Beyond Belief Network is a collective of over 125 humanist, atheist, and other non-believing organizations putting compassionate humanism into action through community volunteering and charitable fundraising.

To date, our BBN teams across the United States and internationally have donated over 100,000 hours of community service, and counting.

BBN is a Foundation Beyond Belief program designed to encourage and assist local and online groups of secular humanists, atheists, and other nonbelievers to serve their communities. BBN staff assist teams with ideas and tips for service, planning events, and finding existing opportunities for service in their areas. Teams can submit reports about their events to earn perks like t-shirts, grants for service activities, and national recognition.

Teams with a non-theistic or secular humanist identity are encouraged to apply. Individuals looking for volunteer opportunities can connect to local groups, seek advice on starting a group, or get ideas for volunteering as an individual.

Quick links:

• Explore the benefits of joining BBN or submit a team application.
• Find out about about the different kinds of BBN events, find ideas for service activities, and submit event reports.
• Learn about the requirements for teams to reach a new BBN Level and the perks associated with each level.
• Read about our monthly and annual awards for exceptional humanist service.
• View current BBN teams or search for a team in your area.
• Read the latest BBN news.

Please contact us with any questions.

The Beyond Belief Network exists to offer support, encouragement, visibility and community to secular humanist, atheist, and other non-believer groups across the country working to serve their communities.

BBN staff assist groups in researching, planning and promoting events, and we provide a range of event guides to help groups plan events. Our online community is available to help brainstorm, troubleshoot, and offer advice and encouragement.

Teams that let us know what they've been up to by submitting event reports are eligible for all kinds of perks, including free t-shirts, grants for service projects, and a range of awards.

Being a part of BBN means that your team will join a national movement of humanists visibly working towards a better world.

Are you an individual interested in humanist volunteering? We will do our best to connect you to a nearby team, offer ideas for how you can find projects on your own, or give you guidance on starting your own team.

A BBN event is any gathering of your group to work for good, whether by volunteering, raising funds for a good cause, or a combination of the two.

The more events a team has during the year, the higher level they reach. Every higher level comes with eligibility for different or larger perks. Teams can level up by executing and reporting events through the BBN event reporting form. Some events count as a single credit toward leveling up and other events count as two credits toward leveling up. Event guidelines for single and double credit are:

• Single credit: Service activities such as community cleanups, volunteering at a food bank, or blood donation events.
• Single credit: Fundraisers for previous FBB Humanist Giving (HG) beneficiaries.
• Double credit: Fundraisers for current FBB beneficiaries, including Humanist Disaster Recovery (HDR) beneficiaries (donation must be made through FBB).
• Double credit: Fundraisers for FBB (general fund or one of our programs: BBN, HG, HDR, Humanist Service Corps).

Events that do not count toward leveling up: Social activities and fundraisers for the BBN team itself, unless there is a significant amount of community outreach, education, or fundraising for a 501c3 charity.

For ideas for service events, see the BBN resources page.

Level Up!

BBN teams can earn perks by reporting on their events to achieve a new BBN level.

• Bronze Level is reached after earning 4 points

• Silver Level after earning 8 points

• Gold Level after earning 12 points

Student teams

Student teams must fulfil 75% of these requirements due to the shorter timeframe allowed by the academic year:

• Bronze Level: after earning 3 points

• Silver Level: after earning 6 points

• Gold Level: after earning 9 points

Events not submitted to the event report form will not be considered for leveling up.

All BBN teams receive the following benefits

• Access to closed Facebook group (for networking and ideas)

• Profile on FBB website (name, location, website)

• FBB and BBN newsletters

• Updates and tips from BBN

• Event promotion on FBB social media before your service event with two weeks notice (as space allows)

• Vetting of potential volunteer beneficiaries if requested and available

• Personal FBB staff support in major charity initiatives as requested and available

Additional Bronze Level benefits:

• 8 free shirts with the option for inclusion of your team's logo

Additional Silver Level benefits:

• Eligibility for grants for your service projects up to $250

• Priority in promotion and vetting requests

Additional Gold Level benefits:

• Eligibility for larger grants up to $500, with larger grants considered for specific, appropriate, well-defined project development

• 12 additional t-shirts

• Highest priority in promotion and vetting requests

Levels renew on an annual basis. Teams return to Level 0 each January and have the opportunity to level up, with all the associated perks (such as t-shirts and grants) renewing each year.

Two awards are available to BBN teams on a monthly basis:

• Team of the Month recognizes the service and commitment of a particular BBN team. Teams are eligible to win Team of the Month once per calendar year, with recognition of their excellent service work posted on the FBB blog and in the BBN Facebook group.

• Picture of the Month recognizes excellent photographs of our teams in action, with the winning picture being shared on our blog and displayed as the banner picture in the BBN Facebook group for that month. Photos submitted with event reports are all considered for this award. Pictures should be high-quality, show a number of team members, and capture those members in action rather than posed.

The annual Heart of Humanism awards recognize sterling service from BBN teams and individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to compassionate humanism.

BBN Team Awards

• Humanism at Work: awarded to the team with the most volunteer hours

• Eat. Sleep. Volunteer. Repeat: awarded to the team with the most volunteer events in that calendar year

• Rookie of the Year: awarded to the best new team of the year

• Campus All-Star: awarded to the most outstanding student team

• Gimme Food and Shelter: awarded to the team with outstanding contributions to causes related to homelessness and food

• Best Photo: awarded to the team with the best picture of the year

• Backbone Volunteers: awarded to the team that played a consistent and reliable role in a local organization

• Most Valuable Volunteer: awarded to the most dedicated team member across all BBN teams, as nominated by team leaders

Individual Awards

Individual awards recognize those who have made extraordinary contributions to compassionate humanism.

• Heart of Humanism: recognizes someone who demonstrates humanist values

• Outstanding Leader: recognizes an outstanding BBN team leader