FUNDING WELL-BEING THROUGH LULULEMON
originally posted on the lululemon website
We believe everyone has the right to be well.
Our Purpose
We disrupt inequity in wellbeing through movement, mindfulness, and advocacy.
Our Vision
We believe everyone has the right to be well, and we know the path to wellbeing is possible when tools, support, and resources are accessible to all. However, too often around the world, barriers persist, making access far too difficult for far too many people. This is especially true for those experiencing disproportionate rates of stress and trauma.
The lululemon Centre for Social Impact is setting out to break the barriers that prevent access to wellbeing. We leverage our business, expertise, resources, and communities to invest in and advocate for the wellbeing of those most impacted by systemic inequity, guided by our goal of positively impacting 10 million people by 2025.
Our Impact
Since 2021, we have granted $44.8 million USD and partnered with hundreds of non-profit organizations around the world, providing access to wellbeing tools to over 7 million people.
2025 Here to Be Grant | Applications Open June 3 to June 28, 2024
Our 2025 Here to Be grant accelerates the work of community-led non-profit organizations around the globe that are advancing the wellbeing of their communities. Applications will be accepted from June 3 to June 28, 2024.
To apply, click on the Apply for Funding button located on the homepage banner, starting at 8am Pacific Time (PT) on June 3. Use the quick links below to navigate to the information you need quickly.
About Here to Be | Who Can Apply | When to Apply | How to Apply | Questions?
About Here to Be
Powered by the lululemon Centre for Social Impact, Here to Be is our annual, application-based grant program. Since its inception in 2016, we have invested in community resilience by supporting grassroots organizations that are creating inclusive access to wellbeing practices.
Through Here to Be, our goal is to seed and sustain the work of community-led organizations that actively remove barriers to wellbeing in their communities and serve those most impacted by systemic inequities. We aim to provide philanthropic resources to organizations that may not traditionally have access to them and welcome a diverse group of new organizations to our Here to Be community every year.
We understand wellbeing to be a lifetime practice and that individuals and communities need different things in order to experience wellbeing. Given this, organizations funded by the Here to Be grant will take different approaches to this work but are united by their commitment to advancing wellbeing for all.
Here to Be is a one-year grant program. In addition to funding, we provide optional offerings to leaders throughout the grant cycle to support their individual and organizational wellbeing.
Interested organizations can apply for up to $50,000 USD in operating support, which should not exceed 40% of their operating budget. If selected, the grant will be disbursed through our Donor-Advised Fund at Charities Aid Foundation America (CAF America). Please note that Here to Be grant recipients operating in China Mainland will be funded directly from lululemon China.
Defining Wellbeing
At lululemon, our purpose is to elevate human potential by helping people feel their best. We understand that everyone has their own unique definition of wellbeing. For some, it encompasses the holistic idea of mind, body, and soul. For others, it centers around specific factors, like having a sense of community or living in an inviting physical environment. We define wellbeing as a lifetime practice of three core elements. The balance of these three elements support us in feeling our best.
Physical Wellbeing: Feeling empowered. I am able to give my body what it needs for health and quality of life.
Mental Wellbeing: Feeling emotionally prepared. I am able to handle what life has in store for me.
Social Wellbeing: Feeling connected to others. I am a part of something larger than myself and contribute to a supportive community.
We also understand that planetary health is a fundamental condition for our individual and collective wellbeing. As our business grows and our work progresses, we are evolving our definition of wellbeing to explicitly integrate our dependence on a healthy planet.
Who Can Apply
We welcome applications from organizations that meet the following eligibility criteria:
Must be a registered non-profit or charity, or fiscally sponsored by one
Must be working to advance wellbeing outcomes through physical, mental, and/or social wellbeing programming
Must be community-led, have diverse and representative leadership, and serve populations most impacted by systemic inequity
Must be operating in Australia, Canada, China Mainland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, India, Ireland, Japan, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, USA, and/or Vietnam
Annual budget of less than $2 million USD preferred
What We Do Not Fund
We do not consider funding requests from:
Individuals, groups with religious or political affiliations, or third-party fundraising groups
Community clinics or health services that accept direct payment for services in any form, such as insurance or government
Primary, secondary, and post-secondary academic institutions, parent-teacher associations, or museums
Government entities or registered businesses, including social ventures or impact-minded businesses
Organizations that are focused solely on planetary health, rather than at the intersection of environment and wellbeing
Organizations that have received Here to Be funding for three consecutive years
Organizations with annual operating budgets over $8 million USD
Organizations with fewer than three board members or those that have been operating programming for less than one year
Additionally, the Here to Be grant cannot be used for:
One-time events, retreats, workshops, or sporting events
Regranting to organizations or individuals, including in the form of scholarships
Incentives for government officials or lobbying
Benefits to lululemon or its employees, whether through the purchase of lululemon products, incidental benefits for lululemon volunteers in excess of $50 USD, salary for lululemon employees or Ambassadors, or marketing to promote lululemon’s connection with your organization
Interest-bearing accounts, endowments, real estate, or any other similar capital assets*
Equipment or other capital assets with a combined value of $5,000 USD or more (whether single or multiple items)*
* For more information on capital assets, see the Glossary on our FAQ page.
