These projects are initiated by, and completed with, contributions from the host community working with our project teams. Sun is piloting the creation of a company anchored professional chapter in the Bay Area to apply the software and hardware engineering expertise to this rapidly growing organization.

*EWB-USA* contributes to meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through capacity building in community projects. Capacity building is defined in that context as "..the building (or strengthening) of human, institutional and infrastructure capacity to help societies develop secure, stable and sustainable economies, governments and other institutions through mentoring, training, education, physical projects, the infusion of financial and other resources, and most importantly, the motivation and inspiration of people to improve their lives" (Hatch, 2004).

I nominate: Dogs4Diabetics (http://dogs4diabetics.com/index.html) -- an innovative non-profit organization that provides quality medical alert assistance dogs to youth and adults who are insulin-dependent type 1 diabetics through a program of training, placement, and follow-up services.

I nominate The Hunger Project, http://www.thp.org/ a 30-yr old non-profit. They teach how to fish rather than giving fish. Their mission:

The Hunger Project is a global, strategic organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger.

In Africa, Asia and Latin America, The Hunger Project empowers millions of women and men to end their own hunger. The Hunger Project has pioneered low-cost, bottom-up, gender-focused strategies in each region where hunger persists. These strategies mobilize clusters of rural villages to create and run their own programs that achieve lasting progress in health, education, nutrition and family income.

In all our work, the highest priority is the empowerment of women. Women traditionally bear primary responsibility for family health, education, nutrition and - increasingly - family income. Yet women have been systematically denied information, resources and voice in decisions that affect their lives.

Thank you for your consideration.
Sue

I would like to nominate University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston. In 2007, its was ranked #1 Nationwide in Cancer Care by U.S. News and World Report.

M. D. Anderson Cancer Center's mission is simple – to eliminate cancer. Achieving that goal begins with integrated programs in cancer treatment, clinical trials, education programs and cancer prevention.

People are more than just their cancer symptoms. Compassion – along with innovative cancer treatment, cutting-edge cancer research, comprehensive education and research-based prevention of both common and rare cancers – has earned the gratitude of countless adult and pediatric cancer patients and their families. M. D. Anderson: life-saving, life-changing care, since 1941.
http://www.mdanderson.org/?gclid=CK7G5fytpY8CFQINPAodtEGkSQ

One of its key fund raisers is The Children's Art Project. Its mission is to convey to the public the compassionate, caring face of M. D. Anderson and to generate revenue to enhance patient services through the sale of products created with children's art.

For 34 years, the Children's Art Project at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has made life better for children with cancer. Through worldwide sales of young cancer patients' original artwork featured on seasonal note cards and gift items, the project has funded more than $20 million to programs that benefit cancer patients and their families. Each year, the project offers Holiday, Everyday and Valentine collections of note cards and gift items.
http://www.childrensart.org/default.php?ourdata=aboutus

I have been involved with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center fundraising for many years and have seen the impact of its successes in battling cancer. I hope you will consider including the Center in your list of organizer we support.

Thanks,
Terri Molini

I'd like to nominate the Christmas Wish Foundation (see their Facebook group) who provide summer camp, day care and school supplies for homeless and underprivileged keikei (children) in Hawaii.

Relay for life - Secondlife

Relay for life is a group that exists within the virtual world of secondlife (www.secondlife.com)

Each year, they run a series of events that people from all over the world can log into secondlife and come and take part in. I think this year they raised about $70,000 real, US dollars for the American cancer society, and they've been going for a couple of years now.

This is a virtual space being used to make a real difference to peoples lives, the support and community that is derived from everyone pitching in to make this thing happen (co-ordanating 15 simultanious locations is pretty tough going, i'd imagine) and as far as I'm away they've done it all off their own backs.

They make giving and helping fun, and they're my nominated Charity.

Neil Piers Robinson.

edit - Nor I nor Relay for Life are to my knowledge associated with LindenLab, Secondlife in any official capacity other than that the online virtual world of secondlife is the medium used to allow people access to these online events.

I am not associated with Relay for life other than being a supporting member - eg I am a member of the "news and updates" group, and I attend the events to donate and take part wherever possible.

