About Laura Loescher
Through Resilience Resources LLC, I work as a coach, philanthropic advisor and guide to individuals and organizations who are devoting their lives and resources to inner and outer healing and transformation. When I'm not engaged with humans and their work in the world, I love to play with soil and leaves and flowers, creatIng impermanent nature art, which I call Earth Altars. The images on each page of this website are my designs - with the bounty of this magnificent planet as my co-creator.
Since the late 90’s, in addition to co-founding and directing three grantmaking organizations, I have been designing and facilitating trainings, workshops, and curricula related to leadership development, philanthropy and social change for communities around the country. This is where much of my “outer” work has been focused.
Somewhere along the way, I discovered a great deal of “inner” work calling for my attention. Through my own process of self-discovery and healing, as well as some diverse trainings and mentorships, I developed the skills to support and guide others on their own inner and outer journeys.
After two decades living in San Francisco, I moved to Ashland, Oregon with my partner in 2012, residing on the unceded lands of the Takelma, Modoc and Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. Since 2022, I have been living a semi-nomadic life, spending stretches of time in Oregon, California, and Vermont - as well as traveling through many states within the US.
Philanthropy & Social Investing
I serve as a consultant and/or advisor to several funding organizations and families including Resourcing Justice Fund, Cielo Foundation, TAO Fund, Wild Rose Fund, and Oca Fund. In the recent past, I served as Co-Founder and Director of the Conflict Transformation Fund, a philanthropic initiative that provides funding to progressive movement organizations that empower individuals and communities with the tools, skills, inspiration and agency to transform conflicts.
Through a long-term advising role with Kindle Project, I helped launch the Indie Philanthropy Initiative, including a robust website for donor education about unconventional funding. The Initiative intends to bring radical ideas into the mainstream, change the face of philanthropy, and add much needed diversity and creativity to the field.
From 2006-2012, I co-founded and directed Aepoch Fund, a foundation that supported artists, healers, activists and movements engaged in transforming ecological, cultural, economic, and social conditions so that all people and the planet could thrive. Prior to that, in 1998 when I was in my late 20’s, I co-founded Changemakers Fund, a foundation practicing and promoting community-based philanthropy and organizing donors to direct their giving to social, economic, and environmental justice..
As a young philanthropic leader myself, I focused some of my attention on engaging with and supporting other young people in the field. I served on the founding board of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, and helped develop a program called Leveraging Privilege for Social Change through YES!.
My work in philanthropy was preceded by several years of immersion in the field of social investing. I served both as a researcher on corporate social responsibility (mostly irresponsibility) and an educator in the realm of investing. My current role in the investment world is to offer information and encouragement to my clients who want to direct investment capital toward non-extractive enterprises that support social equity, ecological resilience and community wealth, or what we could call “Indie Investing.”
Coaching & Facilitating
While completing my time on staff at Changemakers in 2004, I trained to become a life & leadership coach and turned my listening, mentoring and facilitation skills toward working one-on-one and with small teams. I'm grateful for several subsequent 1-2 year trainings and mentorships including the Art of Change with Robert Gass, Facilitation Training with Be Present, Inc., and Psycho-Spiritual Guidance with Robert & Diane Masters of the Masters Center for Transformation.
I have found immense fulfillment and joy in supporting my clients in this way – inviting them to discover their own creativity and brilliance. Most of my individual clients are either leaders of social change organizations, or are people with wealth who are actively engaged with philanthropy, social investing and community leadership.
Creating: Earth Altars & Poetry
In early 2020, after leaving Conflict Transformation Fund, I began a semi-sabbatical to focus on my own wellbeing and that of my partner who is living with a disabling illness. I find creative expression to be an incredibly important aspect of my life and a critical element for healing and thriving - both personally and collectively. I am delighted to have more time to devote to creative pursuits including writing poetry and creating Earth Altars, and I'm pleased to be able to share these with others who find them nourishing and inspiring. You can learn more on my blog or at my website dedicated to the art.
