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BELONG CENTER
BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 921995041 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE W24 · Public & Societal Benefit · Medium ($1M-$10M) · belongcenter.org
revenue
$1.1M
expenses
$544K
net assets
$1.1M
employees
0
program ratio
5%
mission · from form 990

OUR MISSION IS TO END THE LONELINESS EPIDEMIC AND BUILD A CULTURE OF BELONGING. BELONG CENTER IS DEDICATED TO ERADICATING LONELINESS AND FOSTERING LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES WHERE EVERY INDIVIDUAL FEELS VALUED AND CONNECTED IN THEIR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE.

profile · synthesized from sources

Belong Center is a nonprofit addressing the loneliness epidemic by building scalable systems for belonging. The organization designs programs and physical spaces that foster human connection, targeting social isolation as a public health issue. It operates through peer-led circles, public seating installations, community events, and research partnerships to cultivate connection at local and national levels.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $46K
    BELONG CIRCLES ARE PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT SPACES TO DECREASE LONELINESS AND INCREASE CONNECTION IN AN INCREASINGLY DISCONNECTED WORLD. HOSTED BY TRAINED VOLUNTEER FACILITATORS AT DONATED SPACE PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH A CURATED BELONG CENTER IN A BOX AT EACH LOCATION, WE PILOTED OUR CIRCLES PROGRAM IN 25 U.S. CITIES IN 2024. 96% AGREED PARTICIPATING IN CIRCLES REDUCED THEIR SENSE OF LONELINESS, 98% FELT BELONGING TO SELF, 90% FELT A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. OVER 6 IN 10 MADE A NEW FRIEND OR MEANINGFUL CONNECTION.
  2. #2 $9K
    BELONG BENCHES ARE YELLOW, CIRCULAR BENCHES WITH THE TAGLINE LET'S BE FRIENDS! THAT SERVE AS PHYSICAL, DESIGNED THIRD SPACES FOR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND BELONGING. IN 2024 WE TOOK THE INITIAL BELONG BENCH DESIGNS TO 10 DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO TAKE THE BELONG BENCH FROM DESIGNED CONCEPT TO A VIABLE AND SCALABLE PRODUCT BEFORE THE PILOT BENCH WAS PRODUCED AND LAUNCHED IN 2025.
named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Belong Benches
Yellow, circular public benches designed by Bjarke Ingels to spark connection between strangers; serve as low-cost belonging infrastructure in public spaces.
Belong Center Blueprint™
Self-guided virtual training program teaching individuals to build belonging and create community circles; includes video modules, exercises, and certification.
Belong Circles
Peer-led gatherings designed to reduce loneliness and build meaningful relationships through facilitated, repeatable community spaces; piloted in 25+ U.S. cities.
Belong Study
Research initiative in partnership with UC Berkeley and psychologist Dacher Keltner to study the mental health impacts of collective joy practices and communal movement.
Block Parties
Community-led joy-fueled neighborhood gatherings in cities like Brownsville and Harlem to reconnect communities and strengthen local bonds.
Yellow Zones Consultancy
Advisory service for cities, companies, and developers to redesign public spaces and civic programming for greater social connection and belonging.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Mental Health Education and Awareness 2 activities
    • Advocate for connection-centered public policy and mental health access
      Advocates for public-space interventions and policy frameworks that recognize connection as a foundational human need. Promotes accessible mental health resources and works to destigmatize therapy and counseling as part of broader community well-being initiatives.
    • Facilitate education and open dialogue on loneliness
      Hosts open conversations about loneliness to create safe environments for individuals to seek help and connection. Provides research-backed educational content to challenge misconceptions, raise awareness, and deepen public understanding of loneliness as a societal issue.
  • Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
    • Deliver capacity-building programs for community catalysts
      Offers The Belong Center Blueprint, a capacity-building program that includes live community-of-practice sessions, self-guided video training (four episodes plus workbook), and reflective tools to train individuals in building belonging and becoming community catalysts.
  • Marriage and Couples Counseling Services 1 activity
    • Distribute conversation guides to foster personal and relational healing
      Provides structured sets of reflective questions—20 for general connection and 19 specifically designed for healing and repair after relationship ruptures—to support deeper conversations and interpersonal resilience.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Host community events and proof-of-concept gatherings
      Organizes flagship community events such as block parties in Brownsville, Brooklyn and Harlem, New York City to demonstrate how intentional design can foster belonging and social connection at the neighborhood level.
  • Peer-Led Mental Health Support Groups 1 activity
    • Operate Belong Circles peer-to-peer support groups
      Runs peer-to-peer support groups called Belong Circles in 25 U.S. cities, facilitated by trained volunteers using curated program materials in donated spaces. In 2024, 96% of participants reported reduced loneliness and over 60% made a new meaningful connection.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Conduct research on belonging and collective experiences
      Commissions and participates in empirical research on belonging, including the Belong Study with UC Berkeley psychologist Dacher Keltner, studies on morning communal dance and anxiety, and investigations into the physiological basis of belonging and nervous system regulation. Publishes findings on loneliness, civic engagement, and destigmatization of emotional vulnerability.
    • Develop and deploy Belong Benches as public connection infrastructure
      Designs and deploys Belong Benches—public installations intended to foster human connection—in pilot locations including Seattle’s Cannonball Arts Center and through a national tour with the band Above & Beyond. In 2024, tested initial designs with 10 manufacturers to develop a scalable product, with a pilot launch planned for 2025.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$1.08M
Contributions & grants$1.08M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$544K
Program expenses5%
Admin / overhead90%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$1.08M
Cash$723K
Investments$0
Liabilities$19K
Net assets$1.06M
Liquid reserves16.0 mo
3 years on record · 2023–2025 · YoY revenue +244.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

