Ken Toole and Christine Kaufmann, co-directors of the Montana Human Rights Network and legislators from Helena, are winners of a 2003 Leadership for a Changing World Award.

Toole, a state senator, and Kaufmann, a state represantive, were among 17 nationwide winners of the award selected from a pool of more than 1,300 nominations, the Ford Foundation was to announce today.

''These awards recognize the achievements of remarkable people working to bring positive social change to their communities and beyond," Susan V. Berresford, president of the foundation, said in a press release.

With a staff of six, Toole and Kaufmann have built the network, a membership-based organization of over 1,400 members and 10 local groups, to promote values such as pluralism, equality and justice; challenge bigotry and intolerance; and organize communities to speak out.

Toole and Kaufmann will receive $100,000 to advance their work and an additional $15,000 for supporting activities over the next two years.

Toole said the 1,300 nominations were first narrowed down to 180. Then that number was reduced to 30 individuals by the time foundation representatives came to Helena to visit with them.

''After coming through a process as competitive, it makes me a little bit humbled," said Toole.

Kaufmann added, ''it is gratifying to be recognized only after a decade of this kind of work -- maybe this kind of work can be spread throughout the country."

The $15,000 is part of a program that includes a major, multi-year collaborative research initiative that works with awardees to explore how leadership is created and sustained.

''We hope to stimulate a nationwide discussion about the rich array of leadership styles in the United States and increase public understanding and appreciation of the extraordinary accomplishments of these largely unrecognized leaders," said Kathleen D. Sheekey, president and CEO of the Advocacy Institute, a partner with both the Ford Foundation and Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at the New York University.

Toole said the network was started after numerous groups around the state were found to be researching the same white supremacist groups found in various locations throughout Montana in the late '80s and early '90s.

After organizing a community effort, Toole said they were able to prevent one of these groups that wanted to take away the rights of any non-white individuals from basing their headquarters in Helena.

''They said the reason they didn't come to Helena was because they got the message that they weren't welcome," said Toole.

From confronting extremist militia organizations to advocating for gay rights and tribal sovereignty, Toole and Kaufmann have been unflinching spokespersons for social justice, said Berresford.

National attention is nothing new to the pair of social justice advocates, although recognition for the kind of work that they do is new.

Toole said that after the Oklahoma City bombing, reporters from national organizations like CBS, NBC, and as far away as Europe called all day long.

''All day, every day for six months the phones kept ringing," said Kaufmann.

So many different national media outlets became so interested in the work of the network because it was the only group in the nation to have written extensively on militia movements after the bombing.

Since then, the pair has assisted federal law enforcement agencies in training efforts and spoken at numerous speaking engagements throughout the country.

''You haven't lived until you put Dan Rather on hold," said Toole.

Toole and Kaufmann now join 40 previous recipients. By 2005 the foundation hopes to have recognized nearly 100 outstanding leaders and leadership teams not broadly known beyond their immediate community or field.

Toole and Kaufmann were nominated for the award by Greg Higley.

Reporter Shawn White Wolf can be reached at 447-4028 or shawn.whitewolf@helenair.com.