Motorola Lincoln Grants celebrate lessons from 16th U.S. president's life
The Motorola Foundation has announced the first group of Motorola Abraham Lincoln grant recipients. Eight civic, education and cultural organizations have received US$360,000 to support programs that inspire and educate the public about Lincoln’s life and legacy while commemorating the 200th anniversary of his birth.

The application window has closed for the fall 2008 Motorola Lincoln Grants awards, which will be announced in September. The $750,000 grant program focuses on three themes:

• Bringing history into the future  Motorola Lincoln Grants support individuals or organizations using new technologies to educate students or their broader communities — particularly in civics, history, social studies or the fine arts. Preference is given to integrating lessons from Lincoln's life.
• Engaging in current events  In recognition of Lincoln's engagement of the public in shaping policy, Motorola Lincoln Grants support programs engaging young people or community members in national and local public policy issues and providing creative forums and innovative tools to facilitate debate and dialogue in the online and physical worlds.
• Leadership skills  Lincoln's legacy as an agent of change is honored with support of organizations that are creating change — of perceptions and actions — in their communities with leadership programs for young people or the underserved that are based on collaboration, problem-solving and project management skills.

Lincoln grant recipients
Receiving a total of $360,000 in support, there were eight U.S. civic, education and cultural organizations in the first group of Lincoln grant recipients. They include:

• Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Washington, D.C., for Lincoln birthday celebration in nation's capital in February 2009
• Barat Education Foundation, Lake Forest, Illinois, for English/Spanish Abraham Lincoln Primary Source Activity Book for Early Readers
• Chicago History Museum, for Year of Lincoln and the  "Lincoln: The Presidency" and "Benito Juárez" exhibits
• Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for expanded teacher training and resources for "House Divided" project
• Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, for dramatic vignettes coinciding with 15 October presidential debate on campus
• Pegasus Players, Chicago, for in-school arts residency program exploring Lincoln’s role in civil rights and constitutional amendments
• Thirteen/WNET, New York, for educational outreach to expand "Looking for Lincoln" documentary
• WTTW, Chicago, for "Abraham Lincoln's Illinois" segments that explore and celebrate Lincoln's life and career