American Express said it will once again fund ($2.5 million) the Members Project, an online initiative that enables Cardmembers to submit, discuss and vote on projects to make a positive impact in the world. 

This year's program will have more opportunities for project funding from American Express and new ways to create, track and spread the word about the projects. MembersProject.com has all the details and information on last year's winning project and online tools for people to start formulating ideas. This year, five projects will receive funding from American Express. The top project will receive $1.5 million, the second place project will receive $500,000, the third place project will receive $300,000 and two honorable mention projects will receive $100,000 in funding.

To help vet project submissions and narrow the field to 25 semi-finalists, American Express has established the Members Project Advisory Panel, a roster of thought leaders and experts in arts, community, education, the environment and health. Panelists will review and vet projects for those that are innovative and achievable with a broad, positive impact, and Cardmembers will ultimately vote on the winning project.

The Members Project 2008 Advisory Panel includes:

• Geoffrey Canada - President & Chief Executive Officer for Harlem Children's Zone 
• Mike Feinberg - Superintendent & Co-Founder of KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Foundation 
• Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE - Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace 
• Dr. Sanjay Gupta - Neurosurgeon & CNN Chief Medical Correspondent 
• Judith Jamison - Artistic Director, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 
• Craig Kielburger - Founder & Chair, Free The Children 
• Vanessa Kirsch - President & Founder of New Profit Inc. 
• Dr. Michael L. Lomax - President & CEO, UNCF-United Negro College Fund 
• Dr. Wangari Maathai - 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate & Founder - Greenbelt Movement 
• Gail Sheehy - Author & Journalist 
• Edward Skloot - Director, Center for Strategic Philanthropy & Civil Society, Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University 
• Jeanette Takamura, M.S.W., Ph.D. - Dean & Professor of Social Work, Columbia University

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