1st: projectOPEN BRUTE LABS

projectOPEN addresses the pervasive plight of homeless in Santa Monica. By organizing a map based index of local homeless resources, medical services, and laws that affect the lives of homeless people, we hope to empower through information. With a generous grant from UCLA, the BRUTE LABS team printed and distributed the maps. For more info, visit brutelabs.org/projectopen

2nd: “FINE Share” FINE Design Group

FINE Share is made to be lost and found. FINE Design Group created a series of special envelopes, each with a pre-addressed, stamped postcard and a few dollars inside. Each envelope says “for you” on the back, and each postcard asks what was done with the unexpected gift. We then gave these envelopes to our FINE friends to deliver as they saw fit. All postcards mailed back to us were posted on our FINE Share site at www.finedesigngroup.com/share, to share the results with the world. Some people returned the money, some gave it away, some sent us little drawings of flowers. All were surprised. FINE Share was an experiment, to see how a gift can be an experience, a transcendence, and a verb. It’s about people and how small, unexpected gifts (and the act of giving them), can make huge changes in someone’s life, if even for a moment. Each FINE Share package also included a small donation to Kiva.org.

3rd (tie): Back Your Block Michelle Brook Design / Digital Pond

Back Your Block is a Nike program that recognizes young & active do-gooders in struggling urban communities by awarding them grants to fund their efforts, and organizing volunteer events in their honor. The mark strives to represent equality, tight-knit proximity, and eludes to a city map of neighboring blocks that conceptually branch out in each collateral piece. It has since become a nationwide campaign. www.meetmichellebrook.com

3rd (tie): Sappi Ideas that Matter 2009 Call for Entries Weymouth Design

Ideas that Matter is the industry’s only grant program aimed at helping designers contribute their talents to the charitable activities that they care about most. Sappi believes that the creative ideas of designers can have an impact far beyond the design world and that those ideas can be a powerful force for social good. To date, Ideas that Matter has awarded $9 million worldwide in grants supporting causes that range from youth centers and health care awareness to wildlife protection. Working together, we aim to make a difference.

For more information, visit us at www.sappi.com/ideasthatmatterNA