In continued support of spiritually grounded leadership and institutional transformation, the Fetzer Institute is proud to announce a series of grant awards aimed at strengthening partners across its key areas of collaborative work.
These one-time awards, totaling over $3M, include both general operating support funds and dedicated funding for spiritual development for our partners and other philanthropic-serving organizations, reflecting Fetzer’s commitment to cultivating sacred-centered organizational cultures.
As part of this initiative, the Fetzer Institute awarded grants to over 34 organizations in recognition of their impactful contributions to philanthropy, as well as sectors like environment, public life, and spiritual innovation — whether through innovative, service-driven work or efforts grounded in sacred values, including:
● Independent Sector: A national membership organization that connects, strengthens, and advocates for nonprofits and philanthropies.
● Sacred Design Lab: A soul-centered research and design consultancy that assists clients in developing products, programs, and experiences that translate ancient wisdom and practices into 21st century spiritual wellbeing.
● The Cultural Conservancy: A Native-led organization that centers sacred Indigenous cultural practices, ancestral stories, land stewardship, and ecological wisdom.
“This moment in our shared human story demands not only policy solutions or strategic interventions,” said Jonathan Lever, Fetzer’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “It calls for a transformation in how we see ourselves, each other, and the world. By investing in both the operational and spiritual wellbeing of our partners, we hope to support leaders and organizations who are offering transformative alternatives to systems grounded in fear, division, or disconnection.”
The spiritual development funds can be used for staff and board retreats, individual spiritual accompaniment, or personal spiritual growth opportunities for partner organizations. This additional investment is intended to nurture inner work, contemplative practice, and sacred-centered leadership — foundational elements that support sustained, values-driven action in the world.
“At the Fetzer Institute, we believe that sacred-centered leadership and imagination begins with nurturing the whole person,” says Shakiyla Smith–Sengu, Vice President of Organizational Culture at Fetzer. “These grants reflect our commitment to organizations that are doing the deep inner work necessary for sustainable outer change — where values like compassion, reflection, and interconnectedness are not just ideals but lived practices.”
“Transformative change happens when our work is rooted in spiritual integrity and collective purpose,” says Jonathan Lever, Fetzer’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “These grants are an investment in the people and organizations creating pathways to a more just, compassionate, and spiritually grounded world.”
Fetzer’s investment is rooted in the belief that true transformation begins within, and that fostering the spiritual wellbeing and development of changemakers is not just a nice-to-have, but a must-have in the global movement for shared flourishing.
For more information on Fetzer’s collaborative partnerships and upcoming collaborative initiatives, please visit here.
To learn more about the vision behind these grants, please click here.