I would like to second the nomination for the Global Fund for Women (http://www.globalfundforwomen.org/), my all-time favorite non-profit.

Study after study have shown that a key requirement for lifting a community out of poverty is to increase the rights and roles of women. By supporting women-led non-profit groups working to implement creative solutions to local problems, the Global Fund small grants have the biggest impact possible.

Plus, by spawning in-country, independent grant making funds using the same model, the Global Fund enables local groups to discover the power of local fund raising and grant making. This blog entry (http://www.globalfundforwomen.org/cms/inspiration-partners/past-conference-calls/conference-call-october-27-2004.html) from 2004 reported:

\"Today we wanted to talk about the growing movement of International Women\'s Funds around the world. The Global Fund for Women has played an important role in seeding this movement and there are now 16 Women\'s Funds, raising and giving away money in Africa, Mongolia, Mexico, India, Ukraine, Nepal, just to name a few, and more on the way. \"

And if you look at the current list http://www.inwf.org/links.html, there are 22 women\'s funds listed, with two more emergent funds.

Marla

Aloha Hal,

Your are obviously a Hawaiian at heart. Mahalo nui loa for nominating another organization that cares for the Hawaiians. If you are ever on the Big Island please give me a call I'd love to buy you a cup of real Kona coffee and just chat for a few.

-Bob

Actually I would like to a third group that I work with to my list list above

3) Asha for Education (http://www.ashanet.org/)
Mission Statement: To catalyze socioeconomic change in India through the education of underprivileged children Asha is a zero-overhead (all funds go to programs) and the MA chapter is student run organization out of MIT.
(http://www.ashanet.org/mit/). List of ongoing projects and past projects in this chapter are here http://www.ashanet.org/mit/current-previous-projects.php

Asha chapters work towards raising awareness in appropriate fora about various issues affecting the people of India. This raising of awareness is
accomplished by organizing discussion series, invited talks and study groups. Asha also acts as a network for various grass-roots workers and volunteers
and non-governmental organizations.

Asha works with project partners (non-governmental organizations) in India who are working on education and related community development
activities. Asha views itself as more than a mere funding agency - and provides non-monetary support such as computers, books, help with technology,
and educational reform. Asha believes that change is permanent only when it comes from the community, and encouraged strong community involvement in all projects.
Asha also tries to identify groups that are in remote parts of India, and are small (and so are unable to attract the attention of large funding agencies and support groups).

Asha supports various aspects of education for the underprivileged: infrastructure (buildings, furniture, blackboards), teacher salaries’,
educational material (books, slates, teaching aids, learning materials, labs), curriculum development, vocational training, education for children with special needs,
improvement of government schools, and so on. Asha’s projects touch the lives of a variety of children from severely disadvantaged groups in society – those on the
streets, in urban slums, rural landless laborers, child laborers, children in hazardous occupations, children of commercial sex workers etc. Asha seeks to give these children a chance. Asha believes in a just, equitable society with equal opportunities and choices for all.

Asha works with a range of projects. Some examples are schools for children with disabilities, intervention in government schools, non-formal schools for working children, tuition centers to supplement poorly functioning schools, vocational training to link education with livelihood, support-a-child programs, children’s homes, resource centers to share and develop ideas and materials related to improving education for the poor.

I would like to nominate The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation, http://www.thelungcancerfoundation.org/

Devoted exclusively to eradicating lung cancer, Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation works with a diverse group of physicians, organizations and individuals to identify solutions and make timely and meaningful change through research, early detection, education, prevention, and treatment.

I'd like to nominate Girl Ventures, a non-profit in San Francisco dedicated to empowering adolescent girls to develop and express their strengths through outdoor adventure, creative arts and group experiences. http://www.girlventures.org/whoweare/index.shtml

The group was started in 1997 by Bay Area educators Elizabeth McLeod and Megan Armstrong, who met while earning their Masters of Education from Harvard, to address losses of self-esteem and confidence in adolescent girls which may lead to depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, early pregnancy, school failure, and other self-destructive behaviors. GirlVentures was created to help girls recognize and celebrate their strengths and to assist them as they navigate the difficult and sometimes traumatic transition from childhood to adolescence.

