Visionaries

CONTACT:

748 Page Street
Stoughton, MA 02072
800-647-5559
www.visionaries.org

Elizabeth Turner, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Visionaries is itself visionary—a first class media initiative to illuminate the real world of philanthropy—the human stories of how “ordinary people do extraordinary things” to make the world a better place for everyone. Founded in 1993 in a small Boston office by Bill Mosher, a public television producer and former journalist, it began with no corporate sponsor or start-up funding, or even a promise from any public television station to air the show. Today it is a 13-part documentary series hosted by Sam Waterston on the Wisdom Channel and public television stations nationwide; it has partnered with over 100 charities around the world, and won numerous awards, including an Emmy Nomination for Best Documentary, and three Telly Awards Since 1999 it has developed production and education partnerships with several colleges and universities. As philanthropy learns to reach out to the public in more and more interesting and donor-friendly ways, Visionaries is sure to play a significant role. Why didn’t philanthropy think of this, and isn’t it wonderful that Bill Mosher did?

(2003: PROMOTING PHILANTHROPY: Charities Helping Charities)