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:
Please contact us with any questions.
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:
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.
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 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.
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.
Key Links
Inside FBB
Humanist Programs