When I created Invoking The Pause in 2007, the heart of the program was two-fold: to provide a "Pause" - an intentional break from our daily routines in a place of natural beauty, and to encourage collaboration among two or more people - to reflect upon and think more deeply about some aspect of the climate challenges we are confronting. 

I was hopeful that this "gift of time" would spur innovative ideas across a variety of disciplines - ranging from the arts to sciences, education to technology, documentary film making to policy and advocacy work, among others.  In recent years, we expanded our annual "strategic pause" to become a collective group gathering of grant partners and allies from business, education, and non-profit worlds.

Now, the time for accelerating new strategies, engaging in collective actions, and building cross-sector networks addressing climate challenge issues is more important than ever before.  In 2022, as these challenges continue to accelerate across disciplines and create even greater global impacts, we have shifted to a 3-year model, and selected a number of grant partners to continue their work over a 3-year term, including our annual "strategic pauses".

ITP remains a small grants organization, and we continue to believe innovation oftentimes occurs in the margins.  We accept risk and a level of uncertainty to incubate new ideas and approaches. and continue their development  Over the past 17+ years, we have seen a range of projects, some of which have grown to be funded by larger organizations. 

Beyond hope and fear, there is a clarity of knowing that this is our work to do, no matter what.  And it is my role with ITP to help this consciousness take root, so that each of us remembers and recognizes our power to make a difference.

I welcome your participation with us on this journey...

  "Take A Piece of My Heart" by Maggie Kaplan