All by April: Borealis Commits $2 Million to Grassroots Leaders Defending Democracy
Today, Borealis Philanthropy is proud to report the mobilization of $2 million of resources to 36 democracy-building organizations in alignment with the All by April campaign, which called on the philanthropic sector to move early resources to safeguard elections. We are grateful to the Democracy Fund for organizing our sector to act with collective power and proud to have joined a coalition of 135+ foundations, nonprofit grantmakers, and individual donors in standing up to regressive philanthropy.
At Borealis, we have long understood democracy as much more than a single act of voting; ensuring democracy means creating and preserving the conditions that make civic participation possible. It is for this reason that our latest awards resourced luminaries contributing myriad, vital ingredients necessary for free, fair, and representative elections, including efforts to:
- Register voters, increase voter turnout, and build electoral power.
- Build grassroots power and engage communities in civic life.
- Shape public discourse, combat misinformation, and deliver civic information to communities.
- Advance civil rights, legal systems, and government accountability.
- Make democratic participation accessible and democracy representative for marginalized groups.
Across these areas, our grantee partners’ work is all encompassing. The groups in our cohort are developing voter engagement guides for canvassers; advocating to restore voting rights for formerly incarcerated people; educating, equipping, and mobilizing immigrant communities to exercise their rights; and developing Know Your Rights campaigns, voter registration drives, and policy trackers to keep communities informed in real time.
At the same time, they are strengthening our election protection infrastructure, training attorneys on what is legally permissible for local police and federal law enforcement to do at the polls, providing legal support to voters, and educating election workers on their rights. And they are delivering vital information—from storytelling that highlights the impact of policies and practices on trans communities to editorial research and reporting on superPAC influence—to strengthen civic participation.
Please join us in supporting and uplifting the wisdom of our #AllbyApril grantee partners:
- The 22nd Century Initiative
- Advocates for Trans Equality Education Fund
- Arizona Center for Empowerment
- Black Futures Lab
- Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro
- BVM Capacity Building Institute Inc.
- Canary Resistance Training Institute
- Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
- Conecta Arizona
- Count US IN Inc.
- Detroit Disability Power
- Enlace Latino NC
- Florida for All Education Fund Inc
- Freedom, Inc.
- Gente Organizada
- JULIAN
- Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network
- InTRANSitive
- Louisiana Organization for Refugees And Immigrants
- The Mahogany Project
- Mass Liberation Project Nevada
- METAS
- MIWISCONSIN MEDIA & COMMUNITY INC
- Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project
- Narrative Initiative
- National Police Accountability Project Inc.
- New Disabled South
- People’s Advocacy Institute
- People’s Justice Project
- Senior & Disability Action
- Southern Vision Alliance
- TransLash Media
- The Triibe
- Workers Center for Racial Justice
- The Working Families Education Fund
- Working Families Organization
We are indebted to the grassroots leaders and communities who act every day to secure greater abundance and belonging for us all. Their interlinked efforts push us to imagine what becomes possible when information is accessible, local news ecosystems are resourced, and our rights are defended—and remind us that our actions today will determine if an inclusive, multiracial democracy remains possible. Today and always, Borealis Philanthropy is dedicated to nurturing their visions.