Nominate an Organization

Read the guidelines below, then CLICK HERE to submit your nomination. (You will need to login to your Sonato account.) Deadline is February 6.

The Issue

Today, more and more people—across age ranges, backgrounds, and circumstances—feel lonely. Screens absorb our time, daily routines leave little room for unplanned encounters, and many of the institutions that once anchored belonging no longer play the same role. The result: a rising tide of loneliness that contributes to higher healthcare costs, weaker school and workplace outcomes, and fraying civic trust.

While it intersects many challenges Battery Powered has already addressed—mental health, youth well-being, addiction, political polarization, gun violence, community resilience—social connection is more than a tool for solving other problems. This theme invites us to tackle loneliness head-on, so fewer people have to move through daily life without someone to call, somewhere to belong, or knowing that they matter to others.

The Opportunity for Battery Powered

The nation’s response to this profound challenge is still nascent, with researchers, policy advocates, organizers, and direct service providers just beginning to understand what effective action requires. Battery Powered—itself a community rooted in purposeful connection—has the opportunity to help shape this emerging field as we seek to answer our guiding question: How do we create a world where connection is easier and people are less lonely?

Our Focus Areas

1) New Pathways for Lasting Connection

Many of the structures that once created natural opportunities for connection—stable workplaces, civic groups, neighborhood institutions—no longer shape daily life. Screens and individualized routines mean fewer chances for repeated, in-person contact. This focus area asks a practical question: if everyday life no longer brings people together, what can?

We’re looking for redesigned or new pathways that make meaningful, ongoing connection more likely—through public spaces, shared activities, hybrid or digital tools that support real relationships, or community builders embedded in everyday settings. Strong efforts are explicit about tackling loneliness and can show how people will meet, return, and develop deeper relationships over time.

2) Change the Trajectory for Adolescents & Young Adults

Loneliness among adolescents and young adults has risen sharply, with trend lines still worsening. These years are a critical window for forming adult friendships, building relationship skills, and developing a sense of belonging. When connection falters here, it can shape patterns well into adulthood.

We seek interventions designed specifically for youth under 30—consistent peer groups, guided transitions, hands-on projects with real responsibility, mentorship, and supports that help move relationships from online to in-person. Strong efforts clearly define the loneliness challenge they’re addressing and how they’ll know when young people are becoming more connected, supported, and confident.

Nomination Guidelines

Deadline. The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 6, 2026.
Number. Each Battery Powered member may nominate up to two organizations.
Eligibility. Organizations eligible to apply include:
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit entities, including fiscal sponsors, educational and research institutions
- Collaborative initiatives led by a 501(c)(3)
- Re-granting (intermediary) organizations, especially those that make grants to local grassroots organizations
Want more detail? Read our Applicant Guidelines for more detail on the types of organizations and projects that we think are a strong fit for this theme, as well as our selection criteria.
Questions? Email [email protected].