Niroga Video

Full Circle Fund's Impact on Niroga's work in Education

B.K. Bose, Niroga Institute Executive Director, at the 2009 Full Circle Fund Member Retreat

Full Circle Fund Supports Niroga

Full Circle Fund's engagement with Niroga has had two main threads. First, Full Circle Fund participated as a one-third funder of a pilot program at El Cerrito High in Richmond, where several hundred students engaged in yoga and mindfulness exercises right in the classroom for 15-20 minutes, three mornings a week. This pilot was important for reasons beyond the immediate benefits for the students and teachers involved. First, the large sample size permitted the collection of significant data about the effects of Niroga's transformative life skills instruction on the students' physical and mental health, high risk behaviors like crime and substance abuse, school attendance, and academic performance. This research demonstrated the validity and cost-effectiveness of this approach generally and Niroga's innovative classroom-based protocol, called Life Corps, in particular.

Second, beyond supporting this important pilot, the Full Circle team also partnered with Niroga staff and board members to support their marketing and resource development efforts. In particular, one team member with CFO experience helped to refine Niroga's business plan. Another team member with marketing experience helped Niroga draft a marketing plan to reach grassroots supporters as well as stakeholders in their programs. Other FCF team members are helping Niroga build corporate partnerships, increase foundation funding, and upgrade their website and media library.