Impact

2022 Impact Numbers:

• 16 BWB Chapters. 13 Active BWB Working Groups. For a total of 29 activated groups across the globe.
   
• Facilitated 2 Civic Ignition Grant Workshops and brought back the 12th Annual BWB Community Micro-Grant Program after two years.
   
• 44 initiatives funded, distributing $45,000 in micro-grants of $100-$1500 per project. 
   
• Hosted 99 participants at Fly Ranch for the BWB Spring Summit 2022, activating the Hualapai Flat for a sanctioned effigy burn for the first time since 1997.
   
• Co-created with 130 campers in producing the BWB Esplanade camp in Black Rock City, hosting offerings for the public and amplifying the civic impact of Burners around the world.
   
• Engaged 24 projects through the BWB Project Proposal Form.
   
• BLAST worked with 21 green theme camps for its initial run in BRC.
   
• RAT worked with 12 artists to start solar powering their projects for the first time in BRC.
   
• 9 new episodes of the Culturally Attuned Podcast.

While our full impact data isn’t available yet we can tell you that the global BWB Chapter and Working Group network impacted over 10,000 people and activated 800+ volunteers towards 12,000+ hours of civic service in 2022.

Connection through shared interests is a building block for ongoing positive impacts in our local communities around the world. We call these “Communities of Practice”:

• Bravo to our civic impact leaders! If you’re a leader in your community (or want to be) and want to count your efforts towards our global narrative of impact, find your nearest BWB group here and say, “Hello!”
   
• In 2022 we welcomed a new BWB Working Group: Bogotá, Colombia. In its first year, BWB Bogotá has instigated two inspiring projects. 

Supporting the 2030 Sustainability Roadmap in Black Rock City:
Working with BLAST & RAT were major successes and have become leading volunteer teams for sustainability. These projects emerged from the Green Theme Camp Community (GTCC).

• Burner Leadership Achieving Sustainable Theme Camps (BLAST). BLAST created a rating system for Theme Camps to gauge how sustainable their operations are across these areas: Power, Water, Food, Waste, Shelter and Transportation.
   
• Renewables for Artists Team (RAT). RAT supported 12 artist teams in becoming solar powered for the first time in BRC.

10 Supported External Projects:

• Ukraine Ambulance Project, Konstantin Antropov (Refugee & Migration Support) 
• BWB tracking of Community Response to Ukraine (Refugee & Migration Support) 
• Hurricane Response Mutual Aid Resource Document for Puerto Rico, Karla Milugo (Disaster Response)
• Habibi.Works 2022 Makerspace in Katsikas refugee camp, Greece, Mimi Hapig (Refugee & Migration Support, Arts & Culture)
• The Midweek Cleanse, Maddison Newbold (Environment/Sustainability)
• Happiness Burn, Luis Gallardo  (Arts & Culture)
• Rez Rides, Redbirds Visions (Indigenous Issues/ Sovereignty)
• Native Solidarity Project, Kitten Calfee (Indigenous Issues/ Sovereignty)
• Abracadabra NYC, Laura Newman (Disaster Response, Arts & Culture)
• Rave Revolution, Thomas Diacono (Civic Involvement/Advocacy & Arts & Culture)

The bread and butter of BWB are the projects we support and our members create. Are you a civic leader in your community? Share your project with us via the BWB Project Proposal Form to see how we can support your impact.

The 12th Annual Community Micro-Grant Winners

This year we received 106 grant submissions, addressing a variety of social issues. The judging process was tough, but in the end, 36 projects were selected.

From supporting the creativity of Indigenous Mayan students in Guatemala to empowering USA community initiatives distributing supplies for people experiencing homelessness, to a rooftop garden supporting food sovereignty for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, these projects are sure to inspire you.

->Click through to learn about our 2022 grantees from across the globe<-

2022 Civic Ignition Grant Winners:

You can also catch up on the Multi-Regional Summit and Burners of New Zealand & Australia Civic Ignition grant cycles, from earlier this year. We distributed 6 grants across the 2 regions.

• We released 9 new episodes of Culturally Attuned, continuing the Burning Man Project partnership with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). The podcast and complementary course support those who are interested in learning what it means to be culturally competent, and why it’s so important.
   
• We hosted an on-playa speaker series with topics including: “R.I.D.E. to Beloved Community” and “Fly Ranch & Sustainability”

The BWB Spring Summit brought together conversations centering on the concept of time, related to land stewardship at Fly Ranch. There were discussions and programming related to:

• Connecting with Land (walking tours)
• The Long Disaster (Nick Farr)
• The History of Fly Ranch, Fly Ranch through Time (Fly Ranch & Ripple teams)
• Cobb Brick Prototyping with Alight (Mike Zuckerman, Angela Gentry)
• Radical Inclusion, Diversity, Equity (R.I.D.E.)