board members · 13
  • AINE KIMSEY — BOARD MEMBER
  • DAVIS YARUS — BOARD MEMBER
  • DR DACHER KELTNER — BOARD MEMBER
  • DR JAMES PAWELSKI — BOARD MEMBER
  • DR MARK HYMAN — BOARD MEMBER
  • ELI CLARK DAVIS — BOARD MEMBER
  • KARINE PLANDTADIT — BOARD MEMBER
  • LYNNE TWIST — BOARD MEMBER
  • MIKE AGRAWAL — BOARD MEMBER
  • PING FU — BOARD MEMBER
  • RADHA AGRAWAL — CHAIR LEADER
  • RANDELL MAYS — BOARD MEMBER
  • TIMOTHY PATCH — TREASURER AN
relationships · 15

Who they work with

  • Above & Beyond Partner — Partnered with electronic music band Above & Beyond for Belong Benches tour
  • Above & Beyond Partner — Partnered with the electronic music band for a national tour featuring the Belong Bench.
  • Anthony Fatato Partner — Collaborated as artist on the design and deployment of the first Belong Bench.
  • Bjarke Ingels Partner — Collaborated with architect Bjarke Ingels to develop the Belong Benches
  • Cannonball Arts Center Partner — Hosts the Belong Bench installation in Seattle, WA.
  • Dacher Keltner Partner — Collaborated with psychologist Dacher Keltner to commission the Belong Study
  • Daybreaker Partner — Collaborates with Belong Center in the ecosystem of collective joy and belonging; both organizations provided real-world context for the UC Berkeley study on communal dance.
  • Daybreaker Partner — Radha Agrawal is founder and CEO of Daybreaker, a global daylife movement connected to the Belong Center's mission of fostering human connection.
  • Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad Partner — Collaborates with The Belong Center to provide expert guidance on social connection as part of The Belong Center Blueprint.
  • Greater Good Science Center Partner — Co-conducted the two-year experimental study with Belong Center on communal movement and emotional regulation.
  • Radha Agrawal Partner — Contributes expertise and guidance to The Belong Center Blueprint as co-founder of THINX and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker.
  • UC Berkeley Partner — Collaborated on a study about the impact of morning communal dance on anxiety and stress.
  • UC Berkeley Partner — Conducted a two-year experimental study with Belong Center on the effects of communal morning dance on anxiety, stress, and emotional synchrony.
  • UC Berkeley Partner — Partnered to commission the Belong Study on collective experiences and loneliness
  • donated space partners Partner — Hosted Belong Circles in donated spaces across the country
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Conversational Scaffolding for Authenticity
    methodology: conversational_connection
    By using curated, introspective questions and joy-centered formats, the organization facilitates deeper dialogue and emotional safety because structured vulnerability in low-pressure settings accelerates trust and bypasses superficial interaction.
  • Normalization and Destigmatization of Loneliness
    methodology: normalization_of_loneliness
    By normalizing and destigmatizing loneliness through public dialogue, the organization fosters empathy and participation because when individuals feel their experience is shared and valid, they are more likely to engage in connection-building efforts.
  • Peer-Led Connection Model
    methodology: peer_led_community_circles
    By using peer-led, volunteer-facilitated gatherings with standardized tools, the organization builds authentic relationships and reduces loneliness at scale because shared experience and mutual witnessing foster trust and belonging more effectively than top-down programming.
  • Research-Into-Practice Translation
    methodology: research_into_practice_translation
    By translating scientific research on social connection into accessible practices, guides, and experiences, the organization enables real-world behavior change because evidence-based design increases the effectiveness and scalability of interventions that rebuild trust and connection.
  • Social Infrastructure for Belonging
    methodology: social_infrastructure_for_belonging
    By designing physical and cultural environments—such as public seating and art installations with social prompts—the organization fosters spontaneous human connection because intentionally designed third spaces lower barriers to interaction and transform isolation-prone environments into opportunities for belonging.