Borealis Philanthropy: A Simple Guide for Donors, Nonprofits, and Community Builders

If you care about fairness, local power, and strong communities, Borealis Philanthropy is a name to know. This guide explains what Borealis is, how it works, who it funds, and how you can get involved. It’s written in clear, friendly language so anyone can use it—whether you’re a first-time donor, a nonprofit leader, a journalist, or a community organizer.

What is Borealis Philanthropy?

Borealis Philanthropy is a philanthropic intermediary. That means it gathers money from many donors and moves it quickly and fairly to local groups that know their communities best. In plain words: Borealis raises funds and passes them to the people doing the work on the ground. 

What kinds of work does Borealis support?

Borealis focuses on practical, community-led solutions in areas like:

• Black-led organizing and community power
  
• Disability inclusion and justice
  
• LGBTQ and trans-led movements
  
• Community safety beyond policing
  
• Local journalism led by and for communities of color
  
• Racial equity capacity building across movements
  

These priorities match the real needs communities face today.

Why donors and nonprofits choose Borealis

• Money moves where it’s needed, fast. In recent years Borealis has run rapid-response programs and kept most grants flexible, so groups can act quickly. In 2023 alone, Borealis moved $31.4M through 480 grants to 380 grantee partners, with ~80% unrestricted funding. Two-thirds of grantee budgets were under $1M—so dollars reached smaller, grassroots groups.
  
  
• Focus on equity and representation. Many grantee leaders identify as BIPOC, women/femmes, trans or gender-nonconforming, and people with disabilities.
  
  
• Participatory grantmaking. Some Borealis funds include community members in grant decisions, so the people closest to the issues guide where money goes.
  

At a glance: Funds inside Borealis (with recent stats)

Below are highlights from Borealis’ 2024 Impact Report and fund updates. These examples show the breadth of work, the scale of grants, and who benefits.

• Black-Led Movement Fund (BLMF) – backs Black-led groups building policy, safety, and community power. In 2024, BLMF moved about $7.46M to 121 Black-led grantee partners and launched the Black Disabled Liberation Project with the Disability Inclusion Fund.
  
  • Earlier in 2024, BLMF also awarded $4M over two years to 20 Black-led organizations through a participatory process.
    
    
• Communities Transforming Policing Fund (CTPF) – supports groups working to end criminalization and build healthier safety strategies. In 2024, it moved about $5.16M to 61 groups.
  
  
• Emerging LGBTQ Leaders of Color (ELLC) Fund – invests in young LGBTQ leaders who connect movements. In 2024, it awarded about $2.73M to 49 partners, plus $371K in rapid-response grants.
  
  
• Fund for Trans Generations (FTG) – supports trans-led organizing. In 2024, FTG awarded about $2.94M in general support and $497K in rapid response to 109 groups.
  
  
• Racial Equity to Accelerate Change (REACH) Fund – funds racial-equity practitioners (trainers, strategists, field builders). In 2024, it moved about $1.915M to 20 partners.
  
  
• Racial Equity in Journalism (REJ) Fund – invests in newsrooms led by and for people of color. In 2024, REJ gave about $3.99M to 41 news organizations (plus $50K rapid response), strengthening local information for Black, Indigenous, Latine, and SWANA communities.
  
  • Why this matters: historically, journalism funding for racial/ethnic communities has been very low—only 6% of $1.2B in grants (2009–2015) served specific racial/ethnic groups. REJ helps change that.
    
    
• Racial Equity in Philanthropy (REP) Fund – strengthened philanthropy-serving orgs to build racial-equity practices. In 2024, REP distributed about $6.1M to 25 grantee partners; it will sunset in 2025 with learning resources for the sector.
  
  
• Spark Justice Fund – supports efforts to end harmful correctional control and back directly impacted leaders. In 2024, Spark awarded about $1.68M to 55 partners and provided $410K in safety and security rapid-response grants to 36 orgs.
  
  
• Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF) – funds disability-justice groups through a participatory process led by disabled community members. It supports policy change, organizing, art, and narrative work.
  
  • In 2025, DIF announced an open grant opportunity focused on disability inclusion, rights, and justice. borealisphilanthropy.org
    
    

Note: In 2020, Borealis moved $29M—more than double the prior year’s grantmaking—and reported $78.4M in total grants made to date at that time, showing rapid growth in its role as a funding hub.

How Borealis helps solve common pain points

For donors and foundations

• Pain point: “I want my giving to be fair and fast, but I don’t know the best local groups.”
  How Borealis helps: It vets community-rooted orgs and moves funds where they’ll matter most—often to smaller groups with budgets under $1M.
  
  
• Pain point: “I can’t manage dozens of small grants.”
  How Borealis helps: It bundles donor dollars and handles the grantmaking, reporting, and learning across many grantees.
  
  

For nonprofits and grassroots leaders

• Pain point: “Most grants are too restrictive.”
  How Borealis helps: A large share of grants are unrestricted, so groups can pay staff, keep the lights on, and respond to real-time needs.
  
