Best Grants for Museums in Oregon

The Trail Blazers Foundation Fund – LIVE Greener Grant focuses on enhancing access to outdoor spaces for youth from historically underserved communities in Oregon and SW Washington. This initiative supports organizations that promote environmental education, preservation, and employment opportunities. Grants of up to $25,000 annually are available, with potential for an additional year of funding. Organizations must align with the Foundation's mission to apply, ensuring a positive impact on local youth and their communities.

The Dr. Ernest Hartzog Founder’s Scholarship aims to empower Black/African American high school graduates in Oregon by providing financial support for their educational pursuits. The Oregon Community Foundation, dedicated to philanthropy, administers this scholarship to enhance the lives of all Oregonians. Preference is given to students who are committed to giving back to their communities and fostering the next generation. This initiative exemplifies the transformative impact of strategic giving in diverse communities across Oregon.

The Roundhouse Foundation offers small grants to support innovative, grassroots projects that benefit rural Oregon communities. With a focus on creativity, sustainability, and community connection, this grant program encourages organizations to explore new approaches and collaborate effectively. Eligible applicants include IRS-designated non-profits or government entities dedicated to enhancing rural life. The foundation values partnerships that demonstrate community support and a commitment to equity, aiming to stimulate economic resilience and foster long-term growth in the region.

The Roundhouse Foundation invites proposals for its Open Call for Proposals, focusing on enhancing rural communities in Oregon. Grants, typically ranging from $20,000 to $50,000, support projects in arts, education, environmental stewardship, and social services. Eligible organizations must demonstrate community impact and innovative approaches. Applications are reviewed by external panels, with funding decisions announced within 6-8 weeks. Organizations are encouraged to connect with the Foundation for guidance prior to submission.

The Banner Bank Community Support Program offers grants to nonprofit organizations in Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho focusing on housing, youth development, financial education, and economic growth. Priority is given to programs aiding low- and moderate-income populations. Organizations applying must not discriminate and should support essential community services. Applications are accepted year-round, with a review period of 45-60 days. However, certain areas, such as individual scholarships and political organizations, are ineligible for funding.

Project Lead The Way is offering a rolling grant opportunity for schools across the US to implement the PLTW Gateway program for the first time. With total funding of $9,100, the grant covers participation fees and training registration costs. Schools, including public, private, and charter, are encouraged to apply, particularly those serving low-income and minority majority populations. This initiative aims to enhance educational pathways in STEM for diverse student groups.

The Ford Scholarships provide significant financial support, up to $40,000 per year, for promising high school seniors and recent graduates from Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. This renewable scholarship aims to assist those facing barriers to higher education, regardless of GPA. The program offers comprehensive support, including personal guidance and a lifetime connection to a dedicated alumni community, ensuring that scholars are well-equipped to succeed in their academic pursuits.

The Ford Transfer Scholars Program provides scholarships of up to $40,000 per year for community college students from Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. Aimed at those with financial need, this program supports students ready to transfer to four-year colleges. Selection is based on resilience and academic potential, with no minimum GPA requirement. Scholarships are renewable and cover tuition, living expenses, and other necessary costs to help students achieve their bachelor's degrees.

The Evelyn Kaser Nursing Scholarship, established by Adventist Health Columbia Gorge, supports local students pursuing nursing education in the Columbia River area. This scholarship honors Evelyn Kaser, a dedicated nurse and community member, and aims to strengthen the local healthcare workforce. By assisting students committed to serving their community, the scholarship enhances access to quality healthcare in rural and underserved regions, aligning with the mission of Adventist Health to provide compassionate, patient-centered care.

The Ford Opportunity Scholars Program offers scholarships to parents and adult learners over 25 with financial barriers to education in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. Annually, up to 90 scholarships are awarded, providing up to $40,000 per year based on need and costs. Support includes financial assistance, academic guidance, and a connection to the Ford Family alumni community, aiming to empower students in their pursuit of an associate or bachelor’s degree.

The Shigeo and Winifred Ito Scholarship Fund, established by a former recipient of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, aims to support students from Hawaii pursuing higher education on the U.S. mainland. With awards averaging around $6,000, the fund prioritizes residents demonstrating financial need and maintaining good academic standing. The scholarship reflects a commitment to fostering educational opportunities and giving back to the community, ensuring that deserving students can achieve their academic goals.

The Scholarship for Academic Excellence offers fourteen $2,500 awards for graduating high school seniors in Idaho Power’s service area. Eligible students must have a minimum 3.75 GPA and plan to enroll full-time in accredited STEM or business programs in Idaho or Oregon. Applications open on January 1, 2025, and awards are one-time grants for the following school year. This scholarship aims to support aspiring students in pursuing higher education.

