May 21, 2025 – The Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF) at Borealis Philanthropy is thrilled to share that we are currently accepting applications from organizations working to strengthen disability inclusion, rights, and justice. DIF grants will support organizations whose work is rooted in intersectional cross-movements, is collaborative, and works to build a more vibrant, just and joyful world for people with disabilities—from arts and culture, to policy and advocacy. Please take the time to carefully review the details of the RFP.
About Borealis Philanthropy
Borealis Philanthropy is a philanthropic intermediary working to advance the impact of our movements across the country. We focus on a range of social justice issues, including disability inclusion and justice, and invest in leaders, organizations, and movements using diverse and innovative strategies to pursue transformational change.
About the Disability Inclusion Fund
The Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF) supports U.S.-based groups led by people with disabilities, disabled people of color, disabled queer and trans folks, building a more liberatory world free from ableism. The Fund is supported by donors including the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy, which is comprised of foundation presidents who are committed to disability inclusion.
The Disability Inclusion Fund utilizes a participatory grantmaking process. All grantees will be selected by a grantmaking committee composed of majority disability advocates and invited funders.
We will be hosting an informational webinar on June 2, 2025 at 11am PDT/1pm CDT/2pm EDT to review the application process and answer applicant questions. Please register for the information session HERE . ASL interpretation and real-time captioning will be provided. We will also record the session for those who cannot attend.
All Funding Will be Aligned with the Disability Inclusion Fund’s Guiding Values:
- Cross-movement solidarity: Intentional focus on collaboration and bridge-building amongst disability justice activists and across movements.
- Intersectionality: Acknowledging that disabled people have multiple and intersecting social and political identities that can influence their access and inclusion including race, gender identity, class, and sexual orientation.
- Leadership of those most impacted: Emphasis is given to organizations led by disabled people of color, queer, gender nonconforming and women with disabilities.
- Participation: Movement funding is accountable to the disability justice movement. Those most impacted by injustice/exclusion should be involved in strategies to advance justice/inclusion.
- Radical inclusion: Deeply committed to removing barriers and ensuring access so that those most affected by intersecting identities can participate, valuing lived experience.
- Sustainability: Resources and tools that support the growth of grassroots disabled-led organizations, and expand operational capacities for ongoing movement building.
What We Fund
We will prioritize funding organizations that meet the following criteria:
- Organizations that are disability-led and whose leadership and work reflect the lived experiences of those most impacted by ableism. This includes, but is not limited to, organizations led by Black, Indigenous, People of Color, queer, gender non-conforming, and women with disabilities. We define ‘disability-led’ as the leadership in your organization are people with disabilities, including more than 50% of the organization’s management staff/advisory committees/governing boards.
- Work that engages other social movements and injustices for examples: The movement for Black lives, climate change, immigration rights, labor rights, racial justice, queer and trans liberation, etc.
- Work that brings other organizations, leaders, movements, and communities together to build power through relationships, coalitions and opportunities for collaboration.
- Work that drives narrative change in ways that dismantle ableism and attitudinal barriers in our policy, society, and culture.
- Strategies that celebrate, create, and elevate uplifting the authentic representation of disabled people in the arts, media, literature, and other creative works.
- Work that moves practices of disability inclusion and disability justice forward. Examples of this work include community organizing, mutual aid, advocacy, and/or policy work.
Eligibility
- Your organization’s annual budget with committed revenue is less than $1 million.
- Your organization must be U.S-based or U.S. territory-based 501(c)3, fiscally sponsored, or an LLC restricted to projects with a charitable purpose.
- Your organization programming is in the U.S. or U.S. territories.
- Your organization is in full compliance with federal antidiscrimination law.
Types of Support We Cannot Provide:
- Organizations that are non-U.S-based or non-U.S. Territories
- Individuals
- Universities
- Hospitals
- Organizations or projects whose primary work is research. Organizations or projects that provide research are eligible only if their primary focus is in community organizing, advocacy, and/or policy work.
- Organizations or projects whose primary work is direct service (i.e., Personal Care Attendants, durable medical equipment, behavioral or medical care, employment supportive programs, or adaptive sports, etc.). Organizations or projects that provide direct services are eligible only if their primary focus is in community organizing, advocacy, or policy work.
Level of Support
This funding opportunity will provide one to two-year grants. Grant sizes will range between $25,000 to $100,000. Grant sizes will not typically exceed more than 25% of your total committed budget.
Grantmaking Process
Application Link
To access the DIF 2025 eligibility quiz and application, please use the following link: https://borealis.tfaforms.net/f/DIF2025.
Please note: The DIF 2025 application is not housed in Borealis’ typical online grantee portal as we’re currently working on upgrading our system. The DIF 2025 application is housed in FormAssembly, a user-friendly web form and data collection platform.
Saving and Resuming Your Application
If you would like to save your progress and return to your application, please use the ‘Save my progress and resume later’ checkbox at the top and bottom of the DIF 2025 application page to create a password and save your progress.
If you forget your password for the DIF 2025 application, the best way to regain access to your DIF 2025 application draft is to use the ‘Forgot your password’ link. Find this link by clicking ‘Resume a previously saved form’.
