ARTICLE 19 is one of nine non-profit organisations to receive funds from the Open Society Foundations to help their Executive Directors implement their vision.
“Executive directors come to their posts with innovative ideas, but often lack the necessary resources to execute them,” said Chris Stone, president of the Open Society Foundations. “We hope these grants can serve as a springboard for these leaders to jumpstart change.”
Open Society’s New Executives Fund gives organisation heads with tenure of less than a year the flexibility to implement their own programs. It is the only available support of its kind for new non-profit leaders.
“This fund is part of Open Society’s commitment to strengthening the non-profit sector worldwide,” said Stone. “Our support during leadership transitions helps non-profits navigate periods of change and growth.”
ARTICLE 19’s Executive Director Thomas Hughes has fifteen years of experience advocating for press freedom, media development, and human rights issues. He was previously Deputy Director of International Media Support and founder of Media Frontiers, an organisation which runs an international advertising network for online news media from human rights repressed countries.
The Open Society Foundations launched the $2 million New Executives Fund last June. Leaders who show promise in fields central to Open Society’s mission are selected.