During GirlVentures' first summer of operation, 14 girls participated in the inaugural Project Courage course. Since that time, approximately 2,200 girls have participated in the year-round programs in four core program areas: Summer Outdoor Adventure Programs, School-Year Programs, Leadership Development Program, and Community Courses.

GirlVentures is a community-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in The Women’s Building in San Francisco’s Mission District.

On a personal note, both my daughter, Elizabeth May, and I have been involved as volunteers for this organization. Elizabeth was president of the board for two years, presiding over some rather dramatic organizational growth. We both have interacted directly with the girls and the counselors in various events and trip re-supply efforts (essentially acting as sherpas) and I can personally say that the organization is amazing! The work it is doing is absolutely worth consideration as a recipient of Sun's Holiday Drive! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions - mary.holzer@sun.com

I nominate Wireless Harlem, a non-profit attempting to close the digital Ddivide in Harlem, New York City by implementing 'hot spots": in businesses, apartment houses, parks and other locations withing the Harlem area, The web site is http://www.wirelessharlem.org/. You may also contact Michael Lewis <mlewis@wirelessharlem.org> or Jonathan Evans mlewis <jevans1967@gmail.com> -- Jonathan is a former student of mine and I vouch for his integrity and dedication.

I would like to propose:

http://www.NovumInstitute.org

The Novum Institute’s mission is to establish unique initiatives in entrepreneurship, innovation, idea incubation, research and development, education, and the advancement of knowledge, all the while abolishing ignorance one person at a time. Headquartered in Colorado and with a worldwide expansion program, the Institute operates as a private innovation support, education, and research organization, providing an environment in which people from all backgrounds can learn how knowledge and innovation is the fundamental building block of society’s growth throughout history, and how knowledge and innovation can be understood, developed, nurtured and applied throughout all organizations.



The Novum Institute is building a global hub and spoke network of centers to promote an entirely new framework for business knowledge and innovation incubation by addressing the needs of innovators nascent in communities worldwide. These Novum centers will lead the charge on cultivating localized entities driving education, innovation and commercial enterprise drawn from sustainable models.



The Institute recently generated a new campaign focusing on its core values of knowledge and innovation, the essence of human advancement. The Novum Institute strives to take this to the maximum level, and is developing its focus through a variety of programs. Naturally, these programs cannot exist without the funding and contributions of those who share its vision.


http://www.PeaceJam.org
The PeaceJam Foundation was founded in 1996 in Denver , Colorado . PeaceJam is built around Nobel Peace Laureates who work personally with youth to pass on the spirit, skills and wisdom that they embody. The goal of PeaceJam is to inspire a new generation of peacemakers who will transform themselves, their communities and the world. PeaceJam is a year-long, on-going educational program for youth. The participating Noble Peace Laureates are directly involved in developing the curriculum and the program itself. PeaceJam is the only organization in the world which has twelve Nobel Peace Laureates working together long-term for a common cause -our children.

Since the PeaceJam program was launched in March of 1996, almost 40,000 teenagers worldwide have participated in the program. Each student has had an average of 45.5 contact hours with their teacher, mentor, community leader, or PeaceJam staff member. Through the PeaceJam program, over 100,000 new service projects have been developed and implemented, and thousands of new volunteer opportunities for youth have been created.

I nominate Parents Helping Parents http://www.php.com/

PHP serves the special needs communities in the Bay Area by providing family support, outreach, education and myriad online resources. PHP serves as the education arm of many special needs orgs like Autism Society of America. Those of us with special needs children use their services for our own families and as support for other organizations like our Special Education PTAs.

PHP’s mission is to help children and adults with special needs receive the support and services they need to reach their full potential by providing information, training and resources to build strong families and improve systems of care.

PHP works towards a world where our communities are not afraid of differences, where families are not “guilty” of having children who are less than perfect and are not stressed or overwhelmed by the challenges of parenting a child with special needs because there are adequate community resources for families. This world will include and embrace all people with special needs. Their lives and the lives of their families will be filled with hope, fun and meaningful opportunities that reflect an optimism and sense of security about the future.

I'd like to nominate Kiva.
http://www.kiva.org

Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you've sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.

I nominate ISIS-inc.org, a small non-profit located in downtown Oakland (CA) which is promoting the use of ap