CHICAGO - Fifteen organizations have been named recipients of the 2012 "Award for Creative and Effective Institutions" by the MacArthur Foundation and will received grants of $350,000 to $2.5 million, depending on the annual budget of the organization.

-Albertine Rift Conservation Society, Kampala, Uganda ($350,000). Champions collaborative conservation initiatives in one of the world's most important ecosystems.

-Business and Professional People for the Public Interest, Chicago ($750,000). Works to reduce poverty by making public housing more affordable, improving Chicago schools, and promoting open and honest government in Illinois.

-Carnegie Moscow Center, Moscow ($2.5 million). Provides impartial analysis of Russian politics and policy.

-Centre for Investigative Reporting, Berkeley, California. ($1 million). Produces groundbreaking non-profit investigative journalism.

-Centre for Responsible Lending, Durham, North Carolina. ($2 million). Protects homeownership and family assets by working to eliminate abusive financial practices and consumer products.

-Community Investment Corporation, Chicago ($2 million). Provides assistance to developers of rental housing in low- and moderate-income neighbourhoods in Chicago.

-Conservation Strategy Fund, Sebastopol, California. ($750,000). Trains conservation professionals in economics and policy analysis to strengthen and protect the environment.

-Crisis Action, London ($750,000). Works to avert conflicts, prevent human rights abuses and ensure that governments fulfil their obligations to protect civilians during times of conflict.

-Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University, New York ($1 million). Uses objective evidence to spur thoughtful discussion and effective action to improve housing and economic development policy.

-Girls' Power Initiative, Calabar, Nigeria ($350,000). Empowers and educates girls about their sexual and reproductive health.

-International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Washington, D.C. ($1 million). Promotes a global legal environment where civil society, philanthropy and civic participation can thrive.

-Moscow Helsinki Group, Moscow ($750,000). Advances the protection of human rights through advocacy, monitoring, analysis, networking and training.

-National Juvenile Defender Center, Washington, D.C. ($750,000). Protects children's rights by organizing, networking and building the capacity of juvenile defenders.

-Red Nacional de Derechos Humanos (Red TDT), Mexico City ($350,000). Monitors and documents human rights abuses while advocating for reform.

-The Moth, New York ($750,000). Dedicated to the art of storytelling to document our common humanity.