Make It Your Own Awards
In 2007, the Foundation launched its first public grants program, inspired by Citizens at the Center: A New Approach to Civic Engagement. This was in response to findings that many people felt disconnected from public leaders, institutions, and each other, and didn’t believe they had the power to make a real difference in their communities.
The Make It Your Own Awards (MIYO) challenged people from all walks of life to discuss what matters most to them, decide what kind of community they want, and take action together. With 4,641 applicants and 15,232 voters, the program involved the public in nearly every aspect of decision-making and design, and used the latest web 2.0 tools to empower applicants to raise funds and supporters.
Learn More about MIYO
Because this program focused on giving the public a role in the grant-making process, the Foundation recognizes the importance of sharing our lessons learned. Research is currently underway to better understand the public’s experience with this pilot program, which learn what the grantees were able to achieve in their communities, and identify lessons that can be shared broadly.
Moreover, we have archived the Make It Your Own Awards site to provide resources to those who wish to create similar projects in their communities.
- Read the program Fact Sheet
- Learn about initial lessons learned in an interview with the program's director, Michael Smith
- Find out what we learned from the online voting process
- See the ballot used in the online voting process
- Check out what others have said about the Make It Your Own Awards in the news and online
