The winners of the 2011 Knight Arts Challenge Miami were recently announced by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to help the people of South Florida get better access to arts funding.

The contest will hand out a total of $2.9 million to more than 30 projects and will help bring an added level of culture to the Florida region. According to the leadership of the charity, the nonprofit was happy to assist in the program, which it first launched in 2008.

"The Miami of today is not the Miami of 10, five, or even two years ago. Much of that has to do with artists and supporters who are building a new Miami everyday and bringing us together through their work," said Alberto Ibargüen, president and CEO of the Knight Foundation. "Every day, Knight Arts Challenge winners add to that momentum, moving and inspiring us toward a better future."

Earlier this year, the foundation made other nonprofit fundraising news when it handed out a $1 million grant to the DoSomething effort, which hopes to educate the young about a number of social issues.