The Robanna Fund, established in 1992 by Robert and Deanna Levy, supports students pursuing careers in healthcare. Administered by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, the fund awards scholarships averaging $6,000, depending on various factors such as the number of qualified applicants and donor preferences. Eligible applicants must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, reside in Hawai‘i, intend to major in a health-related field, and demonstrate financial need. This initiative aims to cultivate future healthcare professionals in the community.

Oregon Jewish Community Foundation 

Founded in 1989, the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation offers personalized service, cutting-edge investment expertise, flexibility, and focused investment.

We work throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, offering charitable giving opportunities to help individuals and families achieve their heartfelt philanthropic objectives.  The Foundation helps individuals and families achieve their heartfelt philanthropic goals through the most tax-advantaged approaches to charitable giving. As the community's partner in the region, OJCF provides sophisticated giving opportunities and exciting programs expressing the Jewish values of tzedakah (justice) and tikkun olam (healing the world).

Mission

OJCF’s mission is to build and promote a culture of giving in Oregon and Southwest Washington that supports a thriving Jewish community now and for generations to come.

Weitz Family Lunch and Learn Fund

The Weitz Family Lunch and Learn fund is accepting grant applications to support kosher lunch and learn Torah study for groups of passionate and curious community members that are yearning for learning.

This grant application is open on an ongoing basis.

About Oregon Humanities

Oregon Humanities is committed to bringing people together across differences of background, experience, and belief. Each year, we offer hundreds of public conversations and programs across the state, train and support dozens of discussion facilitators, and award grants and fellowships that help people connect, reflect, and cultivate a stronger sense of agency in their communities. In our magazine and on our website, we publish stories that explore the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of Oregonians. Our long-term hope is that the work of Oregon Humanities will make broad and significant contributions to a more cohesive, inclusive, and imaginative democratic culture.

Mini Grants for Libraries

A grant for Oregon libraries to create and host events in their communities.

Purpose of this grant

Our Mini Grants for Libraries enable Oregon libraries to create and host events in their own communities around an annual theme that corresponds to our Consider This Conversations.

In 2026, Oregon Humanities will award $25,000 in funding to enable Oregon libraries to create and host events in their own communities.

Events should reflect our 2026 theme: Beyond 250, which marks the 250th anniversary of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. Applicants are welcome to interpret this theme and develop topics that are relevant to their communities. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, explorations of:

• How do we think about and experience equality, freedom, independence, tyranny, justice, union, and other ideas central to the Declaration and to our nation’s understanding of itself?
• How has the Declaration shaped the country we live in today, and how might we shape its future?
• What characterized the period of time before the previous 250 years, and how can reflecting on a community's history inform the future?

Some activities that are commonly funded by this grant include:

• Community dialogues
• Speaker events that include audience engagement
• Interactive author presentations
• Storytelling
• Programming that connects exhibits to current experiences
• Community-engaged interpretation of history, art history and theory, cultural history, or philosophy

Notes about grant funded activities

• Programs can be in multiple languages or be in a language other than English. Grant reporting must be in English.
• Programs can be hosted online or in-person.

TC Energy’s Build Strong program supports vital organizations in communities near its operations. By providing grants, scholarships, and in-kind support, the program aims to enhance safety, education, environmental protection, and community well-being. Eligible applicants include non-profits and community groups addressing local needs. Ineligible activities include operational expenses and for-profit endeavors. The program prioritizes projects demonstrating measurable community impact, fostering a collaborative relationship between TC Energy and local stakeholders.

The Patterson Foundation offers Assistance Dog Program Grants to support organizations providing service animals to veterans and individuals with disabilities. Funding is available for projects that expand capacity, personnel costs related to puppy training, and program support aimed at improving client experiences. Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) non-profits and can request grants up to $35,000 for capital projects or $10,000 for program support. Applications are accepted through a two-step process.

Kuni Foundation

We advance the promise of human potential by investing in cancer research and accelerating the inclusion of individuals experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Imagination Grants: Advancing Opportunity and Inclusion for People Experiencing Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Program Focus

Imagination Grants serve as a catalyst for strengthening or expanding the capabilities of an organization in service to its mission. These one-year grants are intended to fulfill an unmet need or provide a spark to advance initiatives or access additional funding in pursuit of broader community goals. 

Individual Artist Fellowship

The Fellowship Program honors Oregon's professional artists and their achievements while supporting efforts to advance their careers.

The next deadline for the Fellowship program is for Performing Arts. This for the grant period from January 1, 2027 -- December 31, 2027.

