From a tiger reserve in India, to an orphanage in Tibet, to a building project in New Orleans, Explore is a philanthropic multimedia project that involves travel to non-profit organizations and their courageous leaders around the world. These expeditions serve a dual purpose: to identify grantees for the Annenberg Foundation, and to create images and films that connect people with extraordinary cultures and ideas. Our mission is simple: to champion the selfless acts of others, to inspire a revolution of giving.
To see the locations of Explore's funded NGOs, click and drag the map. To view specific grants within a grant area, please use the + sign on the left hand of the map to zoom in until you can click on specific grants.
With the support of the Annenberg Foundation, Explore made funding possible to the following organizations:
AFRICA, JULY 2005
African Wildlife Foundation
$450,000
To help ensure that the wildlife and wild lands of Africa will endure forever.
Ethiopia
Abebech Gobena Orphanage and School
$250,000
To provide housing and education opportunities for children in Ethiopia, Africa.
Tesfa Foundation
$25,000
To support early childhood education to disadvantaged children in Ethiopia, where no public pre-school or kindergarten is available.
Ghana
Children's Christian Storehouse, Inc.
$25,000
To support a training and performance pavilion for children in Africa by providing the resources and opportunity to "Reach Beyond Their Boundaries.”
Rita Marley Foundation
$200,000
To provide support for the alleviation of poverty for people of the developing and less developed countries of Africa.
ARCTIC, SEPTEMBER 2007
$250,000
To provide support for the Elders Centre, Qimaavik Shelter, the Recreation and Community Services Department, and housing and supportive programs for elderly individuals and homeless women and children.
The Iqaluit Community Greenhouse Society
$50,000
To support the Iqaluit Community Greenhouse Expansion Project.
CHINA, APRIL 2006
AnWu Elementary School
$25,000
For general operating support to further the organization's mission to provide an education to the underprivileged children living in the rural Chinese countryside in the village of Jiang Lu Township.
Asia Society Southern California
$55,000
To support the piloting of an after-school Mandarin language program of the Youth Council of the Asia Society Southern California to better prepare students in South Central Los Angeles to succeed on a global stage.
Beijing Cultural Development Center for Rural Women
$100,000
To provide general operating support to further the organization's mission to promote the social development of China's rural women by providing information, training, and services in order to raise their ability for self-development.
China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
$500,000
Lifetime adoption of twin pandas, a 'Panda Cam' at the Wolong Nature Reserve, medical research and programs, and a sculpture to increase public awareness of panda conservation.
Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shihuang
$100,000
To provide general operating support to further the conservation and administration of site excavation and for the exhibition and interpretation of the findings, research on the sites' histories, and development of new technologies for conservation.
Pacific Environment and Resources Center
$200,000
To support the China Program, which encourages the growth of China's emerging environmental movement by helping community leaders, journalists, and students raise awareness about their country's environmental problems.
The 12K Foundation
$25,000
To support the Dickey Orphanage, which is located in Tibet, and houses approximately 80 children who have endured severe hardship due to a harsh climate, lack of harvest, and a poor educational system.
World Wildlife Fund International
$50,000
To support the Qinling Panda Focal Project of the WWF China Programme Office, which will build capacity and management for projected areas to decrease poaching, develop plans for tourism and micro-enterprise, increase revenue, and restore key panda habitats.
COSTA RICA, NOVEMBER 2005
EARTH University
$600,000
To support education for the agricultural sciences and natural resources in order to contribute to sustainable development for agricultural production and environmental preservation.
INDIA, NOVEMBER 2006
Blue Cross of India
$50,000
To offer animal assisted therapy to individuals who are educationally, socially, or physically challenged.
Bodh Shiksha School
$100,000
To support a community program in school activities such as student learning, school administration, and curriculum development.
Centre for Science and Environment
$100,000
For general operating support to increase public awareness of science, technology, and the environment, and to develop new methods for environmental conservation and preservation.
Friends of Ramana's Garden
$35,000
To provide housing and education to children who are homeless, neglected, refugees, or otherwise disadvantaged.
Indian Heritage Research Foundation
$100,000
To support schools and orphanages that provide young children with the opportunity to learn, grow, achieve, and become productive members of society.
Jaipur Virasat Foundation
$50,000
To preserve all aspects of local culture, including art, music, and language in Rajasthan.
