RealNetworks Foundation Expanding Community Grants Program and 2009 Funding

SEATTLE — May 1, 2009 — The RealNetworks Foundation is re-launching its competitive grant making program today in four U.S. cities with RealNetworks offices — Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and Reston, Virginia. The Foundation will make these targeted Community Enhancement grants available in a variety of sectors, with priority given to human service agencies and those that promote economic and job development. The first grant of this kind will be made to Solid Ground, a Seattle multi-service agency focused on ending poverty in the region. Beginning in the fall of 2009, the Foundation will expand its focus to include geographically unrestricted grants in the following sectors: Freedom of Expression & Independent Media and Climate & the Environment.

The Foundation will accept applications for Community Enhancement Grants through June 1 at www.realfoundation.org. These grants will be restricted to 501(c)3 non-profits serving U.S. cities where Real Inc. employees are based — in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and Reston, Virginia. Grant requests in the human service sector and those that promote economic and job development will be given priority.

The Foundation's grant to Solid Ground is made in alignment with local efforts to respond to emergency needs and in support of the Seattle Foundation's Building Resilience Fund, focused on long-term infrastructure development. Solid Ground's food and housing programs combined with its unique legal, mortgage and tenant counseling services deliver the type of community impact that the RealNetworks Foundation is dedicated to supporting.

"During this tough time, when many funding sources are cutting back or going away altogether, having the RealNetworks Foundation step up with a grant of this size is truly remarkable," said Cheryl Cobbs, executive director of Solid Ground.

Beginning in the fall of 2009, the Foundation will also accept applications for sector-specific grants in the areas of Freedom of Expression & Independent Media and Climate & the Environment. These grants will be available to organizations that address these issues as a priority, and will not be geographically-restricted. Interested organizations are encouraged to visit the Foundation's Web site for more information in the future.

Today's announcement is a continuation of both the Foundation's and RealNetworks' commitment to supporting the broader community. In addition to its competitive grant making, the Foundation matches employee donations to eligible nonprofits and recently added a volunteer matching program in support of organizations where employees of RealNetworks and Rhapsody America are involved. For more information about the RealNetworks Foundation or to apply for a Community Enhancement grant visit: www.realfoundation.org.

For More Information Contact:
Oona Rokyta
RealNetworks
206.892.6445
orokyta@real.com

ABOUT REALNETWORKS FOUNDATION

Since its inception in 2000, the RealNetworks Foundation has made charitable contributions and matched RealNetworks and Rhapsody America employee donations to a wide-range of philanthropic programs and initiatives. The Foundation is funded by RealNetworks Inc., as part of its pledge to donate five-percent of its after-tax profits to charity.