Foundation Honors Nonprofit Execs for Visionary Leadership

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer
Foundation, a private foundation serving the Greater D.C., region, announces
the recipients of its 2009 Exponent Award. The award recognizes outstanding
nonprofit leadership in the Greater Washington, D.C. region and includes
$100,000 for the recipient's organization.

The 2009 Meyer Foundation Exponent Award winners are:

-- Lindsey Buss, president and CEO of Martha's Table, a former attorney
to
the executive director of an organization that has provided critical
food, clothing and education services to low-income and homeless
families in the region for 28 years;
-- Ana Lopez, executive director of Community Bridges, a talented
community
leader whose organization helps young immigrant girls realize their
potential;
-- Kelly Sweeney McShane, executive director of Community of Hope, a
Georgetown MBA who has used her business skills to improve the lives
of
homeless families;
-- Jonathan M. Smith, executive director of Legal Aid Society of the
District of Columbia, an attorney whose life's work has been to
protect
the legal rights of people living in poverty; and

-- David Andrew Snider, producing artistic director and CEO of Young
Playwrights' Theater, an actor and businessman using his passion for
theater and community service to give a voice to young people through
playwriting.

The five leaders represent nonprofit organizations working in the Washington
region with budgets ranging from $500,000 to more than $6 million. The
recipients range from first-time executive directors to seasoned leaders with
years of experience. Bios, photos, and video/audio clips of the five honorees
are available at www.meyerfoundation.org/exponent09.

The Exponent Awards provide winners with resources to increase their
leadership skills and to support and sustain them at a critical time in their
tenure. Many regional and national nonprofits are facing one of their most
difficult years, with an economy that has dramatically increased need, reduced
resources, and included additional challenges, such as decreased or delayed
funding.

"Nonprofit leaders are the often invisible heroes of our communities, and in
this economy they are being asked to do so much more with so much less," says
Julie L. Rogers, president and CEO of the Meyer Foundation. "Each of these
leaders demonstrates astute business skills, an unwavering passion for their
mission and the creativity, resilience and agility needed to navigate their
organizations through challenge and change."

In addition to entrepreneurial leadership, the Foundation considered each
nominee's success at increasing the impact of the organization's work,
instituting sound financial management and serving as a collaborative
community leader.

The Meyer Foundation created the Exponent Awards in 2006 as a response to its
national study Daring to Lead 2006, which revealed that three out of four
nonprofit executive directors of small and mid-sized organizations were likely
to leave their jobs due to a number of factors. An independent evaluation of
the Exponent Awards confirmed the program has significantly increased the
visibility of its recipients and generated more than $2 million in additional
funding for their organizations.

The Meyer Foundation is one of Greater Washington, D.C.'s oldest and most
experienced private grant making foundations. For more than 65 years it has
strengthened Greater Washington as a community by supporting capable,
community-based nonprofit organizations that foster the well-being of all
people in the region.

CONTACT:
Amy K. Harbison
Meyer Foundation
202-552-7470
aharbison@meyerfdn.org

SOURCE Meyer Foundation

Amy K. Harbison of the Meyer Foundation, +1-202-552-7470,
aharbison@meyerfdn.org