About
Across the globe, heart-led individuals are modeling a more resilient way
forward for their communities. Their stories often go unseen.
ORA seeks to change that.
Since 2022, the Omega Resilience Awards has empowered more than 100 grassroots changemakers through fellowships and research grants—resourcing those who are crafting new ways of living, sharing, and coming together in the face of complex challenges. By sharing their stories and connecting them as one community, we aim to shift dominant narratives and illuminate a more regenerative and vital future.
Rather than promoting a singular vision of change, ORA nurtures a constellation of locally rooted efforts to illuminate what’s possible when communities are empowered, connected, and seen. From underground journalists and crusading geographers to bridge-building poets and wisdom keepers, ORA creates space for their missions to be sustained, witnessed, and built upon.
ORA was incubated by the wisdom of Commonweal, a nonprofit with nearly five decades of experience building organizations committed to healing, justice, and systemic renewal.
Our Purpose
We are here to elevate hopeful
narratives for a more resilient
future.
Why
Catastrophic narratives have come to dominate our collective imagination, deepening despair and division in the face of mounting global crises.
Our Vision
We see a world where local communities are the heartbeat of a thriving planet—autonomous yet interconnected, redefining what it means to flourish within ecological limits. Linked by story and united by a shared reverence for life, these communities form a resilient global tapestry shaping a just and regenerative future.
