PLATINUM2023

Resilient Activist Inc

A Joyful, Nature-Connected Community

Kansas City, MO   |  https://www.theresilientactivist.org/

Mission

We cultivate resilience to environmental stress by supporting community, personal well-being, and vital ecological health.

Ruling year info

2018

Founder, Executive Director

Ms Sami Aaron

Main address

15 W 108th Terr

Kansas City, MO 64114 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

82-4982519

NTEE code info

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (C01)

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (F01)

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (R01)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The Resilient Activist brings together community organizers, nonprofits, corporate entities, and individuals who are concerned about climate change and related social justice issues. Our community includes those at all socio-economic levels, many of whom work with underrepresented communities that are most negatively impacted by environmental disasters. We offer uplifting and nurturing community-building activities, articles, stories, speakers' bureau events, and programs to give voice and support to those who share our passion for a sustainable, flourishing, nature-connected future. We provide safe spaces for conversation and learning for interested individuals to encourage and support attendees as they explore opportunities for further community awareness and engagement.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Research and Intervention on the Emotional Impact of Climate Change on Activists

Mindfulness and Resilience Training (MRT). With the most recent IPCC reports, we know that many activists are experiencing burnout, grief, fear, frustration, and more. Numerous studies have clearly demonstrated the need for interventions to support activists' emotional well-being. We are hosting a research study designed to meet that need. The 10-week study incorporates resilience training, trauma and grief support, mindfulness practices, body relaxation, breathwork, and nature immersion. Facilitated by a Licensed Master’s Level Psychologist and a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Kansas City University, a retired police officer who is a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher, and a therapist and trained yoga teacher specializing in trauma-informed care. This research study is offered at no cost to participants.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Activists

The Resilient Activist offers our own interpretation of these gatherings, based on training we have received through the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, and other resilience practices we incorporate into our programs including short meditations, journaling, nature connection, and breakout rooms.

Participants have the opportunity to connect with a community that gets them, with folks who are experiencing many of the emotions that climate change has brought out in their hearts and minds.

Each session will include facilitators from The Resilient Activist as well as a Climate-Aware Therapist to guide the conversations in ways that are supportive and nurturing.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Activists

The Resilient Activist Speakers Bureau offers educational and inspiring presentations and workshops designed to help audiences better understand ways they can create a healthier planet while nurturing themselves. Presentation topics include Five Essentials for a Resilient World for Activists, Earth-Care, Self-Care, and Business, Taking Meaningful Action Through Political Engagement, Our Homes and Sustainable Interior Design, Bring Deep Nature Connection to Outdoor Interpretation and more .

Population(s) Served
Adults
Children and youth

Through journaling and small group conversations, these workshops guide participants to create a personalized activism plan that emphasizes self-care.

Population(s) Served

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

Climate Psychology Alliance NA 2020

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of individuals attending community events or trainings

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of community events or trainings held and attendance

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Virtual and in -person workshops, courses, nature retreats and speaker's bureau

Number of unique website visitors

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

In 2022, our website hosted 25,783 visitors for a total of 29,382 sessions with viewers from 150 different countries.

Number of people on the organization's email list

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

We are especially pleased that our email newsletter open rate is at about 40%, as MailChimp statistically shows that the average open rate for nonprofit email marketing is 25.96%.

Number of research studies conducted

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Research and Intervention on the Emotional Impact of Climate Change on Activists

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

In 2022, TRA partnered with a doctoral candidate at Kansas City University to develop studies evaluating the impact of our MRT and Four Steps curricula.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
We will have organized, fiscally responsible governance within our administration with adequate resources to support our programs and products. Our governance supports a diverse atmosphere of growth and learning for our board members, staff, and audience.

AUDIENCE AND OUTREACH
We will provide relevant high-quality programming and communication for healthy, inclusive environmental activism, create a safe space for community connection, and produce measurable, relevant, and innovative research to inspire our audience in the United States and around the world.

FISCAL STABILITY
We will be fiscally sound and have diverse funding sources that will balance and grow our infrastructure and audience.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
- Board education and implementation of sociocracy governance
- Recruitment of Board members and or volunteers with marketing and accounting subject matter expertise
- Hire Development and Operations Director - Competed February 2023.
- Website Redesign
- Completion of a board-approved formal DEI plan for 2023-24 implementation

AUDIENCE AND OUTREACH
- Improve online community engagement with more personal and educational virtual content and grassroots partnerships in the community.
- Design, develop, and publish research within the field of ecopsychology related to the efficacy of our interventions for resilience
- Expand and enhance our MRT curriculum
- Expand and enhance our Four Steps to a Resilient Life program
- Expand and enhance our Speakers Bureau Program
- We are committed to increasing diversity across all areas - from our Boards and partners to volunteers, presenters, bloggers, and content creators - as well as our audience.

