Invoking the Pause is blessed to have such diverse new and past Grant Partners (GPs) sharing a common bond of expanding the reach, messaging and knowledge of how to mitigate the effects of climate change through their various ITP projects.  As ITP partners, we all gather together once a year to present and brainstorm with each other and gain common awareness of our desire to be change agents for environmental sustainability. 

This coming fall, ITP's beautiful home-base of Sonoma, CA will be the backdrop for the 2015 Grant Partner Gathering taking place at Westerbeke Ranch Conference Center.  

Westerbeke Ranch sits in the bucolic hills above Sonoma in the aptly named Valley of the Moon.  Its natural and rustic surroundings amid native oaks, lush gardens and rolling vineyards echoes the 'why' of our GPs endeavours to educate others through their projects. 

With the exception of ITP's first convening in 2010 in Calistoga, past GP Gatherings have taken place 1-day each year in San Francisco and have been exhilarating but seemingly rushed events leaving us all wanting more - more time to know each other and our projects, more time to continue the stream of inspiration that occurs when we convene.  With that in mind, ITP Executive Director Maggie Kaplan changed the structure this year to a 2-day/1-night format at Westerbeke, thus allowing the GPs and ITP Advisory Council and staff this gift of time - our own collective 'pause' if you will. 

Meeting coach and mediator Rich Cox, a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, will once again be essential in steering the flow of discussion and project presentations from our group of compelling 2015 Grant Partners - Bureau of Linguistic Reality, CoClimate, Earthseed Consulting, Human Impacts Institute and Rainforest Connection; in addition to our 2015 Seeding Possibilities recipients - As You Sow, Lisa Morehouse/California Foodways and Tribal Changes iPhone App; as well as invited past GPs.  It is our hope that all participants leave the autumnal gathering in the Valley of the Moon relaxed yet energized with renewed intent to continue their meaningful work furthering climate change awareness. 

And we won't forget to toast the beautiful bounty of wine country along the way!