  
• Pain point: “Decisions are made without us.”
  How Borealis helps: Several funds use participatory grantmaking, including disabled and Black community leaders in the decision room.
  

How to work with Borealis (quick steps)

If you’re a nonprofit or grassroots group

1. Find your fit. Review Borealis funds and see where your mission aligns (e.g., disability justice, Black-led organizing, local BIPOC newsrooms).
   
   
2. Check open calls. Look for current RFPs or application windows (for example, recent DIF and BLMF calls).
   
   
3. Tell a clear story. Share who you serve, what changes because of your work, and why flexible funding helps you deliver those results.
   
   
4. Show community leadership. Name your local partnerships and how people directly affected lead your work.
   
   
5. Plan for learning. Borealis values field learning—explain how you’ll capture outcomes and share lessons.
   
   

If you’re a donor or foundation

1. Clarify your values. Decide which issues you want to prioritize (e.g., journalism equity, trans futures, community safety).
   
   
2. Use Borealis to scale impact. Pool funds to reach many strong, often under-resourced groups—fast.
   
   
3. Support unrestricted, multi-year grants. This stabilizes teams and improves outcomes.
   
   
4. Fund learning and safety. Consider rapid-response, security, and capacity resources (Spark’s safety funds are a good model).
   
   

Real-world impact (selected 2024 examples)

• Journalism: REJ funded 41 outlets serving communities of color, helping them provide vital local news, launch fellowships, and build revenue skills.
  
  
• Community safety: CTPF moved $5.16M to groups reimagining safety and accountability beyond punishment.
  
  
• Trans leadership: FTG funded 109 trans-led groups with both general and rapid-response support.
  
  
• LGBTQ leaders of color: ELLC supported 49 leaders and organizations, including its largest leadership cohort of young trans women of color to date.
  
  

Key statistics (you can cite these)

• $31.4M total grantmaking in 2023; 480 grants; 380 grantee partners; ~80% unrestricted; 66% of grantees had budgets under $1M.
  
  
• 2024 fund highlights:
  
  • BLMF: ~$7.46M to 121 partners.
    
  • CTPF: ~$5.16M to 61 groups.
    
  • ELLC: ~$2.73M to 49 partners (+ $371K rapid response).
    
  • FTG: ~$2.94M general + $497K rapid response to 109 groups.
    
  • REACH: ~$1.915M to 20 partners.
    
  • REJ: ~$3.99M to 41 news organizations (+ $50K rapid response).
    
  • REP: ~$6.1M to 25 partners; sunsetting in 2025 with sector learning resources.
    
  • Spark Justice: ~$1.68M to 55 partners (+ $410K safety and security rapid response to 36 orgs).
    
• Historical context for journalism equity: Only 6% of $1.2B in journalism grants (2009–2015) went to efforts serving specific racial/ethnic groups—REJ addresses this gap. 
  

Sources: borealisphilanthropy.org

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) Is Borealis Philanthropy a foundation?
No. It’s a philanthropic intermediary—it collects funds from donors and makes grants to community groups through multiple pooled funds. 

2) Who can apply for grants?
Eligibility depends on the specific Borealis fund (for example, BLMF, DIF, REJ). Each fund posts details and timelines, such as the 2025 DIF call and BLMF RFP.

3) What types of grants does Borealis give?
Many are unrestricted general operating grants. There are also rapid-response grants for urgent needs and targeted capacity grants in some programs.

4) How is funding decided?
Some funds use participatory grantmaking, where community members—like disabled leaders or Black organizers—help make decisions, keeping funding close to lived experience.

5) Why is REJ important for news?
Communities of color have long been underfunded in journalism. REJ helps build strong local outlets so people get the news they need to participate in civic life.

6) I’m a small grassroots group. Do we have a chance?
Yes. In 2023, 66% of Borealis grantees had budgets under $1M, and most grants were flexible. 

7) I’m a donor. Why give through Borealis instead of directly?
Borealis brings scale, speed, and equity. It identifies high-impact, community-led groups, coordinates due diligence, and shares learning across many grantees—stretching your dollar further.

A quick getting-started checklist

For nonprofits

• Match your work to the right Borealis fund.
  
• Watch for open RFPs or interest forms.
  
• Prepare a simple outcomes plan and clear story of community leadership.
  

For donors

• Choose an issue area that aligns with your values (e.g., REJ, FTG, BLMF).
  
• Opt for multi-year, unrestricted gifts.
  
• Consider adding dollars for rapid-response and safety needs.
  

Bottom line

Borealis Philanthropy helps money meet the moment. It listens to communities, moves funds with care and speed, and backs leaders who make real change. If you want your giving—or your grant request—to reach people who are closest to the problem and the solution, Borealis is a proven partner. 

Editor’s note on data sources: grant amounts, grantee counts, and fund details above are drawn from Borealis Philanthropy’s 2024 Impact Report and related fund updates; 2023 totals come from its Annual Report infographic; historical REJ context is from Borealis’ REJ page; and DIF’s participatory approach is described by Borealis and the Disability & Philanthropy Forum.