Ep 74. Building IRL Connections: Hinge's $1 Million Grant for Social Impact with Josh Penny

Episode Overview

• An introduction to Josh Penny, Director of Social Impact at Hinge, and his unique role in extending the dating app's mission to foster real-world connections.
• A deep dive into Hinge's "One More Hour" initiative, a $1 million grant program created in response to the growing "loneliness epidemic" affecting Gen Z.
• Details on the decline of in-person social time, with young adults today experiencing approximately 1,000 fewer hours of connection per year compared to two decades ago.
• Specifics about the grant program, including who is eligible to apply, the grant amount, and the target cities of Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles.

Key Concepts

• Social Impact at Hinge: The company's strategy to live out its purpose of creating intentional connections beyond the app by fostering in-person communities and addressing loneliness.
• The Loneliness Epidemic: A discussion on the Surgeon General's advisory highlighting the significant decrease in social engagement and its negative effects on mental and physical well-being, especially for Gen Z.
• "One More Hour" Initiative: Hinge's platform designed to combat loneliness, anchored by a $1 million grant fund that supports social clubs and groups creating recurring, in-person connection opportunities.
• Grant Eligibility: The program targets small, grassroots organizations and clubs (under $500k budget) in Atlanta, NYC, and LA. It's designed to be accessible, and formal nonprofit status is not a strict requirement.
• Joy and Fun in Social Impact: Shifting the narrative from a purely problem-focused approach to one that incorporates joy, fun, and low-friction activities to encourage participation and build community.

Quotes

• At 01:08 - "Hinge, we we call ourselves the dating app designed to be deleted, and we're all about helping people find those intentional connections." - Josh Penny explaining Hinge's core mission to help users form meaningful relationships and get off the app.
• At 02:05 - "How do we live that purpose outside of our app? How do we sort of help people forge connections out in the world, in person?" - Josh Penny defining the primary goal of his social impact role at Hinge.
• At 03:43 - "You got 1,000 more hours every year of in-person connection time than you do if you're a young adult today." - Josh Penny sharing the powerful statistic from the Surgeon General's report that inspired the "One More Hour" initiative.
• At 04:33 - "The grant initiative is all about finding clubs and social groups in Atlanta, in New York, and Los Angeles." - Josh Penny clarifying the geographic focus for the first cycle of the "One More Hour" grant program.
• At 30:03 - "We purposely designed this application to take less than an hour. We felt like we couldn't say 'One More Hour' and have a long application." - Josh Penny highlighting the intentional, low-friction design of the grant application process to respect applicants' time.

Takeaways

• In-person connection is crucial for mental and physical health, yet modern life, especially for Gen Z, has led to a significant decline in this vital social time.
• Small, grassroots organizations and social clubs in Atlanta, NYC, and LA have a unique opportunity to receive a $25,000 grant from Hinge to support their community-building activities.
• Effective social impact strategies can be built around joy and fun. Creating low-barrier, enjoyable activities is a powerful way to bring people together and combat social isolation.