The MacArthur Foundation is handing out a nice chunk of change to USC's Center on Public Diplomacy and the development of a New York City school. It's not surprising that the foundation is giving out grant money, but rather that both are tied to games and virtual worlds. The foundation is giving $1.1 million to help the development of a school that will use "game design and game-inspired methods" to teach kids in grades 6 to 12; USC is getting a little over half a million dollars to stage events in Second Life, including "discussions of how foundations can address issues like migration and education."

A New York Times article discusses the USC grant with more depth, and also talks about what real-world foundations and charities are doing to establish a virtual presence - is Second Life ever going to stop getting press? Maggie Greene

New NYC School To Promote 'Gaming Literacy' [Serious Games Source; both via Wonderland]

Contact information for this author is not available.