The Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF) - 2025 Request for Proposals

Instructions

Thank you for your interest in Borealis Philanthropy’s Disability Inclusion Fund (DIF). We recommend reading through the Request for Proposals (RFP) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) before beginning your application. We are committed to an inclusive application process. While our values shape our funding priorities, our intention is not to exclude any eligible organizations. We encourage applicants to focus on alignment with the mission and goals of the Disability Inclusion Fund, and welcome a range of approaches to disability justice.

To begin your application, please complete the eligibility quiz. If your organization is eligible, you will then be directed to the application.

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.

The deadline for this application is June 25th, 2025 by 8:59 pm PT or 11:59 pm ET.

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 (JotForm, 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.

Eligibility Quiz

Is your organization’s annual operating budget with committed revenue of less than $1 million for this current fiscal year?

YesNo

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?

YesNo

Based on your responses, your organization is not eligible for funding at this time. Thank you for your interest.

Grant Application

Organization Information

Organization Name

Organization Legal Status

Explain 'Other' Legal Status

EIN/Tax ID Number
If your organization is fiscally sponsored, please enter your fiscal sponsor's EIN/Tax ID Number OR 00-0000000

Street Address

City

State/Province

Postal Code

Contact Information

Executive Contact: In the event of an awarded grant, the Executive Contact will sign the grant agreement letter, unless the organization is fiscally sponsored. The Executive Contact is also the primary contact for the application.

Executive Contact Full Name

Executive Contact Title

Executive Contact Email

Executive Contact Phone Number

Additional Contact: This may be the person responsible for the grant application, a finance contact, or other.

Additional Contact Full Name

Additional Contact Title

Additional Contact Email

Operating Budget Size

In the field below, please share your organization's 2025 total operating budget size.

2025 Total Operating Budget Size

$

Fiscal Sponsor Information

Is your organization fiscally sponsored?

YesNo

Fiscal Sponsor Information

Fiscal Sponsor Legal Name

Fiscal Sponsor EIN

Fiscal Sponsor Street Address

Fiscal Sponsor City

Fiscal Sponsor State

Fiscal Sponsor Postal Code

Fiscal Sponsor Executive Contact Full Name

Fiscal Sponsor Executive Contact Title

Fiscal Sponsor Executive Contact Email

Fiscal Sponsor Additional Contact Full Name

Fiscal Sponsor Additional Contact Title

Fiscal Sponsor Additional Contact Email

Grant Payment Preference

If your organization is fiscally sponsored, please enter the payment preference of your fiscal sponsor.

If your organization is not fiscally sponsored, please enter the payment preference of your organization.

Payment Preference

Electronic Fund Transfer/ACHMailed Check

Electronic Fund Transfer Details

Name on Bank Account

Type of Account

Routing Number

Account Number

If you selected Mailed Check

We will mail the check to the address above for your organization or your fiscal sponsor (if applicable).

Narrative Questions

Your response to the questions below should be no longer than 350 words each.

If you would like to submit your responses via Word Doc or PDF, please use the upload field below.

1. Describe your organization's work and how it aligns with Disability Justice Principles, or other approaches to advancing access, equity, and inclusion for disabled communities.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. How will you use funds to build out your organization’s infrastructure, staff growth, and operating capacity?

5. 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.

6. Please provide a list of your current and prospective funders.

7. Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Upload Field for Word Doc / PDF
If you would like to submit your responses via Word Doc or PDF, please upload your document here.

Attachments

Please select your Organization's Legal Status under Organization Information to view the attachments needed for this section.

Attachments for 501(c)(3) organizations

If your organization is a 501(c)(3), please use the fields below to upload:

501(c)(3) Letter
Financial Documentation such as:

Most recent 990
Most recent audited or unaudited financials
Statement of Activities & Balance Sheet

501(c)(3) Letter: Please upload your organization's 501(c)(3) letter here.

Financial Documentation for your organization: Please upload your organization's financial documentation.

If your organization does not have any of the listed financial documentation, please contact grants@borealisphilanthropy.org. We ask that you do not create any documentation specifically for this application.

Please use this additional upload field if you have more than one document.

Attachments for Fiscally Sponsored Organizations

If your organization is fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3), please use the fields below to upload:

Fiscal Sponsor's 501(c)(3) Letter
Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement
Fiscal Sponsor's Financial Documentation such as:

Most recent 990
Most recent audited or unaudited financials
Statement of Activities (Income & Expenses) & Balance Sheet

Your Organization's Statement of Activities (Income & Expenses) & Balance Sheet for the most recent fiscal year

Fiscal Sponsor's 501(c)(3) Letter: Please upload your fiscal sponsor's 501(c)(3) letter here.

Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement: Please upload your fiscal sponsorship agreement here.

Fiscal Sponsor's Financial Documentation: If your organization is fiscally sponsored, please upload your fiscal sponsor's most recent 990 or other financial documentation.

Please use this additional upload field if you have more than one document.

Your Organization's Financial Documentation:

Attachments for LLCs

If your organization is an LLC, please use the fields below to upload:

Articles of Incorporation
Financial Documentation such as:

Balance Sheet and Statement of Activities of the current fiscal year
OR Prior Year Tax Return

Project Narrative
Project Budget

Articles of Incorporation (for LLCs Only)

Financial Documentation (for LLCs Only): Please upload your organization's statement of activities and balance sheet for the current fiscal year OR your organization's prior year tax return.

Please use this additional upload field if you have more than one document.

Project Narrative (for LLCs Only)

Project Budget (for LLCs Only)

Attachments for Other Organization Legal Status

If you selected 'Other' under Organization Legal Status, please contact dif@borealisphilanthropy.org and grants@borealisphilanthropy.org to discuss the attachments are needed for your application.