Kiran Centre
$150,000
To support special education in small groups with methods adapted to individual student needs.
M.C. Mehta Environmental Foundation
$50,000
To provide a forum for concerned citizens, NGO’s, and activists working for the survival of living beings, sustainable development, and social change.
People for Animals
$50,000
To support campaigns for animal rights by spearheading a popular movement for respecting all life on this earth.
Rescue Foundation
$250,000
To support the tracking and rescuing of girls who are trafficked.
Tiger Watch
$50,000
To support the task force and interventions that aid in the preservation of the Bengal tiger.
Y. R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRG Care)
$100,000
To provide HIV/AIDS education, care and support, research and training, and treatment.
MIDDLE EAST / EUROPE, JUNE 2007
Austria
Mauthausen-Gusen
Pending
To support educational outreach programs.
Budapest
Nagy Fuvaros Synagogue
Pending
To support community outreach and education programs.
Israel
American Committee for Shaare Zedek
$50,000
To support the B'Ruach spiritual care training program at Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
American Committee for Tel Aviv Foundation
$25,000
To support the Davis-Lewis Soccer and Education Center and provide children living in the Jaffa community a place to study and participate in sports.
American Friends of Neve Shalom-Wahat al-Salam
$100,000
To support cooperative living and cultural understanding.
American Society for Yad Vashem - Holocaust Museum
$100,000
To document and preserve Holocaust history in archives, museums, libraries, and schools.
Beit Hagalgalim
$25,000 (through New Israel Fund)
To provide disabled children with a place to socialize and learn and provide their parents with a weekend respite.
B'Tselem - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
$100,000
To support the media project “Shooting Back: Civilians As Video Advocates."
Holy Land Institute for the Deaf
$10,000 (through American Near East Refugee Aid)
To enable and equip deaf and disabled young people for inclusion and participation in their families and civic society in a meaningful way.
Machsom Watch
$50,000 (through New Israel Fund)
To monitor the behavior of Israeli officials at checkpoints and protect the human rights of Palestinians.
Mosaica's Center for Inter-Religious Cooperation
$50,000 (through New Israel Fund)
To support the work of Jewish and Arab religious and social leaders to end religious killings.
New Israel Fund
$100,000
To provide general operating support to support democratic change within Israel.
Peace Centre for the Blind
$25,000 (through American Near East Refugee Aid)
To provide academic and vocational training to blind Palestinian women.
Social TV
$25,000 (through New Israel Fund)
To allow organizations of social change to advertise their events.
The Freedom Theatre
$200,000 (through Grassroots International, Inc.)
To support the only professional theater venue in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and give a voice to Palestinian youth through theater.
Western Wall Heritage Foundation
$100,000
To support the preservation and development of the Western Wall.
Istanbul
Armenian Orthodox Church
Pending
To support community outreach and education programs.
Greek Orthodox Church
Pending
To support community outreach and education programs.
Italy
Community of St. Egidio
$50,000
To operate soup kitchens, shelters and resources for the poor.
Jordan
Jordan River Foundation
$25,000
To support sustainable social, economic and cultural programs.
King Hussein Foundation-US
$25,000
To support the Performing Arts Center in Amman, Jordan.
Petra National Trust
$200,000
To preserve the antiques, environment and cultural heritage of Petra.
Saudi Arabia
Dar Al-Hekma
Pending
To support a learning community is committed to the furtherance and enhancement of creativity, excellence, intellect and independent thinking among its students.
NORTH AMERICA
Chicago
$25,000
To support the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research.
Los Angeles
Aquarium of the Pacific
$650,000
To support the Aquarium’s educational programs and research projects.
Homeboy Industries
$1,035,000
To provide assistance for at-risk and former gang-involved youth to become contributing members of our community.
Islamic Center of Southern California
$100,000
To provide religious, educational, and recreational facilities for members of the public at large.
New Directions
$25,000
To support services for homeless veterans, including job training and placement, parenting and money management classes, legal and financial assistance, counseling, remedial education, and resources for alumni.
St. Brendan Catholic Church
$100,000
To provide education in the Catholic tradition through worship, education, service, and outreach.
Sinai Temple
$100,000
To provide for the study of ancient and modern Jewish learning, beautiful music and spiritual richness of prayer.