When to Apply*
Application Period
Letter of Intent – June 3 to June 28, 2024
The first step in the application process is to submit a Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent gathers information about the organization, the communities it supports, and the proposed funding request. All Letters of Intent are due by June 28 at 5pm Pacific Time (PT). We will not accept late or incomplete submissions.
Application – August 6 to August 30, 2024
Applicants will receive an email notification on August 6 to let them know if they will be moving forward to the next stage of the application process. If an organization’s Letter of Intent aligns with the goals of the Here to Be grant program and meets the eligibility criteria, they will receive an invitation to apply. All applications are due by August 30 at 5pm Pacific Time (PT). We will not accept late or incomplete submissions.
Review Period
Application Review – September 2 to November 1, 2024
The lululemon Social Impact team will review each application in partnership with a Grant Review Council. We will evaluate organizations for operational and strategic alignment based on their approach to addressing barriers and systemic inequities in wellbeing and their impact on their communities.
Selection Period
Selection of Awardees – November 5, 2024
Applicants will receive an email notification of our funding decision on November 5. If selected, the grant will be disbursed through our Donor-Advised Fund at Charities Aid Foundation America (CAF America). The grant award notification will be conditional pending CAF America’s validation review of the organization.
Please note that Here to Be grant recipients operating in China Mainland will be funded directly from lululemon China.
Documentation Collection and CAF America Validation & Payment Process – November 5, 2024 to January 31, 2025
Here to Be grant recipients will be asked to sign agreements with lululemon and CAF America. During this period, awardees will need to complete and upload the following documents to the Grants Portal:
lululemon Relationship Agreement
CAF America Grant Agreement
CAF America Bank Verification
After the documents are uploaded, CAF America may contact the awarded organizations for further documentation or follow-up during the validation process.
Please note that Here to Be grant recipients operating in China Mainland have a different document collection and payment process. Please refer to our Chinese FAQ document for more information. 请留意，在中国内地的公益机构将会有不同的尽职调查及付款流程，详情请参考中文版《申请须知》。
Receive Funds and Award Announcement – February 2025
After the validation process is completed and organizations have been verified by CAF America, they will receive their funds by February 28. During this time, we will announce our 2025 cohort of Here to Be grantees with our collective.
* Dates may be subject to change without notice.
How to Apply
We recognize the time and resources required to assemble a successful application. We encourage interested organizations to review the eligibility criteria, application process, and reporting requirements to help inform their decision to apply. To support this, we have prepared worksheets containing the questions for the Letter of Intent and application. This will enable applicants to prepare their answers before filling out the online form on the Grants Portal. You can find the links to these worksheets on our FAQ page.
After you confirm your organization meets the eligibility criteria, click on the Apply for Funding button on the homepage banner, starting at 8am Pacific Time (PT) on June 3.
For organizations that are registered in China Mainland only: After you confirm your organization meets the eligibility criteria, click here to submit your Letter of Intent in Simplified Chinese, starting at 8am Pacific Time (PT) on June 3. 在中国内地注册的公益机构：如果您确认贵组织符合申请要求，请从6月3日晚上11点开始按此填写并提交线上意向书（简体中文）。
Questions?
Check our FAQ page, which may have the answers you need. If you still have questions, please join our Open Office Hours webinars, where we will share an overview of the Here to Be grant program and application process, and then answer questions from attendees. The webinars will be conducted in English and will have closed captions available. We will also provide Chinese translations during the second session.
To register, please use the links below and submit your questions in advance using the Questions & Comments text box on the registration form. You may use a Time Zone Converter to check the webinar time in your local time zone. Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email.
EMEA and North America friendly: June 6, 8:00am - 8:45am Pacific Time (PT)
APAC and China Mainland friendly: June 24, 5:00pm - 5:45pm Pacific Time (PT)
Please note that we are not offering coaching on individual applications to support an equitable experience for all.
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