Our Story

We work to remove barriers on the road to impact.

About Us

We’ve seen what’s possible when nonprofits and social enterprises rise above roadblocks.

Open Road Alliance was founded in 2012 with an ambitious goal: to help the social sector manage and weather the unexpected risks that threaten to derail their impact. Since then, we have become the market leader in social sector bridge funding, providing over $45 million in one-time grants and loans to nonprofits and social enterprises experiencing unexpected external roadblocks, helping to keep their impact on track.

From startup solar companies in Tanzania, to human rights organizations in Syria, and nonprofits addressing criminal justice reform in the United States, we work with enterprises across geographies and sectors. All our work is aimed at one objective: to ensure innovative efforts to address the world’s greatest challenges can carry on without interruption.

Our Model Is Different

As the only funder exclusively focused on “when the unexpected occurs,” organizations across the social sector come to us for help. We’ve spent the last decade testing and refining our process and criteria to ensure resiliency and maximum impact in the face of urgency and finite resources.

Social Enterprises

For Investors

For Grantmakers

Keeping Impact on Track

We are there when things don’t go as planned.

When the unexpected occurs, we offer fast, flexible, and affordable funding to organizations facing discrete, unexpected roadblocks during project implementation.

Grants

Loans

Timely Investments for a Resilient Sector

We move the social sector from impasse to impact.

For each dollar invested, Open Road returns $9 in impact. This 9x leverage has resulted in $186M of additional impact across our current portfolio.

The Impact Fund will make the social sector work better—it is the only impact investing fund to focus on filling discrete, short-term gaps in the social sector.

For Investors

Prepare for the Journey

We advance the social sector with tools and best practices.

No industry standards currently exist for discussing, assessing, or planning for risk in philanthropy. Few grantmakers assess risk during the grant application process, and even fewer have processes in place to respond to anticipatable risks once a project is underway. We prepare and equip grantmakers and grantees with best practices and policies around risk management.

For Grantmakers

Our Customer Centric Approach

We partner with grantees and investors who share a common drive to create better lives, stronger communities, and a better world for all. Our work is shaped by your needs. Our commitment is to make your impact possible. Through transparent and trusting relationships, we put you first–because that’s what impact investing should look like.

Empathy

We are a funder and part counselor. Impact is a journey, and we work to put ourselves in your shoes to ensure that roadblocks don’t get in your way.

A Thought Partner

We’re in this with you. Our job is to support you and provide perspective to ensure your application is best positioned for approval.

Honesty

Our responsibility is to be upfront about your potential fit in our portfolio. We'll inform you on weaknesses and strengths we see in your model.

Speed

Fast and flexible funding. That’s what we do. We understand urgency and we prioritize quick feedback.

Customized Solutions

Challenging problems often demand nontraditional solutions. We provide a variety of creative support tailored to the roadblock or opportunity at hand.

Rolling Cycle

Roadblocks can emerge at any point which is why proposals for grants and loans are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Reliable.
Driven.
Committed.

We are a small passionate group working tirelessly to keep impact on track. We keep our process lean and do the best for our grantees and investors no matter the situation. Whether you’re an investor looking for impact or a social enterprise experiencing a roadblock, we are here for you.

Our Team

Because of ORA, not a single one of our partners or customers had to fall through the cracks and we were able to maintain critical momentum to come through the crisis stronger than we had entered. Most funders recoil when they see desperate situations but ORA rushes in and knows how to separate short term crisis from long term impact potential.

Galen Welsch

Jibu

Let's Chat

Whether you are a foundation or investment firm, our funding model intersects with all sectors globally.