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles (SPCA-LA)
$25,000
To provide general operating support for programs and services including Cruelty Investigation, Disaster Animal Response Team, Humane Education, and a variety of shelter services.
The Veggie Van Organization
$25,000
To support educational service that promotes biodiesel fuel and other renewable energies through hands-on demonstrations, school presentations and road tours.
Hawaii
California Association for Research in Astronomy (W.M. Keck Observatory)
$25,000
To support the Keck Observatory in its mission to advance the frontiers of astronomy and share our discoveries with the world.
$25,000
To support Hawai'i's first native designed and controlled charter school, which integrates Hawaiian values and traditions with the latest in 21st century educational technology.
$25,000
To support teaching and research programs that assist communities on the Island of Hawai‘i, in the Pacific, and around the world thrive -- ecologically, economically, culturally, and socially.
$50,000
To support the Maui Film Festival at Wailea.
New Orleans, August 2006
Habitat for Humanity
$100,000
For general operating support for building simple, decent, affordable housing in partnership with people in need.
American Red Cross
$1,000,000
To support relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina and Rita.
United Way New Orleans
$12,500
To support the efforts after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by helping to provide a healthy quality of life, a strong workforce and a brighter economic future for the six-parish area.
St. Matthews Church
Pending
To support community outreach and education programs.
North Shore & Jackson Hole, February 2008
AccesSurf Hawaii
$100,000
To share adaptive surfing with everyone who has the desire to enter the ocean and ride waves.
Arizona Memorial Museum Association
$50,000
To support the interpretation and related visitor service activities of the National Park Service (NPS) at four sites across the Pacific region.
American Association of Avalanche Professionals
$100,000
To support the Avalanche Forecasting Lab in providing accurate avalanche forecasting to the Teton county area.
Eddie Aikau Foundation
$25,000
To promote education and the advancement of Hawaiian culture.
Hawaiian Lifeguard Association
Pending
To support the enhancement of ocean life saving and rescue, and providing public information and education.
$100,000
To support environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawaii.
Kumu Kahua Theatre
$50,000
To preserve the local Hawaiian culture through theater.
North Shore Community Land Trust
$100,000
To protect the special natural areas of the North Shore of O‘ahu through voluntary land conservation.
North Shore Lifeguard Association
$100,000
To fulfill the need for ocean safety and lifesaving education within the North Shore community.
The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation
$25,000
To help Hawaii's athletes participate in athletic competitions and further their education.
Teton County Search and Rescue
$100,000
To provide vital emergency search and rescue services for Teton County and surrounding areas for those in need.
Wyoming K-9 Search and Rescue
$100,000
To train competent search dog teams and assist local, state, and federal authorities in emergency search and rescue situations.
Oregon, September 2008
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
$25,000
To support the Coquille Lighthouse in Bandon, Oregon.
Pacific Northwest, September 2006
Center for Whale Research
$100,000
To provide support for identifying each individual orca of the Southern Resident Community in the study area of Greater Puget Sound to better understand orca migration.
InnerChange Charitable Society
$175,000
To provide general operating support for the Chronic Addiction Substance Abuse program.
Pacific Orca Society
$25,000
To support the educational research and documentation of orca whales in the Pacific Northwest.
Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation
$75,000
To provide general operating support to help people with significant disabilities achieve full citizenship in the community.
UBC Museum of Anthropology
$15,000
To provide access to cultural objects from around the world, with emphasis on the achievements and concerns of the First Peoples and British Columbia's cultural communities.
Vancouver Aquarium
$15,000
To provide support for educational programs at the Aquarium.
San Francisco, September 2008
Save the Redwoods League
$50,000
To support ancient redwood forests and redwood ecosystems to ensure that current and future generations can feel the awe and peace that these precious natural wonders inspire.
Sun Valley, September 2008
Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley
$50,000
To support the protection of animals from neglect, abuse, and exploitation and to adopt animals to qualified homes.
Sun Valley Adaptive Sports
$400,000
To support programs that improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities through sports and recreation.
Vancouver, June 2009
2009 Special Olympics Winter World Games
$25,000
To support the 2009 Winter World Games.
Africa
Arctic
India
Middle East
China
Bahama Islands
Costa Rica
Hawaii
Tibet
Jackson Hole
New Orleans
Pacific NW
Los Angeles
Sun Valley
