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The Fetzer Institute uses its philanthropic resources to create programs exploring and advancing the power of love, forgiveness and compassion.

Where we come from
Established by American broadcast pioneer John E. Fetzer (1901–1991), the Institute is a private operating foundation with financial assets of over $360 million. We use these assets to conduct programs that support our mission: To foster awareness of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community.

Mr. Fetzer held a keen interest in the relationship between the inner life of spirit and the outer life of service in the world. He founded the Institute on the belief that efforts to address the world’s critical issues must go beyond political, social and economic strategies—and address the psychological and spiritual roots of these issues.

What we do
The Institute engages with people and projects around the world to help bring the power of love, forgiveness and compassion to the center of individual and community life. We carry out our mission by sharing compelling stories of love and forgiveness at work in the world, by convening conversations to help community leaders explore the practical application of love and compassion in their work; and by supporting scientific research to understand how to increase the human capacity for love, compassion and forgiveness.

The Institute’s work rests on a deep conviction that each of us has power to transform the world by strengthening the connection between the inner life of mind and spirit with the outer life of service and action. While the Fetzer Institute is not a religious organization, it honors and learns from a variety of spiritual traditions.

Get the story on Fetzer
This document provides a short overview and history of the Fetzer Institute with descriptions of our program areas and examples of recent projects.

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