Beyond Our Borders

Extending Philanthropy to Help Women & Girls Across the Globe Reach Economic Security

Beyond Our Borders, a group-advised fund held at The Women's Foundation of Colorado, shares WFCO’s belief that to strengthen families and communities, we must advance and amplify opportunities for women to be empowered to reach economic self-sufficiency.

Beyond Our Borders extends our mission beyond Colorado and the U.S., focusing on grantmaking to promote equity and social justice and to create educational, economic, and social opportunities for women and girls in global settings who have few resources or agency to enable them to participate fully in society.

Beyond our Borders also focuses on building the strength and capacity of the U.S. based organizations that serve women and girls or advocate on behalf of the advancement of women and girls globally.

We prefer to invest in programs that:

• Fill a need for women and/or girls
• Are innovative, diverse, effective, and collaborative
• Display program impact in women’s and girls’ empowerment and social and economic justice
• Have local women in management and decision-making positions
• Employ local people in all areas of management and fieldwork and purchase local goods and materials from the host country
• Demonstrate a need in the community through local requests by residents
• Focus on systemic change

We provide grants annually to national organizations with ties to the international setting that provide direct services to women and girls who have the least resources to enable them to participate fully in society; and/or build the strength and capacity of the organizations that directly serve women and girls, or advocate on behalf of the well-being of women and girls. 

Our history  

The Beyond Our Borders Group-Advised Fund was established in 2000 through The Women’s Foundation of Colorado by Jane Ragle. Beyond Our Borders invests in U.S.-based nonprofit organizations working to ensure women and girls in other parts of the world are empowered to achieve their full potential and participate fully in society. Beyond Our Borders has also built an endowment for future giving.

Our vision

While The Women’s Foundation of Colorado focuses on women and girls in Colorado, we recognize the interconnectedness we have to women and girls around the world. Through the Beyond Our Borders group-advised fund held at The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, we work to create a world where women and girls:

• Are safe and have comprehensive human rights,
• Are equal participants in society, and
• Fully contribute their talents to humanity. 

Grantmaking

Each year, Beyond Our Borders members gather in the spring to survey the landscape for global giving for women’s causes, to learn about trends in philanthropy and to establish granting priority areas. Members are expected to participate in granting committees that research and screen potential organizations for funding. Final recommendations are presented in the fall with final grant approval issued in the fourth quarter. Funds awarded in this calendar are expected to be used during the following calendar year. 

Currently, Beyond Our Borders does not accept unsolicited proposals. If you are interested in learning more about the grantmaking process, please contact Renee Ferrufino, vice president of development, at reneef@wfco.org.

Join us

Beyond Our Borders is looking for members who are thoughtful grant makers and who strive to make an impact on the lives of women around the world. Members of Beyond Our Borders commit to donating $2,500 per year or if they are Young Professionals (under age 40) at least $1,000 per year. Active members are expected to attend two annual meetings, once during the late spring for a multi-day retreat and a one day meeting in the fall to make granting decisions. Optional social events, educational and advocacy opportunities are offered throughout the year to foster a culture of learning and camaraderie. Some members have extensive international and/or philanthropic experience and others are new to the field and hope to gain awareness and understanding.  

Friends of Beyond Our Borders are welcome to make a financial contribution to our group-advised fund to support women and girls around the world without the commitment to attend Beyond Our Borders annual meetings. 

If you are interested in joining this group, please contact Renee Ferrufino, vice president of development, at reneef@wfco.org.

Donate to Beyond Our Borders