The Microsoft Elevate America community initiative is a new grant program that supports nonprofit organizations in offering employment services, including technology skills training and job placement, in local communities across the United States. To support this initiative, Microsoft are committing $4 million in cash, $6 million in software and technology skills training curriculum over the next two years.

Green Mountain Coffee and Ashoka's Changemakers are organizing the Revelation to Action Competition to find the most innovative ideas to inspire community action. From now until April 21, 2010 you can enter your idea for motivating local citizens to strengthen communities across New England and New York. The best innovations will be awarded prizes totaling USD $50,000, and other prizes are available as well.

The Dell Social Innovation Competition is challenging students worldwide to come up with innovative ideas that will benefit society.  Running through March 1, the competition is designed to foster the creativity and idealism of students. The winning student will recieve $50,000 to put their plan into action.

As members of the technological community, how do we make sure that we are not leaving behind low-income communities who would benefit most from technological advances? The value of new and existing inventions is so often diminished because of the inability to connect the right essential products with people who need them. In light of these challenges, AshokaTech has been established to identify and fund people like you with groundbreaking ideas and a passion for using technology for social change.

NetSquared and The French American Charitable Trust (FACT) are pleased to announce the inaugural FACT Social Justice Awards. All N2Y4 Featured Projects will be reviewed by a panel of three judges for their potential to address social justice issues.  Five awardess will be announced on May 27 at the N2Y4 Conference.

Learn more about the FACT Award

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Has anyone ever sent you a link to The Meatrix, Store Wars, Sam Suds or the DaVersity Code with the note, "You have to watch this"?  All four online movies were created by Free Range Studios, an advertising and marketing firm that specializes in nonprofits and socially responsible businesses. 

If you have a campaign at your organization that you think could benefit from their services, they are accepting proposals for their 2007 Gratitude Grant.

You can read an interview with Free Range's Principal, Jonah Sachs, on the NetSquared blog.