Black-Led Movement Fund

Borealis Philanthropy has launched the 2025 Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Black-Led Movement Fund (BLMF), with a proposal deadline of March 7, 2025, at 9:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM EST. The Black-Led Movement Fund supports grassroots, Black-led organizations in the U.S. working to build community power, shape policy agendas for Black communities, and create alternatives to harmful systems. The BLMF operates as a donor collaborative that funds organizations aligned with the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), and its aim is to uplift Black communities through intersectional and politically-aligned advocacy and organizing. Borealis Philanthropy, established in 2015, is a social justice intermediary focused on resourcing grassroots movements for transformative change. Their approach is rooted in supporting marginalized communities, including Black, queer, disabled, and trans individuals. The Black-Led Movement Fund, as one of Borealis' nine collaborative funds, reflects these values by supporting Black-led organizations addressing the root causes of anti-Black racism, misogyny, and other forms of systemic oppression. The BLMF will provide grants totaling $183,300 over a two-year period (2025-2027), with each grant offering $91,650 annually. The grants are intended for U.S.-based organizations that focus on power-building initiatives like base-building, cultural organizing, mutual aid, and movement lawyering, and prioritize Black communities. The funding also focuses on organizations that advocate for issues such as abolition, economic justice, and disability justice, among others. Organizations eligible for funding must be 501(c)(3) entities, or fiscally sponsored by such organizations, and must primarily serve and organize with Black populations. They must also align with M4BL values or engage in movement-building activities that support these principles. Ineligible applicants include universities, colleges, individuals, hospitals, and government agencies. The BLMF particularly encourages organizations led by and for Black LGBTQIA folks, Black women and femmes, Black disabled people, and Black youth, among other communities. The application process involves submitting proposals via Borealis' online grant portal. A completed eligibility quiz must be taken before accessing the full application. Additional documentation may be required, and applicants are encouraged to consult the BLMF's FAQ for guidance. The proposal deadline is firm, and applications will be reviewed from March to September 2025, with notifications of awards sent in October 2025.