Reconnecting:
AVI USA and our Auroville Project Partners

Two October gatherings in Auroville: a workshop to prepare for December, and a day to thank our partners.

AVI USA project partners gathered under the trees at Transition School — AVI USA project partners at Transition School, October 17.

October 7 Fundraising Workshop Savitri Bhavan · about 40 partners October 17 Partner Appreciation Event Transition School

October 7 · Savitri Bhavan

Preparing for the December Matching Campaign

On October 7, AVI USA held a fundraising workshop at Savitri Bhavan to prepare partners for the December Matching Campaign. About 40 partner representatives attended.

About 40 partner representatives seated in the round hall at Savitri Bhavan — About 40 partners gathered at Savitri Bhavan.

The morning opened with a contemplative reflection on two themes: taking responsibility for one’s inner state regardless of outer circumstances, and staying open to the abundance life offers. These themes were presented as attitudes from which to approach fundraising.

Partners in a quiet moment of reflection on the steps of the hall

Partners with eyes closed during the opening reflection

The contemplative opening.

When we rely on external circumstances to determine our inner state, we can easily become discouraged while building a sustainable funding strategy. But if we stay open to the abundance life offers in every moment, we can harness the creativity and inspiration this attitude brings, and pour them into our work.

Fundraising efforts are invitations to people who care about our work to become materially invested in it, as a way of connecting their hearts to something meaningful.

Binah presenting from her laptop while Matthew listens

Binah sharing ideas for December communications.

How the day unfolded

A contemplative opening. Reflections on our inner state and on openness to abundance, as the ground for fundraising.
Preparing donors for December. Binah shared ideas for communications partners can send now. These are offerings to donors and potential donors, not requests for funding. Breakout groups then drafted plans for these early communications and shared them with the room.
The matching campaign, step by step. An overview of the campaign rules, and answers to questions about logistics and details.
Peer-to-peer fundraising. After a tea break, we introduced peer-to-peer fundraising, in which supporters raise money from their own networks on a partner’s behalf. We shared examples of past successful campaigns and walked through the steps to set one up.
Looking ahead. The workshop closed with the announcement of a series of roundtable fundraising support events through the rest of 2026.

Four partners in a breakout group on the steps

A breakout group drafting plans together

Breakout groups drafting early communications.

Workshop participants together on the steps of the hall at Savitri Bhavan — Workshop participants at Savitri Bhavan, October 7.

October 17 · Transition School

A Partner Appreciation Event

On October 17, AVI USA hosted a Partner Appreciation Event at Transition School in Auroville. We invited Aloka Mariana, a founder of Awareness Through the Body (ATB), to offer a session for partners who wished to attend.

ATB is an educational program developed in Auroville that helps children and adults become more conscious of their bodies, emotions, thoughts and attention. Aloka and Joan started it in the early 1990s. It grew out of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother’s ideas on integral education, which hold that physical, emotional, mental and inner development belong together.

ATB uses games, movement, relaxation, breathing, balance and concentration exercises, and partner and group activities. Participants learn to notice their senses, focus their attention, calm or energize themselves, and understand how their thoughts and feelings show up in the body.

Lunch by YouthLink

After the session, YouthLink served an excellent lunch, and partners had a chance to eat together and connect.