Request for Proposals: Contemplative Changemaking Grants

Deadline: 1-Feb-23

The Mind & Life Institute seeks applications for its Contemplative Changemaking Grants. Through this grant program, it will support the use of contemplative approaches by grassroots changemakers addressing urgent community needs.

The Contemplative Changemaking Grants, of up to $10,000 (USD), will fund small-scale, impact-oriented work undertaken by individuals, community workers, and non-profit organizations that ground themselves in contemplative practices to achieve real impact in people’s everyday lives.

Through these grants, they seek to encourage the expansion of contemplative practices and their benefits beyond the individual and into the community. Proposals will be encouraged across broad domains, including civic engagement, climate action, economic empowerment, education, physical and mental health, and social inclusion.

Grant Information

Grants of up to $10,000 (USD) will be awarded through a competitive application and selection process. The proposed project should be completed within a two-year period, and periodic progress reports will need to be presented as required by Mind & Life.

Regulations/Contingencies/ Conditionalities

• Funds are available for project-related expense categories, such as reasonable compensation for project-based staff, professional fees, all project-based logistical and equipment costs, etc.
• Funds are NOT available for the following:
  • Salaries or stipends for project directors or permanent positions in organizations who aren’t directly involved with the project;
  • Tuition, higher education scholarships for students and participants;
  • Building funds, construction, or renovations;
  • Travel expenses for activities not within the scope of the project;
  • Personal expenses, shelter, or life, medical and health insurance;
  • Previous expenditures, deficits, or loans;
  • Creating or providing grants to other organizations;
  • Copyright or attorney fees;
  • Fundraising activities.

(Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and proposed itemized budgets will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Please reach out to them prior to application if you have questions about expenses that might not qualify for funding)

Project Eligibility

• For the purpose of this grant program, they define Contemplative Changemaking Projects as:
  • Projects that use contemplative wisdom to help alleviate the suffering of others and promote healing and positively transform the lives of multiple others
• They are particularly interested in projects that support relationship building and that will continue to serve the communities in which they are established.
• Projects must be:
  • Anchored in one or more contemplative wisdom practices;
  • Activity based and impact oriented;
  • Reach beyond the individual wellbeing of grantees to serve a larger community.
• Applicant Eligibility
  • To be eligible for a Mind & Life Contemplative Changemaking Grant:
    • Applicants must be individuals applying in their own name, or on behalf of a local community-based nonprofit organization (including universities) and social enterprises. For-profit ventures or businesses are not eligible;
    • Mind & Life firmly believes in bringing together diverse disciplines and perspectives to ground the application of contemplative practices for real world impact. Towards this end, selected grantees who have not attended the Mind & Life Summer Research Institute within the last ten years will be requested to attend the 2024 Summer Research Institute. Scholarships will be awarded on a case by case basis.
    • Priority will be given to projects led by emerging leaders (18-30 years of age) and those who identify as belonging to marginalized groups (e.g. BIPOC in the US, BAME in the UK), for projects that serve traditionally underserved and underrepresented groups in contexts and spaces where the projects are going to be implemented.
    • Priority will also be given to proposed projects that are based in countries and communities where funding has historically been less available for activities and scholarship grounded in contemplative practices.

For more information, visit Contemplative Changemaking Grants.