The Center for Media and Social Impact (CMSI) is a project of the American University’s School of Communication that produces and shares media including documentaries. The CMSI has received funding from left-of-center groups. ¹

Background

The Center for Media and Social Impact (CMSI) is a project of American University’s School of Communication. The group produces forms of entertainment media that advocates left-of-center policies towards economic and environmental issues. ¹

The Center for Media and Social Impact maintains several categories of programs according to its website, one of which being “Documentary Research.” ¹ Subcategories include the “Documentary Power Research Institute,” funded by the Perspective Fund, the “State of the Documentary Field” that tracks data on the documentary-film industry, and “Documentary Representation” which investigates representation within documentary films. ^{2 3 4}

“Participatory and Civic Media” includes “Story Movements” and the “Civil Leadership Stories Project,” which includes partners such as the MTV Entertainment Group and Solutions Journalism Network. ^{5 6}

“Entertainment and Popular Culture” includes “Good Laugh,” or a collection of comedy-focused productions that discuss social justice advocacy including one co-directed by Generation180. Other subcategories include “We Disrupt This Broadcast,” an interview-style show discussing the cultural impact of television shows that have won Peabody awards, and “Comedy Think Tanks,” which partners comedians with left-of-center groups such as Hip-Hop Caucus, Color of Change, and Illuminative. ^{7 8 9}

“Fair Use Library” provides educational materials on copyright law. ¹⁰  

People

Caty Borum is the executive director of the Center for Media and Social Impact (CMSI). Borum previously worked as a program officer at the George Kaiser Family Foundation. ¹¹

Bethany Hall is the Creative Director of CMSI’s comedy initiatives. Hall previously worked as the executive project manager for Atlantic Philanthropies, and was a cast member on the TruTV series “The Chris Gethard Show.” ¹²  

Funding

The Center for Media and Social Impact has received funding through American University from several left-of-center groups. Between 2021 and 2022, the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, an offshoot of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, gave $770,000 to American University to support CMSI projects. ^{13 14}

From 2019 through 2022, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation provided $1,450,000 in grants to CMSI. ^{15 16 17}

From 2020 through 2022, the Ford Foundation gave $235,000 to CMSI. ^{18 19}

As of September 2024, the CMSI website lists past and present funders. These include the Open Society Foundations, the Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies, Fledgling Fund, the Pop Culture Collaborative, the Surdna Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, and Working Films. ¹

1. “About Us.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/about-us/.
2. “Documentary Power Research Institute.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/program/documentary-power-research-institute/.
3. “State of the Documentary Field.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/program/state-of-the-documentary-field/.
4. “The Lens Reflected:” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/program/documentary-representation/.
5. “Story Movements.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/program/story-movements/.
6. “The Civic Leadership Stories Project.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/program/civic-leadership/.
7. “Goodlaugh.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/program/goodlaugh/.
8. “We Disrupt This Broadcast.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/program/podcast/.
9. “Comedy Thinktanks in Action.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/comedy-thinktanks-in-action/.
10. “Fair Use Library.” Center for Media and Social Impact. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://cmsimpact.org/program/fair-use/.
11.  “Caty Borum Chattoo Experience .” LinkedIn. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/catyborumchattoo/details/experience/.
12. “Bethany Hall Experience.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethany-hall-bb741242/details/experience/.
13. “Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, 2021 Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/50523809/202222719349100917/IRS990PF.
14. “Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, 2022 Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/50523809/202322769349101307/IRS990PF
15. “John D & Catherine T MacArthur Foundation, 2019 Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237093598/202023179349103467/IRS990PF.
16. “John D & Catherine T MacArthur Foundation, 2021 Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237093598/202300329349100805/IRS990PF
17. “John D & Catherine T MacArthur Foundation, 2022 Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237093598/202313179349104401/IRS990PF
18. “Ford Foundation, 2020 Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131684331/202123199349107292/IRS990PF.
19. “Ford Foundation, 2022 Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 25, 2024.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131684331/202343199349104934/IRS990PF