Great Minds
All over the world people, just like you, want to see real change.
Learn from each other! Below is a curated list of good groups doing good things. Feel encouraged to peruse, use their resources, or reach out to them directly to foster a connection.
If you find a great mind doing a cool project that you'd like to explore more, but aren't sure on where to start or if its plausible or if it fits with your mission, Rooted Sonshine offers a consulting call designed to make you feel equipped and confident. Reach out to schedule!
Group | What they do | Why they're great |
Green Chimneys |
multi-faceted nonprofit organization helping young people to maximize their full potential |
they provide residential, educational, clinical and recreational services, in a safe and supportive environment that nurtures connections with families, the community, animals and nature |
Stanford Center on Longevity |
we aim to redesign how we live our lives so that the great potential of longer life is fully realized |
a center on longevity, not old age, because building a world where the majority of people thrive in old age requires attention to the entire life span |
The Mill Institute |
convening and training educators, creating learning resources, and conducting research |
the Mill Institute helps students become less certain and more curious when it comes to the way they understand the world and one another |
OutGrown | nonprofit that empowers families with young children to step outside and enjoy the physical and mental benefits of growing up in nature. |
dynamic nonprofit organization that provides resources, community support, and advocacy for families to get out into nature with their children from birth |
The Roots of Loneliness Project |
Our mission is to explore the topic of loneliness through high integrity content, and open and honest discussion.
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created a complete site dedicated to cataloging, exploring, educating, and providing resources for any type of loneliness, where one can feel less alone as a result of learning more about the exact type of loneliness they are feeling at any given moment or season of their life |
Diverse Perspectives Consulting |
works with companies and organizations who want to create a culture where people across a wide range of backgrounds feel they belong and are comfortable expressing themselves freely. |
DEI had an important goal—to build a culture where people feel they belong—but it fell short. We’re here to deliver. |
Jack.org |
Canada's only charity training and empowering young leaders to revolutionize mental health in every province and territory |
We're working towards a Canada where all young people understand how to take care of their own mental health and look out for each other. A Canada without shame, where all those who need support get the help they deserve. |
TheVote Run Lead |
We help women run for office—and win. |
Our goal is to dismantle obstacles to equal and equitable representation and place women’s experiences, perspectives, input, and expertise at the forefront of the democratic process to transform the lives of our families, communities, and our country. |
The Simple Foundation | provides opportunities for immigrant/refugees, low/moderate income or underserved youth | help cultivate and develop life skills, promote physical and emotional health and well-being, truancy prevention, mentoring, employability, and college preparation. |
Healing Solidarity | online conference, created an online space you can join here, run anti-racist practice groups for white people working in international development and have many more plans |
Figuring out how to create solidarity that heals rather than perpetuates injustice |
We insist on a radical shift in philanthropy that transforms giving practices in support of a culture of equity and diversity. | Since 2001 we have challenged systemic racism by providing space for reflection, experimentation, incubation, and fiscal sponsor services to BIPOC, women, and LGBTQIA+ Transformative Movement leaders tackling social justice causes that center on the interconnected issues of racial, gender, and environmental inequity. | |
Beloved Community |
our mission is to build sustainable change. We do so by supporting regions to further their collaborative journey for racial and economic equity, and by centering our most marginalized populations as we advance towards the beloved community. |
empowering teams to drive change through equity audits and thought partnership; guiding leaders through capacity-building sessions + equity work plans; and curating customized frameworks for operationalizing equity commitments. |
Root Rise Pollinate | We create space for pollinators to heal, imagine and strategize how to respond to changing conditions and challenges with more ease. We work at multiple interconnected levels: |
We activate and accompany an intergenerational, global community of feminist Pollinators as they heal and transform individual and collective harm, and steward new futures into being. |
The Joy Labs |
The Joy Labs are here to help you and your teams bring a sense of curiosity and play as you experiment with finding which actions you can take to nurture joy, creativity, and resilience in you, your organization, or your community |
We can build the thriving homes, organizations, and communities in which we want to live. |
Anderson Foundation | We utilize the power of education as a means of eradicating gender-based inequality and gender gaps. | At Anderson Foundation, we believe that we rise by lifting others, and we take pride in partnering with like-minded grassroots organizations who are on the ground, navigating the everyday social and economic obstacles girls face. |
Spark Central | We break barriers to creativity like cost, confidence, and access by offering transformative programs, access to innovative technology, and a welcoming creative community for people of all economic backgrounds. | By bringing people together for inspiring community events and creative learning activities, we invite volunteers, residents, teachers, and students to learn from and inspire one another. This community builds a sense of belonging, confidence, and ignites dialogue that benefits everyone. |
Nuestras Raíces |
Nuestras Raíces is a community center that is committed to increase public awareness and pride in the depth and diversity of Hispanic / Latino culture through our 501c3 and our 501c6. |
