Our Approach
The Pollination Project Foundation
The Pollination Project Foundation provides seed funding for people who are driving transformational change in their communities, cultures and countries.
Introduction
We believe in the transformative potential of local change-makers. Our mission is to empower individuals to drive positive change in their communities, cultures, and countries through seed funding.
Our Vision
We envision a world where individuals on the front lines are empowered to uplift themselves and their communities, where all children have equitable access to a quality education, where young people are empowered to reach their highest potential, where women and girls are free and protected, where our planet thrives in renewed health, and where animals are treated with compassion. It’s a world where humanity’s global diversity is celebrated as a strength that fortifies us all, and a world where local heroes, equipped with the resources they need, stand ready to support each other in times of crisis.
Our Impact
With an 11-year legacy, we’ve empowered over 5,500 extraordinary humans who have left an indelible mark on local, national, and global scales. These remarkable leaders, who we call “Heartivists,” have saved lives and forever changed destinies. In many cases, our Foundation provided their first check, igniting that vital spark of belief to kindle years of transformative impact. Explore our impact stories to discover more.
Individuals Empowered Through Seed Funding
How We Work
The Pollination Project Foundation offers seed funding ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, in collaboration with our network of 65 grant advisors and five country coordinators, each an expert in their respective fields. This participatory grantmaking process aligns with our ethos of empowering individuals on the front lines to effect positive change within their communities, cultures, and countries. Beyond financial support, The Pollination Project Foundation assists grantees in taking their initial steps towards fundraising and offers first belief in their mission, often providing their first grant. Additionally, we offer capacity-building workshops, mindfulness retreats to prevent burnout, and resource navigation to ensure that our grantees’ work achieves tangible goals.
Strengthening Social Ties
Lasting change is catalyzed and fortified by strong social bonds. Initiatives that dismantle silos and cultivate resilient networks stand a significantly greater chance of success. At The Pollination Project Foundation, we unite like-minded souls who share our mission, making the sum far greater than its parts. We also serve as a backbone organization, collaborating with partners to establish systematic approaches to global changemaking.
Heartivism as the Foundation
Our work is grounded in Heartivism—a path to change driven by love and compassion. We aim to support changemakers who tread the same noble path as luminaries like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Thich Nhat Hanh, Gloria Steinem, and others. As Martin Luther King Jr. famously stated, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” We reject the notion that the ends justify the means and instead champion advocates who place as much importance on the way they conduct their work as they do on the work itself.
Our Ultimate Goal
Our ultimate goal is to amplify the light within each of us by funding impactful leaders, nurturing strong networks, and collaboratively building systems among talented leaders. In doing so, we strive to foster leaderful movements—movements filled with leaders who possess the capability to drive change from the front, the middle, and the back of the pack.
Join the movement.