The Arts Commission offers Fellowships in multiple artistic disciplines in alternating years:

• Performing Arts (choreography, dance, music composition, music performance, theater, performance art, storytelling and puppetry).
• Visual Arts (crafts, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, new media, fashion, graphic design and industrial design).

Creative West

Established in 1974 as a nonprofit U.S. Regional Arts Organization (USRAO), Creative West was founded on the belief that place matters to the creative process. Fifty years later, communities of place, practice, experience, and identity remain fundamental to our work, framing our understanding of how culture is creatively produced and collectively experienced.

Creative West empowers artists and culture-makers with direct, practical resources, delivered regionally.

We offer practical, equity-centered learning experiences and funding opportunities that connect and inspire artists, culture-bearers and communities to build a more inclusive sector, strengthen the arts field, and catalyze change.

Native Arts and Heritage Fund

The Native Arts + Heritage Fund (NAHF) is a community-rooted award program created to support Native American and Alaska Native artists, culture bearers, and cultural practitioners across the Creative West region.

Co-designed with Native-centered artists, advisors, and community leaders, NAHF centers care, cultural continuity, and self-determination. The fund honors Indigenous ways of knowing and values process over product, relationship over compliance, and well-being as a meaningful measure of impact. In addition to unrestricted funding, selected artists will participate in a three-month virtual cohort experience designed for connection, reflection, and shared learning.

NAHF is administered by Creative West, an organization that uplifts artists and culture bearers across the Creative West region by providing funding, mentorship, and culturally rooted support.

This is not a project-based grant.

This is an invitation into funding and relationships.

Applicants must provide a letter of support from an Alaska Native or Native American community member who can speak to their relationship to community and cultural work.

Unrestricted Funds May Be Used For:

• Taking time to create, reflect, or rest
• Purchasing tools, materials, or supplies
• Covering food, rent, childcare, or transportation
• Supporting wellness: physical, emotional, spiritual, or cultural
• Participating in cultural exchanges, mentorship, or learning
• Creating space to gather, teach, or share knowledge

The Oregon Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, managed by Business Oregon, provides essential financing for environmental actions related to brownfields. This program supports property owners in conducting cleanup and assessments to facilitate redevelopment, particularly in economically distressed areas. Eligible applicants include individuals, businesses, and municipalities, while grants may be awarded based on public benefits. The program aims to revitalize communities by addressing contamination issues and promoting economic development.

The Marine Navigation Improvement Fund Grant (OR) provides essential funding for port projects in Oregon, supporting both federally and non-federally authorized navigation improvements. The program aims to enhance navigation facilities, ensuring they meet safety and operational standards. Eligible projects may receive loans or grants, with funding determined by project type and readiness. Ports interested in applying must adhere to specific criteria and provide necessary documentation to secure funding. This initiative is crucial for boosting local economies and maintaining vital transportation routes.

The Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program (SRGP) in Oregon supports funding for the seismic upgrades of critical public buildings, focusing on public schools and emergency service facilities. Eligible applicants include public K-12 school districts and first responder buildings like fire and police stations. The grant can provide up to $2.5 million for eligible projects, ensuring buildings remain safe and functional in the event of a seismic event.

The Oregon Arts Commission offers Career Opportunity Grants to support artists at all stages in taking advantage of unique opportunities that enhance their careers. Grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 help cover costs, ensuring artists can participate without financial strain. These grants are awarded based on the potential for significant career impact, such as introducing work to new audiences or developing new skills through various activities. Additional funding may be available for established visual artists.

The Oregon Port Revolving Fund provides essential loans to port districts for the planning and construction of vital infrastructure and facilities. This state program, managed by Business Oregon, supports economic development through responsible investments, allowing ports to finance up to $3 million. Eligible projects include pre-project planning, construction, and maintenance, with flexible repayment terms based on project completion. This initiative underscores the significance of ports in enhancing Oregon's economic landscape.

The Port Planning & Marketing Fund in Oregon provides grants to enhance ports' economic development through strategic business planning and marketing projects. Law mandates that ports must update their business plans every decade to qualify for funding. Grants are limited to $50,000 or 75% of project costs. Priority is given to proposals for updating strategic plans, regional collaborations benefiting multiple ports, and projects that foster economic diversification, job creation, and redevelopment.

The TBF: Teen Pregnancy Prevention program offers financial support to 501(c)(3) organizations in Washington and Oregon focused on reducing teen pregnancy. Eligible projects must utilize evidence-based methods and can include health education initiatives and community clinic services. The program encourages applications from organizations with a clear budget and success criteria, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions to this critical issue.