Rural Philanthropy Summit: Stronger Together
Keynote and breakout resources:
Keynote Presentation
Erin Borla (she/her) is an Oregonian — born and raised in Central Oregon and the granddaughter of Oregon’s own tough mother, Gert Boyle of Columbia Sportswear. For over 20 years, she has worked with and for nonprofit organizations that support rural communities with innovative economic strategies. Her dedication to supporting rural spaces through listening, collaborating and open and honest sharing of ideas helps her elevate community partners throughout her work.
Borla holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences from Oregon State University and a master of tourism administration degree from The George Washington University. She completed her professional certificate in Tribal relations from Portland State University’s Mark O. Hatfield School of Government in 2022 and was a Fellow for the National Center for Family Philanthropy. Borla is the host of Funding Rural, a podcast about how philanthropy can better serve rural communities and spark systemic change.
Currently, Borla serves as an advisor for Center for Disaster Philanthropy, a member of the Future Council for the Society for Environmental Journalists, a member of the advisory board for the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program managed through the Criminal Justice Commission of the State of Oregon and an advisory member of the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention program managed by the Oregon Health Authority. Throughout the past, she has served organizations such as OSU-Cascades, Sisters Park & Recreation District, Central Oregon Regional Solutions Committee, Oregon 4-H Foundation, OSU Extension Service in Deschutes County and others. She has been a trustee for the Roundhouse Foundation of Sisters, Oregon since 2014 and stepped in as the organization's first executive director in early 2020 at a time of rapid growth for the Foundation.
The Roundhouse Foundation, founded by Borla’s mother, artist Kathy Deggendorfer, supports creative solutions across rural communities in Oregon including federally recognized Tribes and historic bands of Native communities that originally called this region home. The Foundation funds at the intersection of their four programmatic areas: arts and culture, environmental stewardship, education and social services.
When she isn’t road-tripping with her family, Erin enjoys spending time cheering on her teenagers, hiking with her dog, Sherman, knitting hats for friends and family and enjoying the best new young-adult novel.
