The Change Lab
Join the 365 Founders Circle
Launched May 2025 • Current Stage: Seed Funding • Civic Innovation Lab • Nonprofit
For Americans who feel overwhelmed: The Change Lab is a Human Connection Engine that nurtures your power. Unlike surrendering to the Numb, we help Americans connect—so we can learn, belong, and act.
Your founding investment seeds the Human Connection Engine.
Your Founding Investment
Seed the Human Connection Engine. You’ll help turn overwhelm into action by mapping the civic landscape, curating pathways that fit busy lives, and building relationship‑first experiences that last.
What you commit
- $1,000/year or $87/month
- Recommended: a 3‑year pledge to stabilize and operationalize
- Optional: share Time & Talent—send resources we should amplify
What we build together
- Friendly dashboard of 100+ focus areas
- DIY action kits and a right‑sized Learning Center
- Bridging experiences that move people from transactional to relational
Founders Circle Levels
$10,000 — The Microscope
Zooms in on the details. Funds deep research and data work that map where civic numbness lives.
$25,000 — The Generator
Keeps the lab powered. Builds the infrastructure for the Human Connection Machine — tech, design, and storytelling.
$50,000 — The Reactor
Drives transformation. Underwrites large‑scale pilots and live tests, turning sparks into sustained participation.
The Problem We’re Solving
So many Americans feel confused about what to do, disempowered—like our vote doesn’t count—and alone. The Numb is real.
“This is an amazing site and I am only seeing a small part of this platform… It is like the ultimate hub.”
Our Solution
We organize and connect what’s already working nationwide into clear pathways that help people move from confusion to confident action.
The Human Connection Engine
Relationship‑first, not click‑first. We design for human relationships and belonging, then layer information and tools.
Levels of Engagement
Focus Areas (8)
Governance, Rights and Democracy
Basic Needs and Economic Security
Health, Wellness and Care
Education and Opportunity
Environment and Infrastructure
Community, Culture and Belonging
Systems Change and Structural Power
Intersections
100+ Specific Focuses
Governance, Rights and Democracy — Civic Literacy & Education; Voting Access & Election Integrity; Redistricting & Representation; Government Accountability & Transparency; Judicial Reform & Court Access; Criminal Justice Reform; Policing & Public Safety; Bail Reform & Pretrial Justice; Prison Reform & Incarceration Alternatives; Reentry & Reintegration Support; Human Trafficking Prevention & Survivor Support; Immigration, Asylum & Refugee Services; Civil Rights & Anti‑Discrimination Policy; Freedom of Speech & Expression; Data Privacy & Digital Rights; Indigenous Rights & Sovereignty; Media Literacy & Disinformation Response; Child Protection & Family Justice; Elder Abuse Prevention & Elder Rights; Pandemic Response & Public Health Emergencies.
Basic Needs and Economic Security — Affordable Housing; Tenant Rights & Eviction Protection; Homelessness Response & Prevention; Homeownership & Wealth Building; Food Security & Hunger Relief; Food Justice & Sustainable Food Systems; Public Benefits Access (SNAP, WIC, TANF, SSI); Living Wage & Job Access; Worker Rights & Fair Labor; UBI/Guaranteed Income; Small Business & Cooperative Development; Creative Economy & Cultural Workforce; Financial Literacy & Asset Building; Predatory Lending & Debt Justice; Tax Equity & Public Investment; Transportation Access & Equity; Mobility Justice; Rural Equity & Community Access.
Health, Wellness and Care — Universal Healthcare Access; Community Health & Preventive Care; Mental Health & Emotional Wellness; Trauma‑Informed Care & Healing Justice; Addiction Recovery & Harm Reduction; Substance Use Prevention; Reproductive Health & Rights; Disability Justice & Accessibility; Elder Care & Aging in Place; Maternal & Infant Health Equity; Youth Wellness & Support Services; Veteran Transition & Support Services; Family Stabilization & Parenting Support; Long‑Term Disaster Recovery & Resilience; Intergenerational Programs & Lifelong Learning.
Education and Opportunity — Early Childhood Development; K–12 Public School Equity; Culturally Responsive Curriculum; School Discipline Reform; Higher Education Access & Affordability; Student Debt Relief & Financial Aid Reform; Adult Education & Literacy; Workforce Training & Upskilling; Career & Technical Education; Internships, Apprenticeships & Fellowships; Digital Equity & Internet Access; Digital Literacy & Online Safety; STEM Education & Science Advocacy.
Environment and Infrastructure — Climate Justice & Environmental Resilience; Clean Energy Access & Sustainability; Urban Greening & Green Infrastructure; Environmental Health & Pollution Prevention; Clean Water & Sanitation Access; Air Quality & Industrial Regulation; Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Response; Infrastructure Investment & Equity; Land Use, Zoning & Development Justice; Urban Farming; Animal Welfare, Protection & Advocacy; Frontline Community Environmental Justice.
Community, Culture and Belonging — Bridging Across Difference; Race, Class, and Social Equity; Faith & Interfaith Collaboration; Veteran & Military Family Engagement; Civic Dialogue & Depolarization; Arts, Culture & Creative Expression; Storytelling & Narrative Power; Youth Leadership & Voice; LGBTQIA+ Rights & Inclusion; Gender Equity & Safety; Language Access & Multilingual Services; Neighborhood Resilience & Identity; Public Space & Community Design; Civic Rituals, Holidays & Public Memorials.
Systems Change and Structural Power — Root Causes of Poverty; Power‑Sharing & Participatory Governance; Collective Impact & Network Organizing; Policy Advocacy & Campaigns; Data Equity & Community Mapping; Public‑Private Partnership Design; Philanthropy Transformation; Institutional Culture Change; Community Wealth Building; Narrative Strategy for Systems Change; Restorative & Transformative Justice; Cross‑Sector Civic Innovation; Reparations, Truth & Reconciliation.
Diagonal & Structural Themes — Intersectionality • Belonging & Inclusion • Systems Thinking • Trauma‑Informed Engagement • Civic Imagination • Science, Technology & Civic Innovation • Intergenerational Collaboration • Rural‑Urban Collaboration
FAQ
Tax‑deductible?
Yes. The Change Lab is a nonprofit public benefit organization. Request a receipt at: hello@thechangelab.net
Why a 3‑year commitment (our recommendation)?
- Stability: multi‑year support lets us hire and retain core team members.
- Momentum: 36 months to map, ship, and iterate the Human Connection Engine.
- Leverage: your pledge helps unlock matching funds and partnerships.
What the Research Shows
More in Common
"Americans feel a responsibility to connect across difference."
Social Connection Across Difference in the U.S. (2023)
Stanford Social Innovation Review
"Systems change is relational work—not just program design."
The Relational Work of Systems Change (2022)
Othering & Belonging Institute
"Bridging practices reduce polarization and isolation."
Bridging & Belonging (overview)
Greater Good Science Center
"Seven in ten Americans feel compelled to connect across differences."
GGSC Article (2025)
Braver Angels
"Structured dialogue builds trust across differences."
Two Kinds of Half‑Depolarization (essay)
U.S. Surgeon General
"Loneliness and social disconnection are a national epidemic."
Advisory on Social Connection (2023)