Empowerment Works, Inc.
For a Thriving World
Mission
Inspired by indigenous wisdom since 2001, Empowerment WORKS (EW) is a social change organization promoting global collaboration in support of local solutions for a thriving world. In the world's most culturally rich, yet economically challenged communities, Empowerment WORKS brings access to markets, appropriate technologies and education, within the grasp of citizens on the front lines. Empowerment WORKS fosters a diverse, cross-sector network of Partners in Empowerment (PIE) united in action by an ecologically inspired social innovation framework called 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS). Through this holistic mission, Empowerment WORKS inspires people across the globe to realize the value of their existing knowledge, unique talents and collective potential to change the world.
Ruling year
2001
Executive Director
Ms. Melanie Shane St.James
Main address
1187 Coast Village Rd Suite 101
Santa Barbara, CA 93108 USA
EIN
31-1796801
NTEE code
Economic Development (S30)
Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (C01)
Management & Technical Assistance (B02)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Hopelessness and disconnection from nature, fellow humanity, and ourselves.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Global Summit - biennial social innovation forum
The Global Summit (TGS) is much more
than an event. It is a strategic educational outreach initiative of Empowerment WORKS (EW) which has been innovating systemic approaches to global sustainability since 2001.
Uniting global Partners in Empowerment
(PIE) in year-round collaborations; TGS acts as a catalyst for EW’s
systemic approach to community development: 7
Stages to Sustainability.
Officially co-created Nov. 16-18, 2008
by a multi-sector network of Partners
in Empowerment (PIE), The Global Summit is the capstone of the Empowerment
Works eco-system.
Hosted in a
different world bio-region every other year, TGS unites the most dedicated
social and environmental change makers, powerful leaders, and grass-roots
citizens to co-create global solutions, catalyze local action, and share
what works for a sustainable world.
7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) & Catalyst Action Training (CAT)
Tools to catalyze sustainable social change
Applied as a curriculum, 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) delivers a universal tool-kit to turn local assets into holistic solutions; catalyzing ground up business, technological and social innovation.
7SS Basic Training Participants Learn To:
- Apply design-thinking to transform critical issues into opportunities
- Unite people, businesses and organizations in win-win collaborations
- Identify best practices and tools as needed within local context
- Design an evaluation, set indicators & measure results
To ensure local relevance of educational content & tools, EW partners with local organizations and social entrepreneurs to co-develop and facilitate each program.
In 2017 EW launched the first Catalyst Action Training (CAT) in Kathmandu graduating 22 extraordinary young women leaders.
Pulse of the Movement (PoM) Media Outreach
Pulse of the Movement is EW's free webcast / podcast series, illuminating local solutions; inspiring daily actions for a thriving world.
- From child care to climate
- Timely topics & tools
- Fresh perspectives
- Extraordinary voices
At Empowerment WORKS, we see responsible media as the foundation of positive social change. Pulse of the Movement (PoM) is our opportunity to bring you diverse voices from the front lines of the movements that shape our future.
Fiscal Sponsorship: Reducing Duplication. Catalyzing Impact through Collaboration.
Since 2004, Empowerment Works (EW) has provided 501c3 nonprofit fiscal sponsorship services to projects advancing its tax exempt mission (http://www.empowermentworks.org/fiscal.html) towards a healthier, culturally-rich and bio-diverse world.
WHY? Nonprofits typically spend 20% on administration. By sharing overhead and bundling basic services, EW enables these efforts to direct up to 95% of donor support to program needs (EW accepts a base admin fee = 5% of total project revenue).
Moreover, EW fiscally sponsored projects become part of EW's multi-sector network of Partners in Empowerment, gaining access to 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) https://www.empowermentworks.org/7-stages-to-sustainability-7ss.htmll coaching framework, social action research, community events and other mutually supportive outreach opportunities.
Where we work
Awards
Trust Provider 2008
World of Good
Founding Member 2006
Coalition for a Sustainable Africa
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of organizations accessing technical assistance offerings
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Women and girls, Adults, Multiracial people
Related Program
Fiscal Sponsorship: Reducing Duplication. Catalyzing Impact through Collaboration.
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Projects in Empowerment WORKS Fiscal Sponsorship Program, Social Impact Salons, and direct mentorship. Receiving legal, administrative, and financial tools and guidance.
Number of convenings hosted by the organization
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Indigenous peoples, Ethnic and racial groups, Young adults
Related Program
The Global Summit - biennial social innovation forum
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The Global Summit Tokyo 2020 inspired thousands w/ 100 musicians in a 20 hour concert across 5 time-zones. We are now exploring new partnerships for the next generation of summits.
Number of groups/individuals benefiting from tools/resources/education materials provided
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Young adults, Tribal and indigenous religious groups, At-risk youth
Related Program
7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) & Catalyst Action Training (CAT)
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Via The Global Summit, and downloads of the 7SS Online Training, and Action Toolkit to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
1) Strengthen the ability of the creative impact leaders and organizations in our network to successfully realize our shared mission through financial and technical tools.
2) Identify partners demonstrating high integrity and impact to lead the next generation of The Global Summit series that share our values.
3) Inspire and expand the community led approach and educational tools in EW's flagship curriculum online to impact 5000 communities by 2024.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Foster connection, community-based solutions, and awareness via the production, facilitation, and program design of diverse events (from conferences to festivals). EW flagship event series include:
- Artists in Action events celebrate, demonstrate, and co-create an inspired future - since 2001
- The Global Summit biennial fosters unity through diversity - since 2008
Training and technical support for social entrepreneurs and early-stage nonprofit groups:
- EW provides fiscal sponsorship services to projects advancing our 501c3 mission
- Scaling the 7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS) curriculum online and partnerships
Creatively expanding opportunities for impact in all sectors of society:
- Partners In Empowerment (PIE) framework emphasizing the unique roles within private, and creative sectors
At the foundation of Empowerment WORKS is a collaboration road map we call "7 Stages to Sustainability (7SS)" - empowering communities to build sustainable futures from the ground up.
1. Build a team around your ideal future.
2. Assess local assets = economic opportunities.
3. Make a plan (co-create solutions).
4. Educate Yourself and Learn from Others.
5. Identify, exchange & invest in LOCALLY appropriate technologies & critical information in health, energy, transportation, construction, agriculture, water, IT, education, etc. - How can you ADD GREATEST VALUE to your LOCAL ASSETS (Stage 2)?
6. Harness the power of the private sector to deliver what's needed & create livelihoods for people in need.
Stage 7: THE CULMINATION
7. Reinvest in Impact & Deepen Sustainability. Build Public-Private Partnerships for Self-Reliance.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
In 2022 (with the update of this profile) EW takes stock of two decades of leading-edge social innovation, and most of all the trust from a vast community of change agents in its home state of California which has expanded across the world with The Global Summit and further reflected in its recent 8-week online sustainability training and fiscal sponsorship program.
The sustainability it has achieved with its revenue-based program model enables it to manage its overhead and core services without expending efforts on fundraising, allowing its lean team to realize innovative win-win initiatives with ideal partners, rather than going it alone and taking on the burden of cost.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
For a summary of milestones please see The Global Summit program webpage:
https://theglobalsummit.org/results/
and http://www.empowermentworks.org/case-studies--impact-learning.html
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Empowerment Works, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 01/31/2022
Jay Markert
Living Mandala
Term: 2022 - 2024
Jay Markert
Living Mandala
Dana Arak-Eng
Atty
Marc Thibault
Nativien
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
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