BPP Provides Leadership Along U.S.-Mexico Border Region

Andy Carey knows he was a child of privilege. With many advantages thrown his way in adolescence, it became natural for Carey, as he grew up, to give back to his community.

But his passion for philanthropy didn’t end there.

“I believed so strongly in giving back to society that I have devoted my professional career to it,” he shared.

Following 15 years leading volunteer mobilization and fund development at Kiwanis International, Carey decided in 2008 to take on the challenge of heading a new program in San Diego aimed at guiding philanthropic investment and civic engagement along one of the fastest growing, most dynamic border regions in the world – the U.S.-Mexico border region.

The new role allowed Carey to continue making an international impact and to use his bilingual skills in Spanish and Portuguese.

The U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership (BPP) was launched through the generous support of a donor collaborative, a group headlined by the Ford Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, The San Diego Foundation and several other regional, national and international foundations.

The collaborative’s goal for BPP is to provide philanthropic leadership along the 2,000-mile border, which is home to 14 million people.

With the support of a dynamic Board of Directors, BPP became a true binational organization when it received its status as an asociación civil and donatoria autorizada in Mexico, the equivalent of a nonprofit organization in the U.S. with tax deductibility privilege.

Growth and Vision

BPP now supports a network of more than 250 organizations that build prosperity through leadership, collaboration and philanthropy in the U.S.-Mexico border region. Members include academic, business and corporate partners, foundations, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

“We create impact so that organizations can achieve their mission locally,” Carey said. “We’re a behind-the-scenes partner for organizations and leaders that do amazing things.”

Border Philanthropy Partnership has provided education and training opportunities to over 8,500 board and staff leaders in the 10 U.S. and Mexico border states.

As the only binational, incorporated nonprofit organization promoting philanthropy along and across the border, BPP has acted as a philanthropic catalyst by:

• Providing education and training opportunities to over 8,500 board and staff leaders in the 10 U.S. and Mexico border states on governance, development, communications, volunteerism and cross-cultural understanding;
• Supporting the legal transfer of over $1.2 million between the U.S. and Mexico in support of nonprofit organizations in the region;
• Granting more than $150,000 in technical assistance funds to support the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors with strategic planning, governance and resource development in U.S. and Mexico;
• Providing organizational coaching to more than 100 nonprofit organizations in both countries to support challenges and craft solutions to issues facing their institutions; and
• Launching procapacidad.org to support the emerging nonprofit sector in Mexico by providing critical tools and resources to strengthen its ability to achieve local missions and benefit organizations all across Mexico.

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What’s Next?

BPP’s vision is to create a thriving trans-border region where BPP members collectively create vibrant, successful communities fostering stronger civil society and philanthropy.

The organization plans to grow its presence in each of the 10 border states, expand the Borderlands Map Project and set up nonprofit libraries along the northern border of Mexico.

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