General Grantmaking

MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, 2006

Winners of the 2007 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions will be announced on Thursday, March 29, 2007. Please check back then to learn about this year's winners.

Expanding on its tradition of encouraging individual creativity and building effective institutions to help address some of the world’s most challenging problems, the MacArthur Foundation selects a group of small non-profit organizations around the world for this prestigious award each year.  Winners are awarded up to $500,000. 

It is often small or emerging organizations that generate provocative ideas, reframe the debate, or provide new ways of looking at persistent problems.  Some are particularly effective at delivering services or challenging old paradigms.  A significant investment in such promising organizations can contribute to progress on an issue or in an area of work, and can also help position a small or new organization for long-term growth and impact.

The Foundation does not seek or accept nominations for this award. To qualify, organizations must –
           • Have budgets of less than $2.5 million per year;
           • Demonstrate exceptional creativity and effectiveness
           • Have reached a critical or strategic point in their development;
           • Show strong leadership and stable financial management;
           • Have previously received MacArthur support; and
           • Work in one of the fields in which MacArthur is engaged.