The leader of one organization created a succession plan.

Another leader used the time to develop strategies for sustaining her energy both in the professional realm and as a first-time mom.

Two others got going as authors - starting the draft of an urban farming book and memoir, and crafting a 14-page book proposal, respectively.

These were just a few of the results from an impressive cohort of social impact sector executives who were pilot participants in the Halftime Institute (working title), the Goldhirsh Foundation’s invitation-only residency program.

The Institute is located in Guiones, Costa Rica, perched on a hill with an ocean view, amidst breathtaking natural surroundings. Howler monkeys are a regular presence, as are coatis (from the raccoon family), geckos, and tamanduas (small anteaters). During the rainy season in particular, nearby flora is lush.

“At the Halftime Institute, those who are on the frontlines of advancing human life and well-being can further their work through intentional reflection,” Goldhirsh Foundation president Tara Roth said. “Residencies offer the space to retreat in order to then return with renewed drive and refined plans.”

The Halftime Institute is in keeping with the Goldhirsh Foundation's commitment to providing financial, social, and human capital to the groups that it supports. It was first announced by Roth during the Foundation’s annual LA2050 Grantee Showcase, held last October at The Huntington, in San Marino, California. (The gathering celebrated the 55 organizations receiving approximately $3 million, from 12 collaborating foundations, via that year’s LA2050 Grants Challenge.)

Stevie Merino, executive director of Birthworkers of Color Collective, was a panelist at the LA2050 Grantee Showcase. The moderator asked Merino about her experience at the Halftime Institute – which corresponded with her organization celebrating its eighth anniversary.

“We were able to rest and reflect, but also to create Birthworkers of Color 2.0,” Merino said, noting that two of her managers and the board chair had joined her for the residency stay. “We felt like we came back with a stronger vision of our organization – a really big shift of what we wanted to offer and how we wanted to offer it; and a strong alignment with ourselves as leadership in our organization, but also to bring back to our staff, our collective, and our community.”

An aim of the residency is for impact leaders to think differently about their organizations and themselves as leaders. “The Halftime Institute is designed to offer time in a tranquil environment to explore creative solutions,” Roth said. “This is where bold ideas can take shape – whether they’re nascent, evolving, or reaching final form.”

Another early visitor to Guiones was Nick Troiano, executive director of Unite America. He shared this testimonial, posted to the Halftime Institute’s website: “The pause was restorative for me. I was able to do meaningful work in a totally different way and context.”

The Foundation named Costa Rica native Alejandra Soler as Costa Rica residencies manager in 2025. Soler studied tourism at the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, and has been in the hospitality industry for the past eight years, bringing to her work a deep understanding of guest experience and cultural connection.

This residency joins a distinguished group of opportunities for paid time away for non-profit leaders. In Los Angeles – where the Goldhirsh Foundation and LA2050 are based – that tradition includes the long-running Durfee Sabbatical program from the Durfee Foundation, and the California Wellness Foundation’s Be Well, Lead Well. The Bay Area has the O2 Sabbatical Award, and the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center Residency Program is a global example.

For more information about the Halftime Institute, including testimonials from the first 11 impact leaders to take part, visit this website.