
From delivering mindfulness interventions to reduce suffering and strengthen resilience in wartime Ukraine to engaging cancer patients in Chile in forest bathing, Mind & Life’s Contemplative Changemaking grantees are employing diverse contemplative approaches to address urgent real-world needs.
Collectively these grantees are part of a growing global movement of conscious social change as grassroots visionaries embrace contemplative wisdom and practices to build leadership skills and strengthen self-healing and resilience within local communities.
To date, 26 Contemplative Changemaking Grants of up to $10,000 have been awarded to individuals and nonprofit organizations in 14 countries. The growth of this movement is reflected in the more than 365 grant applications we received from 72 countries in 2023.
Ultimately, we seek to build a vibrant community of contemplative changemakers who are able to deepen and scale their reach, while sharing their experiences, lessons learned, and resources for the benefit of others like them.
Note: We are not accepting applications for the Contemplative Changemaking Grants at this time. Please check back on May 1, 2025 for further information.
Grantee Voices
Grantee Stories

Indigenizing mindfulness practice for Native American youth.

Building climate resilience through contemplative gardening.
Our 2023 Contemplative Changemaking Grant Recipients

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Peer Outdoor Education for Mental Health (POEM)

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Weaving Wellness: Training Hairdressers as Mindful Mental Health Allies for women with psychological Challenges.

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Contemplative practices in palliative care

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
HEALthy ME – Mental Wellbeing of Young People at Schools in Macedonia

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Transformative Theatre: Empowering Women’s Social Reintegration in Chilean Prisons through Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Nature and Spirituality: A Muslim Perspective

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Mindfulness for high-demand, high-stress cohorts in wartime Ukraine

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Project FORE – Fostering Resilience & Peace

2023 Contemplative Changemaking Grants Review Committee

Agustina Acosta
Reviewer

Juan Santoyo
Universidad de Antioquia; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer



Alejandro Chaoul, PhD
Founding Director of the Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Reviewer



Our 2022 Contemplative Changemaking Grant Recipients

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
A B O U T – I T: Accelerating Buffalo’s Opportunity to Upsurge Transformation-from the Inside OuT
S. Ama Wray

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Conscious Climate Action through Contemplative Gardening

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Contemplative Art Therapy for Children and Adolescents Coping with Self-Harm

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Embracing the Heart: Yoga for Mental Health and Community Building in Dzaleka Children and Youth Refugees

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Forest Therapy for People with Cancer in Three Public Hospitals in Chile

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Freedom Inside: Contemplative Practice for Women in Prison


Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Healing Landscapes: Restoring the Human Land Reciprocal Relationship



Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Mind the Conflict in Hura’s Bedouin Community

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Mindfulness Practices for Indigenous Youth

Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Mindfulness Trainings for Mothers and Teachers of Escuela Don Luis Braille in Asunción, Paraguay
José Godoy
Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Meditation as a Path to Peaceful Living


Contemplative Changemaking Grants
Freedom is being Present
2022 Contemplative Changemaking Grants Review Committee




Juan Santoyo
Universidad de Antioquia; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer

Alejandro Chaoul, PhD
Founding Director of the Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Reviewer