History and Impact

​The Border Philanthropy Partnership serves as the leading binational organization focused on building prosperity along the U.S.-Mexico Border region through leadership, collaboration, and philanthropy.
 
Together, with our network of more than 400 members, we are helping to build prosperity for communities on both sides of the border.

LEADERS

NONPROFITS

MILLION IN FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS

DOLLARS GRANTED

VISITORS

Delivered hundreds of education and training opportunities to over 20,000 leaders on governance, development, communication, volunteerism, and cross-cultural understanding. 

Provided organizational coaching to more than 450 nonprofit organizations in both countries to support challenges and craft solutions to issues facing their institutions.

Supported the legal transfer of over US$9 million between the U.S. and Mexico to strengthen nonprofit organizations in the region.

Granted over $US$400,000 to the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors to enhance strategic planning, governance, and resource development in the U.S. and Mexico.

Launched the first-ever online platform (www.procapacidad.org) that supports the emerging nonprofit sector in Mexico and has yielded more than 600,000 visitors and over 100,000 downloads. The platform provides critical tools and resources to help organizations achieve their missions.

In 2008, leaders from the U.S. and Mexico joined together to promote vibrant communities on both sides of the Border. They recognized that their individual efforts would go further through collaboration, and decided to launch a new initiative that focused on maximizing the charitable and civic work being done across all sectors.
 
Thus, the Border Philanthropy Partnership was born.
 
BPP is unique in that it is the only organization promoting philanthropy along and across the region, and that is a legally incorporated 501©3 nonprofit in the U.S. BPP’s sister organization, Alianza Fronteriza de Filantropía, A.C. is based in Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua and is a designated Asociación Civil with Donataria Autorizada and CLUNI, which allows Alianza Fronteriza de Filantropía, A.C. to provide donors with tax-deductible receipts, as well as seek funding support from the Mexican government.

Prior to becoming a 501(c) (3) organization in 2008, BPP was an exclusive capacity building program for Border region community foundations. 18 Border region community foundations from San Diego-Tijuana to Brownsville-Matamoros participated, and the initiative was funded by a donor collaborative that included the Ford Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Inter-American Foundation, Houston Endowment, Meadows Foundation, and Fundación Gonzalo Rio Arronte amongst others. The project was managed by the Synergos Institute in New York City, and supported by San Diego based staff professionals. After a successful six-year program, the participating community foundations encouraged the initiative to transition from a program to its own bi-national organization.

Become a Member

In September 2008, the newly formed BPP received critical support from the Border region community foundation network. San Diego Foundation agreed to provide free and furnished office for three staff members, and meeting space for up to one year at its San Diego based offices that would later become the Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement. The International Community Foundation provided fiscal agency services to facilitate key foundation grant support to get the new organization up and running. The Arizona Community Foundation provided key volunteer support from its board and staff executive leadership, as well as a generous grant to get BPP started. Community Foundations from Tijuana, Tucson, Yuma, Ambos Nogales, Douglas, Las Cruces, El Paso, Juarez, Ojinaga, Laredo, Brownsville, and Matamoros provided initial membership support. It was truly a team effort.
 
Today, the BPP network spans all regions of the U.S. and Mexico with more than 400 members and growing. ​