FISCAL STABILITY
- Completion of a board-approved formal Development plan for 2023-24 implementation
- Increase diversified funds, specifically grants and philanthropy, to support anticipated program and service growth and operational management (Executive Director, Administrative Assistant, Development and Operations Director).
- Host one large fundraiser focused on nature in the local Kansas City area
- Increase communication with and retention of individual donors.
- Creation of a recurring paid membership level structure and benefits

The Resilient Activist was founded and has operated with a voluntary working board since 2018. We have a robust knowledgable, engaged and dedicated team including our Founder and Executive Director, Board and Advisory Board members and Volunteers who bring diverse work and experience. In 2022 we began paying a small stipend to our founder for 1.0 FTE full-time Executive Director duties and hired a 0.25 FTE part-time Administrative Assistant for administrative support. In February of 2023, we hired a 0.75 FTE full-time Development and Operations Director. Additionally, we subcontract for marketing and media needs and have brought on a new board member with DEI subject matter expertise.

To date, we rely heavily on our dedicated and long-term volunteer working Board of Directors and Advisory Boards for in-kind hours donations for program and content development, and the remaining day-to-day operational functions not covered above.

Our board is actively adapting a sociocracy model of governance that seeks to create psychologically safe environments and productive organizations.

TRA also has a significant online presence through our website, social media accounts, YouTube channel, and our Mighty Networks Community with increasing visitors, members and subscribers annually. As well as sustainable and increasing program events and number of attendees for our signature programming. We also have partaken in research partnership with local universities to better understand the impact of our programming on psychological wellbeing for a variety of audiences impacted directly and indirectly by climate change.

Since 2018 The Resilient Activist has served over 4,500 clients at our programs, events and activities, with 1,200 being from 2022. Our programs are built around the Five Essentials for a Resilient World. We explore these concepts through Five Essentials for Earth-Care and Self-Care, as well as for Business. Our programs include:

Resilience Support: The Resilient Activist offers events and programs to address ecological grief. TRA provides access to a directory of Climate-Aware Therapists and mental health resources through our programs and research studies.

Speakers’ Bureau: Speakers’ Bureau online and in-person presentations provide uplifting and informational programs for groups and organizations. Presentations are offered in person and virtually and offer a wide range of topics from mindfulness to nature to environmental action.

Climate Café Gatherings: Based on training from the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, our Climate Café events guide inclusive conversations about climate grief and anxiety in supportive and nurturing ways.

Visionary Activist: Through nature connection, guided meditations, and journaling this program offers insight for visionary activism imbued with tools for personal well-being.

Four Steps for a Resilient Life: Through journaling and small group conversations, these workshops guide participants to create a personalized activism plan that emphasizes self-care.

Five Essentials for a Resilient World: Workshops for a healthy mindset and way of being in the world: Reconnect to Nature, Respect all Life, Regreen our Planet, Revamp our Spending, and Replenish our Resources

JEDI Book Club: The Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Book Club offers a safe space for participants to develop an understanding of these concepts with a group of like-minded and open-hearted people.

Mindfulness and Resilience Training (MRT): This 10-week intensive is designed for activists to help them cope with the stresses of their work, build resilience in the face of adversity, and foster compassion for themselves and others over the long term.

Partnerships: We offer joint programming with a variety of organizations whose missions complement ours. Mindfulness groups, wilderness and nature organizations, environmental activist groups, and educational communities.

Additionally, in 2022, TRA partnered with a doctoral candidate at Kansas City University to develop studies evaluating the impact of our MRT and Four Steps curricula. Study results indicate these curricula support the development of psychological resilience and adaptive coping skills.







How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    TRA brings together community organizers, nonprofits, corporate entities, and individuals who are concerned about climate change and related social justice issues. Our community includes those at all socio-economic levels, many of whom work with underrepresented communities that are most negatively impacted by environmental disasters. While our main emphasis is to provide support for climate, environmental, and social justice activists, we also support others who work with low-to-moderate income communities, crime victims and offenders, mental health professionals, students and educators, business professionals, faith communities, and others interested in having conversations about climate change, resilience, and diversity, equity, and inclusion but do not identify as activists.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback

Financials

Resilient Activist Inc
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build 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

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Resilient Activist Inc

Board of directors
as of 03/02/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Ms Sami Aaron

The Resilient Activist

Term: 2022 - 2024


Board co-chair

Anne Melia

Pam Hausner

Big Vision Design

Brenda Bennett-Pike

Anna Graether

Naomi Wolfe

Heather Newhard

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

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 ? No
  • 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? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 3/2/2023

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
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 04/26/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.