Home

About the Small Planet Institute

About the Small Planet Institute

Our Mission

We believe that ideas have enormous power and that humans are capable of changing failing ideas in order to turn our planet toward life. At the Small Planet Institute, we seek to identify the core, often unspoken, assumptions and forces — economic, political, and psychological — now taking our planet in a direction that as individuals none of us would choose. We disseminate this deeper understanding of root causes.

Learn more about the Small Planet Mission

Small Planet Fund

The Small Planet Fund was conceptualized in 2001 by Frances and Anna to support grassroots democracy movements worldwide addressing the causes of hunger and poverty. The Fund is a project of RSF (formerly the Rudolf Steiner Foundation) and is overseen by Anna, who volunteers her time to manage the fund.

Learn more about the Small Planet Fund

Frances Moore Lappé

Frances Moore Lappé is the author of 18 books including the three-million copy Diet for a Small Planet. She is the cofounder of three organizations, including Oakland based think tank Food First and the Small Planet Institute, a collaborative network for research and popular education seeking to bring democracy to life, which she leads with her daughter Anna Lappé. Frances and her daughter have also cofounded the Small Planet Fund, which channels resources to democratic social movements worldwide. Frances appears frequently as a public speaker and on radio, and is a regular contributor to Huffington Post and Alternet.

Read Frances' extended biography
View Frances' complete writing collection

Anna Blythe Lappé

Anna Lappé is a national bestselling author and sought-after public speaker, respected for her work on sustainability, food politics, globalization, and social change. Named one of Time’s “eco” Who’s-Who, Anna has been featured in The New York Times, Gourmet, O: The Oprah Magazine, Domino, Food & Wine, Body + Soul, Natural Health, and Vibe, among many other publications.

Read Anna's extended biography
View Anna's complete writing collection

Small Planet Team

See the team that makes Small Planet possible. Whether our staff is working in New York or Boston their goal of promoting environmental activism and social agency is the same.

View the Small Planet Team
Meet our Fellows at Large