Through Resilience Resources LLC, I work as a coach, philanthropic advisor and guide to individuals and organizations who are devoting their lives and resources to inner and outer healing and transformation. When I'm not engaged with humans and their work in the world, I love to play with soil and leaves and flowers, creatIng impermanent nature art, which I call Earth Altars. The images on each page of this website are my designs - with the bounty of this magnificent planet as my co-creator.
Since the late 90’s, in addition to co-founding and directing three grantmaking organizations, I have been designing and facilitating trainings, workshops, and curricula related to leadership development, philanthropy and social change for communities around the country. This is where much of my “outer” work has been focused.
Somewhere along the way, I discovered a great deal of “inner” work calling for my attention. Through my own process of self-discovery and healing, as well as some diverse trainings and mentorships, I developed the skills to support and guide others on their own inner and outer journeys.
After two decades living in San Francisco, I moved to Ashland, Oregon with my partner in 2012, residing on the unceded lands of the Takelma, Modoc and Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. Since 2022, I have been living a semi-nomadic life, spending stretches of time in Oregon, California, and Vermont - as well as traveling through many states within the US.
Philanthropy & Social Investing
I serve as a consultant and/or advisor to several funding organizations and families including Resourcing Justice Fund, Cielo Foundation, TAO Fund, Wild Rose Fund, and Oca Fund. In the recent past, I served as Co-Founder and Director of the Conflict Transformation Fund, a philanthropic initiative that provides funding to progressive movement organizations that empower individuals and communities with the tools, skills, inspiration and agency to transform conflicts.
Through a long-term advising role with Kindle Project, I helped launch the Indie Philanthropy Initiative, including a robust website for donor education about unconventional funding. The Initiative intends to bring radical ideas into the mainstream, change the face of philanthropy, and add much needed diversity and creativity to the field.
From 2006-2012, I co-founded and directed Aepoch Fund, a foundation that supported artists, healers, activists and movements engaged in transforming ecological, cultural, economic, and social conditions so that all people and the planet could thrive. Prior to that, in 1998 when I was in my late 20’s, I co-founded Changemakers Fund, a foundation practicing and promoting community-based philanthropy and organizing donors to direct their giving to social, economic, and environmental justice..
As a young philanthropic leader myself, I focused some of my attention on engaging with and supporting other young people in the field. I served on the founding board of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, and helped develop a program called Leveraging Privilege for Social Change through YES!.
My work in philanthropy was preceded by several years of immersion in the field of social investing. I served both as a researcher on corporate social responsibility (mostly irresponsibility) and an educator in the realm of investing. My current role in the investment world is to offer information and encouragement to my clients who want to direct investment capital toward non-extractive enterprises that support social equity, ecological resilience and community wealth, or what we could call “Indie Investing.”
Coaching & Facilitating
While completing my time on staff at Changemakers in 2004, I trained to become a life & leadership coach and turned my listening, mentoring and facilitation skills toward working one-on-one and with small teams. I'm grateful for several subsequent 1-2 year trainings and mentorships including the Art of Change with Robert Gass, Facilitation Training with Be Present, Inc., and Psycho-Spiritual Guidance with Robert & Diane Masters of the Masters Center for Transformation.
I have found immense fulfillment and joy in supporting my clients in this way – inviting them to discover their own creativity and brilliance. Most of my individual clients are either leaders of social change organizations, or are people with wealth who are actively engaged with philanthropy, social investing and community leadership.
Creating: Earth Altars & Poetry
In early 2020, after leaving Conflict Transformation Fund, I began a semi-sabbatical to focus on my own wellbeing and that of my partner who is living with a disabling illness. I find creative expression to be an incredibly important aspect of my life and a critical element for healing and thriving - both personally and collectively. I am delighted to have more time to devote to creative pursuits including writing poetry and creating Earth Altars, and I'm pleased to be able to share these with others who find them nourishing and inspiring. You can learn more on my blog or at my website dedicated to the art.