Submitting Your Application
Once you’ve completed your application, please use the ‘Submit’ button to submit your application. The ‘Submit’ button will not submit the application unless all required questions are answered. Required questions are marked with a red asterisk (*) on the application.
Once you’ve submitted your application, the Executive Contact listed on the application will receive an email confirmation and PDF copy of your application.
Troubleshooting
If you encounter any system or process-related issues while using the application, please do not hesitate to contact grants@borealisphilanthropy.org.
Alternative/Accessible Applications Process
The DIF is committed to making all application materials available in multiple forms to be accessible to all. Alternative application options include ( Zooms, phone conversations, Word doc, PDF, etc). To obtain and complete the application in alternative formats, please contact the Disability Inclusion Fund at dif@borealisphilanthropy.org with the subject line: NEW DIF RFP 2025.
Contact
- If you have questions, need technical assistance, or have technology issues in submitting your application please email grants@borealisphilanthropy.org
- If you have questions about what we fund or eligibility for grants, please email DIF@borealisphilanthropy.org
In addition, please review the Frequently Asked Questions.
The deadline for proposals is June 25, 2025 by 8:59 pm PT or 11:59 pm ET.
We will be hosting an information session for applicants on June 2, 2025 at 11am PST/ 2pm EST to review the application process and answer applicant questions. Please register using this link Applicant Info Session Registration. We will make the recording available on the FAQ page after the session.
Notifications
Applicants who submit proposals by the June 25, 2025 deadline will be notified about whether or not their project will be funded by December 5, 2025. Successful applicants will be contacted by phone and/or email about award notifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have put together answers to frequently asked questions, which include a list of proposal questions. DRAFT – DIF FAQ RFP 2025.docx. You will find the link to access the applicant info session webinar recording in the FAQ. If you have problems accessing the recording please contact DIF@borealisphilanthropy.org
Eligibility Quiz
We do not want organizations to go through any unnecessary labor in applying for this opportunity. The purpose of the Eligibility Quiz is to help determine if your organization is a good fit for the fund. If the Eligibility Quiz is successful, you will be directed to the link where you will have access to the application.
Eligibility Criteria
- We strongly suggest that you complete this 2 question eligibility form before completing your grant application. The purpose of this is to help determine if your organization is a good fit for the fund. If you answered No to any of the questions below, this grant opportunity is not a good fit for your organization. We recommend you consider other opportunities.
Budget
- Is your organization’s annual operating budget with committed revenue less than $1 million for this current fiscal year?
Leadership
- One of our values is “leadership of those most impacted.” We are especially interested in supporting organizations where leadership reflects a diversity of lived experiences, including race, gender identity, and sexual orientation, alongside disability.. We define ‘disability-led’ as the leadership in your organization are people with disabilities, including more than 50% of the organization’s management staff/advisory committees/governing boards.
Program
- This fund does not provide grants to organizations whose primary work is research or whose primary work is direct services. Does your organization pursue one or more of the following areas of work: grassroots movement-building, advocacy, the performing arts/cultural change, or policy change?
Mission aligned
- Our work is closely aligned with the principles of the Disability Justice framework. If you are unfamiliar with these principles, please refer to this link. We encourage applicants whose work aligns with these principles and who are advancing inclusion, access, and equity through their programs and leadership.
Commitment to Inclusive and Values-Aligned Funding
- Borealis Philanthropy and the Disability Inclusion Fund are committed to values of equity, access, and inclusion. In alignment with our philanthropic mission, this grantmaking opportunity centers the lived experiences of people with disabilities, including those who hold multiple and intersecting identities.
While we prioritize support for organizations led by and for marginalized communities, this is not a quota-based or exclusionary process. All eligible applicants will receive fair and full consideration. Final grant decisions will be made in collaboration with the grantmaking committee and will reflect a range of factors, including alignment with DIF’s values, community-informed priorities, and the overall balance of the funding portfolio.
Narrative questions
Your response to questions below should be no longer than 350 words each
- Describe your organization’s work and how it aligns with Disability Justice Principles, or other approaches to advancing access, equity, and inclusion for disability communities.
- In what ways have your organization’s programming and activities built collective power to address ableism? For example, please tell us about the other organizations, groups, communities/collectives that you organize and/or collaborate with.
- If your organization is selected to receive this one to two-year grant, what are some of the key program plans and activities for the next two years? We understand that plans may shift over the course of two years, and would be interested to know the potential direction, planned activities, and future growth of the organization.
- How will you use funds to build out your organization’s infrastructure, staff growth, and operating capacity?
- How does your organization measure change? How will your team know progress is happening during this time? Please briefly describe the kinds of indicators or evidence of progress your team considers for the work that is being done.
- Please provide a list of current and prospective funders.
- Is there anything else you would like us to know?
Other required information
- How much is your total operating budget for 2025? We are not requiring you to provide an actual budget. A copy of your 501(c)3 letter of determination.
- If fiscally sponsored, we will need a copy of your fiscal sponsorship agreement and your fiscal sponsor 501(c)3 letter of determination.