With everybody else wandering into virtual space, it was only a matter of time before organized philanthropy found its way. Such was the news from the MacArthur Foundation, which has begun sponsoring a series of conversations and initiatives in the virtual world of Second Life. Says an article in the New York Times (registration probably required):
The goals are to gain insight into how virtual worlds are used by young people, to introduce the foundation to an audience that may have little exposure to institutional philanthropy and to take part in and stimulate discussions about the real-world issues that it seeks to address.
“This is not just some fad or something new and interesting that we’ve grabbed onto,” said Jonathan Fanton, MacArthur’s president. “Serious conversations take place there, people are deeply engaged, and that led us to think that maybe a major foundation ought to have a presence in the virtual world as well.”
According to Fanton, the foundation will eventually open an office in a virtual world and make grants through it that will become actual grants in the real world. (More details on the first MacArthur event in Second Life are available on TechSoup’s blog.)
I hope their office fares better than John Edwards’ campaign headquarters in that same virtual world…
[Thanks to Adrian for the link.]
