Borealis Philanthropy

Borealis Philanthropy, founded in 2014 and based in Minneapolis, MN, was established as a philanthropic intermediary to connect funders directly with powerful grassroots movements led by people of color, trans and queer people, and people with disabilities. The Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF) is one of nine funds at Borealis. DIF supports U.S.-based groups run by and for disabled people to lead transformational change, to strengthen the disability rights movement through grantmaking, in addition to strengthening the relationship between the disability justice community and philanthropy and increasing funder knowledge about disability justice issues. This grant provides flexible support to the DIF.

Borealis Philanthropy is a nonprofit organization made up of 10 collaborative funds, which support grassroots organizing and movement building on a range of social justice issues. These collaborative funds are led by those most impacted by the issues they are working on. The Racial Equity in Journalism (REJ) Fund was established in 2019 to invest in news organizations led by and for People of Color working at the national, local and regional level in the United States; it provides major financial support as well as customized technical assistance. The REJ Fund bolsters a strong, diverse, and independent media sector that increases civic engagement for communities of color by reaching them with vital, relevant information. This grant provides flexible support to the REJ Fund, including re-granting, salaries, and technical assistance expenses. The intended outcomes of this grant are a more strengthened, connected, and impactful ecosystem of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-led and -serving organizations producing public interest journalism at the local, regional, and national level.

Borealis Philanthropy (Borealis) is a philanthropic intermediary founded in 2014 that is focused on donor collaborative funds that support immigrant rights, racial justice, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, transgender rights, pretrial justice and police accountability, and disability justice. The Spark Justice Fund (the Fund) started in 2018 as a donor collaborative that supports grassroots organizing groups to end the use of money bail, transform pretrial justice, dramatically reduce jail populations, and advance new community-driven models of justice. The Fund also works to build power in communities most impacted by incarceration to advance change and hold systems accountable. This award enables the Fund to continue its support to end money bail, strengthen the capacity of state-based and local grassroots groups and those who are impacted by the criminal justice system, and elevate the leadership of those most directly affected by the justice system. Ending money bail and transforming pretrial justice advances the Safety and Justice Challenge goal to eliminate the misuse and overuse of jails and address racial and ethnic disparities.

Borealis Philanthropy was founded in 2014 to partner with organized philanthropy in expanding the reach and impact of social justice work via various donor collaboratives. The Presidents' Council for Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy is composed of foundation presidents who are committed to learning about disability justice issues while also participating in a grantmaking process that brings donors and disability justice advocates together to administer the Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF). DIF supports U.S. groups run by and for disabled people to lead transformational change. With this award, the Presidents' Council and DIF intend to strengthen the disability rights movement through grantmaking, in addition to strengthening the relationship between the disability justice community and philanthropy and increasing funder knowledge about disability justice issues.

Borealis Philanthropy is a nonprofit philanthropic intermediary that helps connect grantmakers to organizations that meet their mission, and constructs pooled funds guided by the values of responsiveness, transparency, and diversity. Borealis Philanthropy is directing the Racial Equity in Journalism Fund, a new pooled fund announced September 2019 to provide grants and technical assistance, with the goal of bolstering the capacity and sustainability of news organizations led by people of color across the United States. This grant supports learning activities associated with the Racial Equity in Journalism Fund, for both news organizations and for funders, via presentations, workshops, written materials and other formats. The intended outcome is to share new knowledge that will inform the work of news organizations, as well as journalism funders.