Mission:
 The PricewaterhouseCoopers Endowment for the Business of Government provides grants to stimulate research and facilitate discussion on new approaches to improving the effectiveness of government at the federal, state, local, and international levels.

Purpose of Site:
 To provide information on the Endowment's grantmaking activities and the information it gathers as a result of its efforts. In addition to detailed information on its program areas, the site offers instructions on how to apply for grants and an online application form. The site also functions as an online library of publications and broadcasts that have been created as a result of the Endowment's grants in the field of improving government management.

Background:
PricewaterhouseCoopers, the world's largest accounting firm, founded the Endowment in 1998 to help improve public sector effectiveness. The Endowment provides competitive grants for research to individuals working in academia, the nonprofit sector, and journalism. It also provides funding to universities and nonprofits for the design, implementation, and hosting of forums that bring together government practitioners and experts. For 2001-2002, the Endowment is providing grants in program areas such as e-government, financial management, and human capital in the public sector.

Home Page:
 The top of the Endowment's home page is dedicated to links to the PricewaterhouseCoopers' business Web site, including the About Us, Careers, and Site Map areas. Below this toolbar, the Endowment is introduced with links along the left side of the page that lead to the What's New, Endowment Publications, Endowment Events, How to Apply for Grants, About the Endowment, and Press Room parts of the Endowment's site. The main body of the page includes a link to the Endowment's radio interview series that focuses on government employees who are working to improve and innovate management in the public sector. The bottom of the home page includes links to articles, books, and reports published by the Endowment.

Outstanding Feature:
 Every Saturday at eight in the morning in Washington, D.C., the Endowment's radio program —Business of Government Hour — is aired on the city's WJFK FM 106.7 radio station. Each program features an extensive interview with an outstanding government leader. For those who do not live in the D.C. area, the Endowment's Web site makes the broadcasts accessible using audio software. Web users can search for specific programs by the last name of the interviewee, their departmental affiliation, or their agency affiliation.

 A specific program link leads to a picture of the interviewee, along with links to a biographical profile and a transcript of the complete interview. Users can also access the audio files of the interview using the RealPlayer audio software. The online resource includes nearly 100 interviews of executives who work at such agencies as the Central Intelligence Agency, the Office of Management and Budget, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Honorable Mention:
 As an added bonus for users, the site provides reports from grantees as downloadable PDF files. Users can search grant reports by program area, author's last name, project title, report title, organizational affiliation, or keyword. Also, the Endowment's books, including E-Government 2001, Human Capital 2002, and Memos to the President, can be ordered directly from the Web site.