Welcome to the
Omega 2019-2021 Impact Report

This report is so much more than the story of Omega's work between the years of 2019 and 2021.

It is our opportunity to demonstrate our immense gratitude for those who have helped us stay viable throughout the pandemic.

Healing happens over time. It happens with love and compassion. It happens with work and deep care for one another.
- Robert "Skip" Backus

Dear Friends,

The Dalai Lama tells us, “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” All of our lives changed in 2020, and this continues to be a critical moment for our world. How do we even begin to process all that has happened?

The world saw so much loss during the past years. I extend my deep sympathies to everyone in our Omega family who experienced losses, large and small, during this time.

If we have learned one thing over the course of Omega's four decades, it is this: Healing happens over time. It happens with work and deep care for one another. This is exactly why Omega is here.

There are times when we don’t want to look back, when the past feels too overwhelming. There are parts of the last few years we would love to forget. Let us remember that from moments of great pain we can find opportunities for the deepest growth.

We are carrying forward lessons learned, knowing there is no going back to “before.” There’s still so much healing to do. Holding love and compassion at the center, we can get there together.

On behalf of everyone at Omega, thank you for staying the course with us.

With great care,

Robert "Skip" Backus

In All of this, we have learned so much

Holding Steady

Like so many, Omega faced some terribly difficult times due to the pandemic — from losing beloved members of our community to COVID-19 to needing to temporarily close campus and reduce our staff. We weathered our largest financial challenges with the crucial help of emergency funding, low-interest loans, and the unbelievable outpouring of support and generosity from our community.


Responding to the Moment

Despite having to close campus and the cancellation of all in-person workshops in 2020, we were able to deliver a much needed online retreat with Pema Chödrön, with almost 6,000 participants - who joined us from over 130 countries!

Following this full campus closure, we were able to open for three months in 2021. A proud moment for us was safely and successfully hosting a joyous and in-person Women & Power conference. We felt the campus come alive again. We felt the power of our community.

Facilitating Connection

Omega quickly pivoted to facilitate innovative connection, accessibility, and community, delivering new online content — such as the wildly popular Omega Teachers Studio and Omega Conversations, a hybrid Ecological Literacy Immersion Program (ELIP), our robust and vibrant online community, the Pema livestream, and a new season of our Dropping In podcast.

 

Taking Care of Each Other

As the world has continued to reel from a global pandemic and the myriad social and cultural issues it laid bare, Omega worked to meet the challenges of this complex moment with knowledge and experience honed over decades. Caregivers and changemakers in particular turned to us for respite during hard times. And Omega was there. With ever more urgency, we are committed to taking care of the people who devote their lives to lifting our communities and repairing our hurting world.

Lifelong Learning, a Timeless Curriculum,
and Building a Global Community

Our curriculum enables profound learning moments — both in-person and online. Our Centers and Initiatives bring a unique perspective to solving some of the most pressing issues facing society today.

Gratitude

The word 'gratitude' doesn't even begin to fit the enormous space in our hearts for all of you — more than 17,000 of you — who helped ensure our work could continue, and who shared your time, your care, your words, and your support during these past years.

During this swiftly changing and vulnerable time in history, we saw how enduring, relevant, and needed our curriculum is — especially during hard times.

Our Initiatives:

  • Sustainable Living
  • Women's Leadership
  • Mindfulness
  • Veterans, Trauma & Resilience
  • Yoga Service
  • Nonprofit Retreats

As a community of learners, we are committed to putting our organizational aspirations into practice.

We maintain that building and sustaining diversity requires an ongoing commitment to inclusion that must find full expression in our organizational culture, values, norms and behaviors.

Learn more about Omega's commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Omega is a Nonprofit Organization.

We rely on funding from donors to support our mission, and to continue the work we bring forth to support individuals, community leaders, and peer nonprofit organizations.

Omega By The Numbers

Here is a snapshot of our impact over the years.

Abundant Support From Our Omega Members, Donors, and Friends

Though it feels like a lifetime ago, 2019 was actually a landmark year for Omega, and we are grateful for how much the successes of that year enabled our survival during 2020 and 2021, and even today.

Between 2019 and 2021, Omega received more than 17,730 distinct donations in support of our work. Every single one made an impact.

Our Reach

Each year Omega reaches nearly 2 million visitors from across the globe.

Donors and Members Like You Make Our Work Possible

We are committed to helping people build their capacity to effect change in an interconnected world. We are incredibly grateful to the many forms of support we have received in the past three years, from our generous donors, sponsors, our faculty and staff, and the emergency grants that helped keep us afloat. We also extend our deep gratitude to our family of Omega Members, who span the globe.

JOIN US

If you aren't already an Omega Member, we invite you to join us now. Along with providing Omega with vital support, there's so much in it for you, too.
Learn more.

We're pleased to share that Omega has earned a 2022 Gold Seal of Transparency with Candid. You can support our work with trust and confidence by viewing our #NonprofitProfile.

Omega also has a 100% Finance & Accountability rating with Charity Navigator.