Best Grants for Rural Development in Oregon

Nonprofits, public agencies, tribal governments, and fiscally sponsored groups working on disaster response or preparedness can seek support for programs in rural Oregon’s Curry County. Oregon rural development organizations in Curry County can access funding through Humboldt Area Foundation to address immediate needs and build resilience to fires, earthquakes, floods, and other disasters.

The Ford Family Foundation

The Ford Family Foundation is a nonprofit, private foundation proudly headquartered in Roseburg, Oregon, serving rural Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. Our investments through grants, scholarships and community building create the conditions for children to have the family, educational and community supports they need to succeed in life.

Hometown Fund

Purpose

For decades, The Ford Family Foundation has invested in Douglas County through scholarships, grants, leadership programs and community partnerships. These investments will continue. The Hometown Fund is an additional $10 million investment over 10 years, aimed to support the momentum already under way in Roseburg and help attract others to invest in local, transformational projects. With these funds, we can support 501(c)(3) nonprofits, governmental agencies and tribal nations.

The Fund will support large scale, catalytic capital projects and related pre-development efforts; capital requests of up to $1 million and pre-development requests up to $75,000. And beyond funding, there may be other ways we can partner on these efforts. Reach out to us!

Public agencies, nonprofits, tribes, businesses, and other property owners in Oregon can apply for Business Oregon’s brownfields financing to fund environmental assessment and cleanup tied to redevelopment. Revolving loans and limited grants support projects that spur economic development or community revitalization, which may benefit rural development efforts and distressed communities.

Private rural landowners in Oregon with at least 10 acres of land suitable for growing trees can receive cost-share support to develop or update professional Forest Stewardship Plans. Oregon Department of Forestry reimburses up to 75% of eligible planning costs, helping improve long-term forest productivity, economic value, and environmental benefits on rural properties.

Nonprofits, governmental agencies, and tribal nations serving rural Oregon can receive up to US $20,000 for community services programs and capital projects from The Ford Family Foundation. Focused on rural development, the Foundation invites organizations to support local priorities, emergencies, or facility improvements, including projects in Siskiyou County, California, when most beneficiaries are in the region.

Grants from The Ford Family Foundation help Oregon rural development organizations fund programs, operations, and capital projects that benefit children, families, and small communities. 501(c)(3) nonprofits, government agencies, and tribal nations serving rural Oregon and Siskiyou County, California can request larger awards above $20,000 for early childhood, youth success, and community facility initiatives.

Oregon 501(c)(3) nonprofits, governmental agencies, and tribal nations focused on rural children can receive up to US $5,000 for technical assistance to strengthen internal capacity. The Ford Family Foundation funds consultants for planning, governance, fundraising, or fiscal systems, and staff participation in mission-relevant trainings, supporting rural development efforts across the state.

Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits, government entities, and Tribal governments benefiting rural Oregon can apply for The Roundhouse Foundation’s capital grants, awarding up to US $100,000 for facility maintenance or new construction. Funding supports essential repairs, major renovations, or new community, educational, or health and wellness facilities that strengthen rural communities across arts and culture, education, social services, and environmental stewardship.

Nonprofits, government entities, Tribal governments, and fiscally sponsored groups in rural Oregon can receive up to US $5,000 for technical assistance and professional development needs such as training, strategic planning, or specialized equipment. The Roundhouse Foundation provides this competitive funding, prioritizing prior grantees and missions in arts, culture, journalism, storytelling, and rural fire and emergency services.

Nonprofits, government entities, and Tribal governments supporting rural Oregon can apply for $500 - $2,500 small grants to test innovative projects in arts and culture, education, social services, or environmental stewardship. Focused on rural development, the Roundhouse Foundation favors efforts that boost local economies, expand access to services, engage youth, and celebrate rural landscapes.

USDA provides Oregon rural development organizations with loans and grants to capitalize rural microloan revolving funds and support microentrepreneur training and technical assistance. Eligible Microenterprise Development Organizations can strengthen local rural economies by helping microenterprises start up and grow, making this a strong fit for rural development efforts across the state.

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.

For 2027, Oregon Humanities will award $40,000 in funding to enable Oregon libraries to create and host events in their own communities. 

Events should reflect our 2027 theme: What Do We Trust? We live in a time of declining trust. According to the Pew Research Center, most Americans now say they do not trust government, media, or one another. Grantees are welcome to interpret this theme and develop topics that are relevant to their communities. Potential topics include, but are not limited to the following:

• Why is trust so scarce? 
• How do we decide who or what to trust? 
• How is our trust in others affected by our circumstances, such as wealth, race, and where we live? (Oregonians are more likely than residents of other states to say that most people can be trusted. Why is that?) 

