Bigger Than Us
Residency
A Residency Where Impact Lasts and Founders Thrive
A Residency Where Impact Lasts and Founders Thrive
Launched in 2025, the Bigger Than Us Residency is designed for Black and Brown leaders ready to take bold action toward launching their nonprofit.
In this pilot phase, our goal is to support five mission-driven nonprofits focused on creating lasting change in Black and Brown communities worldwide. Through our four-week, retreat-style residency, participants will receive tailored mentorship, expert-led grant writing and fundraising support, and the tools to build a sustainable nonprofit that makes a real impact.
What sets this residency apart? It’s live-in, deeply immersive, and community-driven, creating space for both collaboration within the cohort and meaningful networking beyond it.
Start your nonprofit journey with us.
to be part of our first-ever pilot program!
Founder and Executive Director Maria Muhammad has always been driven by a passion for community engagement, nonprofit leadership, and creating meaningful impact. Inspired to build something bigger than herself, she founded the Bigger Than Us Residency—a program designed to support nonprofit leaders and founders in turning their vision into lasting change. Too often, nonprofits start with great intentions but struggle to sustain themselves due to a lack of support and direction. Maria created this residency to change that. By combining her love for travel, community, and philanthropy, she has built a space where emerging nonprofit leaders can receive the mentorship, resources, and guidance they need to thrive.
Board Member and Application Selection Coordinator, Menaab Zaheer Khan, is an environmentalist, animal welfare advocate, zoo-keeper, and philanthropist. She’s deeply passionate about education and believes everyone deserves access to it, no matter their background, income, class, or ethnicity. As the founder of The Hajra & Zaheer Khan Scholarship, Menaab is on a mission to help talented, ambitious students in Pakistan who face barriers due to lack of resources. Based in both the UK and Pakistan, Menaab brings a wealth of experience and heart to everything she does. We’re so grateful to have her as part of the Bigger Than Us team, where we can work together to continue making a meaningful impact on Black and Brown communities!
As Bigger Than Us prepares for its official launch in June 2025, we are seeking dedicated board members who are passionate about our mission and ready to contribute their time and expertise. With our first retreat scheduled for Winter 2025, we welcome board members who are able to travel to the retreat site. While we are primarily looking for board members from the US and UK, as that is where the nonprofit is based, we encourage applications from all who are interested. Please email your CV and a short paragraph about why you would like to be part of this exciting journey to hello@bigger-than-us.com.