Our community center promotes and serves the Hispanic/Latino interest through cultural, business outreach, social justice and wellbeing of our community. |
Meet. Play. Chill. | Whether at our club-wide social events or at one of our many sponsor bars after your match, we provide great opportunities for you to meet new people, socialize and network! | What makes Meet. Play. Chill. different from everyone else? First - we are NOT a large nationwide company. Denver is our home and where we work (and play!) with our neighbors. Most of our players know us, Mike and Erin, by our first name. You'll see us at the leagues - running check-in, partying with you at the socials or even reffing your matches. We take great pride in providing you the best experience possible. |
The entire purpose of 1000 Hours Outside is to attempt to match nature time with screen time. If kids can consume media through screens 1200 hours a year on average then the time is there and at least some of it can and should be shifted towards a more productive and healthy outcome! |
1000 Hours Outside is a global movement designed for any age child (or adult) and any environment. Join the journey and watch your life transform before your eyes. Nature holds tremendous power for each and every one of us at any age or stage. |
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Early Learning Programs, Child & Caregiver Support, Community Building |
connecting young children and their families to the splendor of the natural world, through advocacy, education, and environmental stewardship. |
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The Washington Nature Preschool Association is a regional collaborative developed to support nature-based and outdoor early childhood education and teachers while working to meet the goals of connection, PD, resource sharing, community participation, research, and improving preschool education.
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Sharing a commitment to advancing the nature-based preschool movement on a regional level |
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Friends of the Bluff is the non-profit organization responsible for maintaining and protecting Spokane's High Drive Bluff. We are a group of hikers, runners, mountain bikers, dog walkers, bird watchers, and nature lovers who work together to maintain the bluff, purely on a volunteer basis. |
We are a sustainable, community-supported organization that - through education, outreach, and direct conservation efforts - ensures that the Bluff will always be a protected, healthy, and natural ecosystem, accessible to all who wish to respectfully enjoy it.
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Our mission is to improve well-being through connection and community
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Every individual, community, and organization has a role to play in creating a more socially healthy society. Whether it’s strengthening relationships with your friends and family, changing social norms at your workplace, school, or neighborhood, or designing your company’s products, services, or policies for greater connection, you can make a difference. |
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The Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC) is comprised of national organizations committed to end the pressing global issues of loneliness and social isolation. We support the dissemination of system-wide, national approaches to build social connection. |
Our position statements support our three key areas of global partnership: Awareness, Collaboration, and National Framework to end loneliness and promote connection.
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Collaborating to combat loneliness
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Research, events, experts, and community |
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Through a collaborative approach, Ending Loneliness Together is raising awareness of loneliness as a key social, health and economic issue of our time |
To bring people, community and government together to make connection and belonging a priority — and create effective solutions to combat chronic loneliness.
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We believe that people of all ages need connections that matter.We have been experts in the field of loneliness and connection since 2011. Our vision is that everyone can live a life free from chronic loneliness. |
Our work always puts loneliness first. This exclusive focus allows us to maintain a depth of understanding on loneliness and how it relates to other issues. |
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we offer loneliness prevention programs for groups. If you are a leader of a group, we want you to have confidence that you are in the right place to get that understanding for your social, learning, community or business group |
working to change the current fragmented model of dealing with loneliness |
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fostering the development and implementation of evidence-based models to address social isolation, loneliness, and social connection |
F4SC engages in education, increases public awareness, promotes innovative research, and spurs the development and implementation of evidence-based models that address social isolation and loneliness and promote social connection. |
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Learning Collider is a research lab working to improve the social and economic mobility of underserved populations. |
How we work is multi-faceted. While tech is our path to social impact, people and partnerships are the foundation. |
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Sacred Matters is serious fun for serious scholars and intellectuals who want to think outside the religion box. |
Religion doesn’t matter here, but Sacred Matters is only and exclusively interested in religious matters, with its own peculiar twists and takes on what that even means in the 21st century. |
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advance children’s mental health through compassionate and uncompromising clinical care, a revolutionary approach to the science of the developing brain, and wide-reaching public education and community programs. |
Each year our Children’s Mental Health Report brings together information from reliable studies and emerging research to illustrate why we need to transform children’s lives — and how we can do it. |