Applicants are encouraged to think about the concept of trust from various perspectives, including family, the economy, technology, civic life, and faith. 

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.

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

Grassroots nonprofit organizations, tribal agencies, and fiscally sponsored groups in Oregon working on tenant and housing justice organizing can apply for the Tenant and Housing Justice Grant, with awards up to US $25,000. Grants from Social Justice Fund Northwest help rural and small-town groups build tenant power, pursue policy change, and develop equitable, affordable housing solutions.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Oregon that primarily serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can seek planning funds to develop inclusive, affordable housing projects. Wayne D Kuni and Joan E Kuni Foundation supports creation of scalable, sustainable IDD housing plans, which may benefit rural development efforts in the state; awards up to US $75,000.

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.

Oregon rural development nonprofits, tribal and government entities can seek project funding supporting arts and culture, education, environmental stewardship, or social services that benefit rural Oregon. Oregon rural organizations can access funding through The Roundhouse Foundation’s Open Call, with awards from US $2,501 - US $30,000 for 12–18 month, community-centered initiatives, including some program-aligned infrastructure needs.

The Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Program, administered by Business Oregon, aims to enhance urban living conditions for low and moderate-income individuals. By providing funding and technical assistance, the program supports various projects, including public infrastructure, community facilities, and housing rehabilitation. Eligible applicants include non-metropolitan cities and counties in rural Oregon, while urban areas and specific counties are excluded. Grant amounts vary based on project needs, with maximums reaching up to $2.5 million for public works.

Oregon rural nonprofits focused on youth empowerment, healthy families, basic needs, or wilderness experiences can access funding through the Arthur R Dubs Foundation’s Responsive Grants Program. Grants of more than US $1,000 support general operations, special projects, or capital campaigns in designated rural counties, with priority for communities encouraging active outdoor lifestyles and wilderness engagement.

Nonprofits and other charitable organizations offering summer youth programs in Humboldt, Del Norte, or Curry counties can receive US $1,000 - US $2,000 for activities running June 1 to September 1. Humboldt Area Foundation’s Summer Youth Mini Grants may benefit Oregon rural development efforts in Curry County that focus on youth and families.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, tribal governments, public agencies, school districts, and colleges offering out-of-school time programs can receive US $75,000 - US $180,000 from The Oregon Community Foundation to deepen SEL program quality. Grants support Oregon and Siskiyou County programs serving low-income youth, youth of color, and under-resourced rural communities, which may advance rural development goals.

Grants help Oregon nonprofits and eligible entities provide entrepreneurship training, mentoring, and support, especially in under-resourced rural communities. The Oregon Community Foundation’s Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant offers one-year program or project funding, including staffing, with most awards up to US $25,000, prioritizing organizations serving women, people of color, and rural or under-resourced sectors.

Nonprofit organizations in Oregon seeking flexible funding for rural development, community culture, social justice, or organizational growth can apply for grants up to US $40,000. The Oregon Community Foundation’s Community Grants Program – Fall Cycle supports new or expanding programs, capacity-building efforts, and small capital projects addressing pressing community needs statewide.

Oregon 501(c)(3) nonprofits running workforce development, career training, or entrepreneurship programs can access funding through PGE Foundation; awards range from US $5,000 - US $25,000. Grants support adult skill-building, pathways to in-demand family-wage jobs in trades, STEM, and green sectors, wrap-around employment services, and support for minority- and women-owned small businesses, including in rural communities.

Public bodies, community-based nonprofits, and Federally Recognized Tribes in rural Oregon can use this program to purchase, construct, or improve essential community facilities and related equipment. Focused on rural development, USDA: Rural Development (RD) supports projects like health centers, public safety buildings, community centers, and local food system infrastructure in communities under 20,000 residents.

Rurally located public bodies, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized tribes in Oregon can use this funding to prepare for or recover from emergencies that threaten safe, reliable drinking water. With a mission to strengthen rural communities, USDA Rural Development provides grants up to US $1,000,000 for water source, treatment, and transmission line projects in eligible low-income rural areas.

With a mission to strengthen rural development, Oregon Humanities provides Oregon storytellers with $5,000 fellowships to create nonfiction stories about underrepresented communities. Individual creators in any medium, including those in rural areas, can receive mentorship, publication opportunities, and additional support for travel and project expenses over an eleven-month fellowship.