Funding Opportunities

Award Determinations

Award determinations are made at three focus-specific board meetings. While our board of directors considers every grant application on its own merits, they recognize the value and importance of collaboration in addressing the biggest challenges facing our community.

As our understanding of equity continues to broaden, we’re committed to working with our community to improve outcomes for people who still face steep and systemic barriers based on racial, social, economic and geographic inequities. View our commitment to equity statement.

Application deadline

Education funding applications are accepted November 20, 2023 – January 12, 2024 for a March decision.

We believe that education is the cornerstone of individual success, economic prosperity, community vitality and individual success. Through initiatives like Project Zero, we’re committed to partnering with organizations that provide young people of all backgrounds real opportunities that will prepare them for the jobs of the future.

If you’re interested in submitting a proposal for an education program, consider:

  • Hands-on applied learning experience, specifically initiatives that connect students to the world of work

  • Curriculum that engages students with goals and aspirations, provides opportunities for adult mentorship and measures age-appropriate development of essential skills (e.g., socio-emotional skills)

  • Collective impact models that support system-wide transformation

We prioritize programs that are culturally specific and BIPOC led as well as organizations who use input from the community they’re serving and intentionally focus on communities that have faced historic or systemic barriers in reaching equal outcomes.

Application deadline

Creative Expression funding applications are accepted February 26 – April 5, 2024 for a June decision.

We support programs that promote arts and culture engagement, because they create an environment that values critical thinking, problem-solving and self-efficacy. We know that students who have creative experiences are more inclined to actively engage in classroom discussions, offer their own ideas and appreciate the ideas of others. These skills serve as a springboard for students to build the socio-emotional skills necessary to succeed in today’s workplace.

If you’re interested in submitting a proposal for a creative expression program, consider:

  • Curriculum that offers access to sequential arts learning

  • Programs that promote youth development using creative expression to foster social emotional skills crucial to becoming active contributors to our community

  • Arts and cultural programs integrated into classroom curriculum that promotes innovation and creativity, while also enhancing literacy and math aptitude

We prioritize programs that are culturally specific and BIPOC led as well as organizations who use input from the community they’re serving and intentionally focus on communities that have faced historic or systemic barriers in reaching equal outcomes.

Application deadline

Career Pathways funding applications are accepted May 27 – July 7, 2024 for a September decision.

We are committed to helping individuals and communities overcome common barriers to economic mobility and generational wealth-building by increasing avenues to family wage jobs, entrepreneurship and small business ownership.

If you’re interested in submitting a proposal for a career-oriented program, consider:

  • Programs that facilitate access to in-demand, family-wage jobs in the trades, sciences and green sectors

  • Programs for adults focused on skill development

  • Wrap-around services offering mentorship, transportation and other resources that impact workforce participation

  • Proposals that offer entrepreneurship and business-ownership support for minority- and woman-owned small businesses

  • Proposals that center access and opportunity for communities of color, individuals from low-income households and those living in rural areas

We prioritize programs that are culturally specific, minority-led or focused on serving communities facing systemic barriers to opportunity.

Our grants are separate from the corporate contributions of Portland General Electric. In addition to awarding project and program grants, we also award grants for operating expenses and new and existing capital construction projects for organizations whose mission, vision and values align with our funding opportunities.