LIL’s Past, Present, and Future
By Taytm Levine
As the Levine Impact Lab rolls into its final stages of selecting applicants for the 2025 cohort, it is important to take a step back and look at how far we have come… as well as how much further we plan to go.
The Levine Impact Lab Staff(L→R): Chani Guthrie, Werner Rehm, Nellie Barrett, Gary Levine, Peter Levine, Tim Singer
A few years ago, Peter Levine saw the need for nonprofit entrepreneurs to be supplied with the same suite of resources that tech startups are provided through venture capital relationships.
Because… why shouldn’t they be?
In order for LIL to properly kick off, it was first incubated as a project of the Honnold Foundation. Through many conversations with leaders in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and for-profit sectors, Peter Levine was able to set the project in motion. Of course, not without the help of Alex Honnold, a trusted friend and business partner.
The first cohort was chosen by the LIL team in partnership with the Honnold Foundation. LIL wanted to work with community-led organizations working towards environmental and social justice, especially in rural and urban communities. The inaugural cohort consisted of four grassroots nonprofits; BK ROT, Feed the Second Line, Native Renewables, and Southside Blooms, who have been with LIL for almost two full years.
Each of these organizations has shown incredible growth since beginning their journey with LIL. They will leave the Levine Impact Lab nest as current grant partners at the end of 2025, but will join a soon-to-be growing network of engaged alumni members. Our hope is that they will keep the curriculum and connections they gained with them for many years to come.
Levine Impact Lab’s Inaugural Cohort
Although we are sad to see our inaugural cohort become alumni, we are just as excited to meet the next cohort and start the journey over again.
This time, however, we are identifying our next cohort from hundreds of applicants after launching our first-ever open call for proposals. Although this process is challenging, we are incredibly excited that LIL has grown this far!
In honor of LIL reaching almost one year as an independent nonprofit, I asked Peter Levine a couple of questions about the progress he has seen throughout these beginning stages of LIL, as well as where he sees LIL going within the next cohort cycle. Read on for the full interview with Peter Levine!
Peter Levine and Gary Levine on a visit to Chicago-based grant partner Southside Blooms in Summer 2024
TL: What is the greatest area of growth within LIL you have seen? How does this differ from what it was two years ago?
PL: The most significant growth has been in expanding our team to better support our cohort partners. We’ve grown from a single person operation to a team of over ten. This growth signals a new and innovative approach to philanthropic activity, and we are excited to continue expanding the organization.
TL: What was your vision for LIL when you started this nonprofit? Has the vision changed now that a few years have passed?
PL: When we first started, we were unsure if providing grants and assistance would be effective. Now, we know the model works, and we believe it could serve as a new framework for philanthropic giving. We’ve also realized that the assistance and coaching we provide has become even more valuable than the grants themselves— this has been a big revelation for us.
TL: What are some skills you hope the current cohort takes away from their experience with LIL?
PL: Our mission is to offer the funding and assistance organizations need to achieve their long-term goals. We hope our cohorts leave with the ability to manage, scale, and optimize their organizations.
TL: How do you predict LIL will evolve over the next cohort cycle?
PL: We plan to bring more organizations into the program and tailor our funding based on their specific needs. We will also continue to scale up and provide world-class services to our cohort members.
TL: What excites you most about the upcoming cohort?
PL: We’re thrilled by the number of applications we’ve received and look forward to the selection process. We’re excited to build lasting relationships with our new partners.
LIL is still in the beginning stages of growth, but we hope to inspire the greater community with this new framework for philanthropic giving. We have already taken a huge step in the direction towards growth by releasing an open call for applications for the 2025-2026 grant cycle. We are extremely excited to watch LIL and its grant partners grow over the next several years, potentially becoming something that will inspire future VCs and nonprofits alike!