The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has awarded a challenge grant that will help endow The Sunshine Center, an initiative of the N.C. Open Government Coalition and Elon's School of Communications. Details...
The North Carolina Open Government Coalition has received a challenge grant, which matches money raised by the coalition, from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to create a permanent and active voice on open government issues in the state of North Carolina. Knight Foundation’s grant will help the coalition to reach its goal to endow the Sunshine Center at Elon University by 2009. The North Carolina Open Government Coalition now looks to raise a matching $250,000 over the next two years toward the endowment goal of $500,000.
“We are absolutely thrilled by this good news,” said Sue Wilson, Associated Press bureau chief of the Carolinas and president of the coalition. “The Knight Foundation’s funding is critical to establishing a permanent nonpartisan presence for open government in our state. We now need North Carolina organizations to meet this challenge and help us raise the funds needed to make open government advocacy in our state a complete success story.”
The Sunshine Center was established at Elon University in the School of Communications in February 2007 as the educational outreach unit of the open government coalition. In the United States, several universities have similar partnerships, such as the University of Missouri at Columbia, the University of Florida and the University of Alabama.
“The Sunshine Center’s primary objective is to promote a dialogue on open government issues in the state and provide a forum for best practices,” said Connie Book, executive director of the Sunshine Center and associate dean in Elon’s School of Communications.
The Sunshine Center is also tasked with educating North Carolina citizens about the state’s open government laws. North Carolina is one of 39 states in the nation with open meetings and public records laws. Earlier this year, the Sunshine Center developed a set of multimedia learning tools for North Carolina high school students and hosted the state’s celebration of open government during Sunshine Week. The Knight Foundation’s grant will create permanent, long-term funding for educational efforts like these to continue and to expand over the coming years.
“Most people in North Carolina believe that open government is good government, and the North Carolina Open Government Coalition has moved rapidly to turn those beliefs into tangible projects,” said Eric Newton, vice president of Knight Foundation’s journalism program. “Thanks to Elon University and the key news organizations supporting this effort, this grant will make the coalition’s operations permanent through an endowment.”
About the North Carolina Open Government Coalition
The North Carolina Open Government Coalition unites organizations interested in ensuring and enhancing the public’s access to government activity, records and meetings. The nonpartisan coalition will educate people about their rights and support their efforts to gain access; advocate the principles and benefits of open government; and initiate or assist in legal proceedings when necessary.
About Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes journalism excellence worldwide and invests in the vitality of the communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. The foundation is a long-time supporter of open government initiatives and funds a variety of projects dedicated to the promotion of open government as a means to ensure a strong democracy.