The NTEN community is getting more prestigious by the day! I'd like to congratulate George Hotelling who won Pizzigati Prize for his work building CitizenSpeak, and Jo Lee for her continued efforts managing the project! (Disclosure: NTEN's Katrin Verclas was a judge on the panel.)

The Antonio Pizzigati Prize is awarded to software developers who create open source applications and tools that nonprofit and advocacy groups can use to make social change happen. George built the open source code that runs CitizenSpeak, a free email advocacy service that gives small grassroots organizations access to the same email campaign tools as large organizations. Community groups have used CitizenSpeak in campaigns ranging from a Rhode Island effort to stop the placement of new schools on contaminated land to a multi-denominational offensive against religious intolerance in a Delaware town.

George and CitizenSpeak were up against some pretty stiff competition. Others in the running were the developers behind CivicSpace, CiviCRM, Martus, WagN, and Basebuilder. Read what George and Jo have to say on their blogs and don't forget to congratulate them!