Borealis Philanthropy is a social justice philanthropic intermediary working to resource grassroots movements for transformative change by building bridges between funders and the frontlines of movements. Founded in 2015, Borealis’ work is about advancing justice and building a truly inclusive, multiracial democracy by investing deeply in five essential pillars: intersectional justice, narrative change, community safety and justice, economic justice and inclusion, and movement infrastructure. Borealis’ mission is to work with funders to funnel resources to people building powerful, thriving communities, investing in leaders, organizations, and movements using diverse, community-rooted strategies to pursue long-term transformational change. Borealis utilizes the expertise and leadership of movement-rooted staff to identify and resource community leaders and organizations working to dismantle oppressive systems, connecting funders to people and organizations that share their visions. Borealis partners with philanthropy to conceive, develop, and implement grantmaking initiatives that resource the frontlines of intersectional grassroots movements, creates opportunities for donors to both resource and learn from organizers on the ground, and removes barriers to funding for grassroots organizations that have been historically under-resourced. Borealis envisions a world where communities reckon with the country’s history of racial injustice built on anti-Black racism, Native American genocide, and exploitation of Black and Brown labor; where communities are connected and interdependent; where people have collective power and agency over their lives; where systems and institutions are representative of and responsive to all communities; and where everyone leads joyful, vibrant, and free lives.
Why it matters: Borealis addresses the reality that grassroots movements working to dismantle oppressive systems have been historically under-resourced despite doing frontline work for transformative change, requiring intermediaries that remove barriers between funders and movement leaders. By utilizing movement-rooted staff expertise to identify and resource community leaders rather than relying on traditional philanthropic gatekeeping, Borealis demonstrates that effective funding requires understanding what communities actually need rather than imposing donor priorities. The organization’s focus on five essential pillars shows that building inclusive multiracial democracy requires comprehensive investment in interconnected strategies, while creating opportunities for donors to learn from organizers ensures that philanthropy serves movements rather than directing them.
