The Big ONE

The Fetzer Institute is a nonprofit, private operating foundation with an interest in exploring the relationship between the inner life of mind and spirit and action and service in the world.

The institute's mission is to foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community through research, education, and service programs.

As important as the content of the Fetzer Institute's work is the way it collaborates with others to develop its programs. In an open and trusting environment, the Institute convenes working groups to discern areas of future activity. It then invests in the wisdom and the questions that emerge from these dialogues. Institute meetings include dialogue, inquiry, reflection, and mission, to foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community, rests on our conviction that efforts to address the world's critical issues must go beyond political, social, and economic strategies to their psychological and spiritual roots.

Programs

John Fetzer, the Institute's founder, guided his life by an unshakable belief that love is the most powerful force in the world. The Institute's mission and programs reflect this belief as well as his conviction that individual transformation is central to societal change.

Fetzer programs fall into three areas:

• Individual & Community Transformation
• Science & Spirituality
• Communication & Outreach

The Institute collaborates with others to develop its programs, using dialogue, reflection, and contemplation in addition to attention to measurable outcomes.

Individual and Community Transformation Overview

The purpose of this work is to develop the capacity of people, individually and collectively, to love and forgive. By working with others, we want to enhance action and interaction that brings the power of love and forgiveness to the center of individual, organizational, and community life.

• The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society
• The Center for Courage & Renewal: Reconnecting Who You Are with What You Do
• Center for Law and Renewal (formerly Healing & the Law)
• The Collective Wisdom Initiative
• Deepening the American Dream Essay Series
• The Faith & Politics Institute
• Global Problem Solving: Generative Dialogue Project
• Higher Education Leadership Retreats
• Integrative Learning: Bringing the Heart & Mind Together in Higher Education
• Learning to Give & Generosity of Spirit
• One Voice Dialogues with Nobel Peace Laureates
• PeaceJam
• Reuniting America
• Slavery's Legacy in the U.S.: Coming to the Table
• Uncovering the Heart of Higher Education
• Youth Leadership

Science and Spirituality Overview

This work includes scientific research into the human qualities of love and forgiveness and scientific explorations of the interconnected nature of universe, life, and consciousness. It also focuses on exploring spiritual concepts and practices to foster the awareness of the power of love and forgiveness, and on healing the rift between these two approaches to discovery and understanding.

• Altruism and Altruistic Love: Science, Philosophy, and Religion in Dialogue
• Altruism in America
• Altruistic Love and Compassionate Love Research Projects
• Columbia Center for the Study of Science and Religion
• Compassion in the Classroom: Cultivating Emotional Balance
• End of Life Research
• Multidimensional Measurement of Religiousness/Spirituality for Use in Health Research
• Neurophysiological Correlates to Experiences of Self and Visual Processing as Modulated by Meditation
• Racial Healing: A Survey of African American Attitudes About Love, Forgiveness, and Race
• Shamatha Project
• Social Support Measurement and Intervention

Communication and Outreach Overview

Projects in this area tell stories of love and forgiveness that have a transformative impact on our society. Our efforts are intended to seed a movement of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community.

• The Campaign for Love & Forgiveness
• The Lincoln Project
• The Spiritual Literacy and Practices Project

How We Work

As a private operating foundation, the Fetzer Institute uses the bulk of its income to actively run its own programs or services. Operating foundations may make grants, but the sum is generally small compared to the funds used for its own programs. This is true of the Fetzer Institute, which does not accept unsolicited proposals, but occasionally offers fellowships, requests for proposals, and awards that are open for application.

As important as the content of the Fetzer Institute's work is the way it collaborates with others to develop its programs. In an open and trusting environment, the Institute convenes working groups to discern areas of future activity. It then invests in the wisdom and the questions that emerge from these dialogues. Institute meetings include dialogue, inquiry, reflection, and contemplation as well as attention to measurable outcomes. This approach enhances traditional models, transforming individuals, organizations, and communities.

Affinity Organizations

PeaceJam
Thomas Merton Foundation