American Public Media's Speaking of Faith Awarded Significant Grants from Lilly Endowment and the George Family Foundation
Funding will support initiatives and products to drive audience growth and extend educational value of Speaking of Faith content
(St. Paul, Minn.) — Oct. 3, 2005 — In support of its achievement as public radio's paradigm-breaking national conversation on belief, meaning and ethics, American Public Media's Speaking of Faith has been awarded more than $450,000 in funding from two organizations — the Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation Lilly Endowment Inc. and the Minneapolis-based George Family Foundation.
Lilly Endowment, in its first-ever grant to American Public Media and Speaking of Faith, will support research and business development toward new platforms of distribution and educational products related to Speaking of Faith content as a resource for teaching and discussion.
"What makes Speaking of Faith so special is the fact that it takes people's faith very seriously," said Craig Dykstra, Endowment senior vice president for religion. "In listening to the marvelous conversations Krista Tippett holds with her always thoughtful guests, we are provided rare opportunities to discern what motivates and shapes human lives at the deepest levels. We hope our grant will enable this program to stimulate similarly rich conversations in many congregations and other religious and civic institutions all across the country."
The George Family Foundation, which has provided operating support for Speaking of Faith since its inception, is adding additional funding to accelerate audience growth as the program moves into its third year of weekly distribution.
"The George Family Foundation is pleased and proud to partner with American Public Media in supporting their groundbreaking show Speaking of Faith," said Penny George, president of the George Family Foundation. "Listening to Krista's intimate, probing interviews with thoughtful leaders and ordinary citizens about the role and impact of faith in everyday life is a rich and rare opportunity to learn and reflect about our lives and our society. We are pleased to help make this exceptional programming more widely available throughout the U.S.
"These two grants are critical to our plans to take Speaking of Faith into its next stage of growth — making this new paradigm of conversation about religion and ethics more widely known and more accessible," said Krista Tippett, host of Speaking of Faith. "Now we can respond to the demand we've had from the beginning to make these programs practically useful for individuals and families, religious educators and discussion groups of all kinds. We couldn't be more grateful for this support."
Speaking of Faith, which recently celebrated its second year of weekly, national production, is carried on 118 stations nationwide. Speaking of Faith is also supported by the Ford Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the John Templeton Foundation and Faith and Values Media.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family — J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli — through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. It is, however, a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. Its three primary areas of giving are religion, community development and education.
About the George Family Foundation
The George Family Foundation fosters human development — spiritual, intellectual, physical and psychological — to enhance the work of people and organizations devoted to exemplary service in the community. The foundation's guiding philosophy is to invest in values, ethics and character formation; to support the efforts of those who are successfully making a difference in people's lives; and to help build the communities in which we live.
Funding will support initiatives and products to drive audience growth and extend educational value of Speaking of Faith content
(St. Paul, Minn.) — Oct. 3, 2005 — In support of its achievement as public radio's paradigm-breaking national conversation on belief, meaning and ethics, American Public Media's Speaking of Faith has been awarded more than $450,000 in funding from two organizations — the Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation Lilly Endowment Inc. and the Minneapolis-based George Family Foundation.
Lilly Endowment, in its first-ever grant to American Public Media and Speaking of Faith, will support research and business development toward new platforms of distribution and educational products related to Speaking of Faith content as a resource for teaching and discussion.
"What makes Speaking of Faith so special is the fact that it takes people's faith very seriously," said Craig Dykstra, Endowment senior vice president for religion. "In listening to the marvelous conversations Krista Tippett holds with her always thoughtful guests, we are provided rare opportunities to discern what motivates and shapes human lives at the deepest levels. We hope our grant will enable this program to stimulate similarly rich conversations in many congregations and other religious and civic institutions all across the country."
The George Family Foundation, which has provided operating support for Speaking of Faith since its inception, is adding additional funding to accelerate audience growth as the program moves into its third year of weekly distribution.
"The George Family Foundation is pleased and proud to partner with American Public Media in supporting their groundbreaking show Speaking of Faith," said Penny George, president of the George Family Foundation. "Listening to Krista's intimate, probing interviews with thoughtful leaders and ordinary citizens about the role and impact of faith in everyday life is a rich and rare opportunity to learn and reflect about our lives and our society. We are pleased to help make this exceptional programming more widely available throughout the U.S.
"These two grants are critical to our plans to take Speaking of Faith into its next stage of growth — making this new paradigm of conversation about religion and ethics more widely known and more accessible," said Krista Tippett, host of Speaking of Faith. "Now we can respond to the demand we've had from the beginning to make these programs practically useful for individuals and families, religious educators and discussion groups of all kinds. We couldn't be more grateful for this support."
Speaking of Faith, which recently celebrated its second year of weekly, national production, is carried on 118 stations nationwide. Speaking of Faith is also supported by the Ford Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the John Templeton Foundation and Faith and Values Media.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family — J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons J.K. Jr. and Eli — through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. It is, however, a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. Its three primary areas of giving are religion, community development and education.
About the George Family Foundation
The George Family Foundation fosters human development — spiritual, intellectual, physical and psychological — to enhance the work of people and organizations devoted to exemplary service in the community. The foundation's guiding philosophy is to invest in values, ethics and character formation; to support the efforts of those who are successfully making a difference in people's lives; and to help build the communities in which we live.