We asked staff to reflect on their own experience at the 2026 LIL Annual Retreat, and they shared powerful takeaways. What stood out most was that the retreat created a space for authentic connection that strengthened both relationships and commitment to the mission. Other common themes that emerged include the power of being together, shared purpose, collaboration and community, hope in difficult times, and learning and clarity.

During a leadership and workplace culture session facilitated by advisor Jitendra Vaidya at LIL’s fourth annual retreat, he encouraged participants to spend time “fixing the leak instead of mopping the floor.” This simple yet powerful insight resonated with many people. Continue reading for Jiten’s insights and reflections on his experience behind this perspective.

We had the pleasure to meet with BK ROT, New York City’s first bike-powered food waste hauling and composting service. Their executive team, Nora Tjossem and Dior St. Hillaire, along with board member Priya Mulgaonkar, shared key insights, challenges, and reflections from their three years with LIL, highlighting a transformative journey.

We had a chance to sit down with Dr. Suzanne Singer and Chelsea Chee from Native Renewables—a nonprofit delivering solar energy solutions to Navajo and Hopi communities to address energy access challenges—who told us how their work with LIL reshaped the way they think about organizational strategy and operations.

What a lovely meet up we had with Quilen Blackwell and Hannah Bonham Blackwell, founders of Southside Blooms (SSB)—a nonprofit transforming vacant lots in Chicago into vibrant flower farms while creating jobs for vulnerable youth. Throughout our conversation, they often highlighted the supportive friendship between SSB and LIL, and how that authentic relationship enhanced their experience over the past three years.

We caught up with Tinice “Tee” Boudreaux, Chief Executive Officer of Feed the Second Line (FTSL)—a New Orleans–based nonprofit dedicated to strengthening community resilience by creating supportive pathways across generations—to learn more about her experience with LIL over the past three years.

Last summer, we were thrilled to onboard three undergraduate interns, who spent their time with us learning about the work we do at LIL, engaging with our grant partners, and helping to facilitate actionable impact for our inaugural cohort. Upon the conclusion of their internship, we asked them to reflect on their experiences and what it meant to them, focusing on their time spent at the 2024 Annual Retreat.

To our LIL community,

As we approach the close of 2024, I want to take a moment to reflect on what we have accomplished together and to express my heartfelt gratitude for the unwavering support of our mission.

It’s hard to imagine that we just received our 501c3 status earlier this year, hitting the ground running. Here are some highlights of our significant milestones this year:

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.

Through a partnership between the Sustainable Innovation MBA (SI-MBA) program at the University of Vermont and the Levine Impact Lab (LIL), I had the opportunity to intern with LIL as a financial and business management consultant. The Levine Impact Lab is a foundation that provides funding, advising, and coaching services to grassroots nonprofit organizations focused on social and environmental issues, helping them with strategic planning and growth.