Search Through Operating Grants for Nonprofits in Oregon in the U.S.

Overview

Founded in 2007 by Kat Taylor and Tom Steyer, Beneficial State Bank is a B Corp Certified community development bank with branches in California, Oregon, and Washington. One hundred percent of the economic rights of Beneficial State Bank are owned not by private shareholders, but by nonprofit organizations, including Beneficial State Foundation. As nonprofit shareholders, we reinvest all distributed bank profit back into communities to promote thriving people, a healthy economy and a prosperous planet. This ownership structure allows us to learn and develop new metrics and standards as Beneficial State Bank tests and implements equitable banking products and practices.

As of 2023, Beneficial State Bank is a $1.7 billion asset state-chartered, federally insured bank with branches in California, Oregon, and Washington. Learn more about the origins of Beneficial State Bank.

Supporting Our Communities With Sponsorships

From day one, Beneficial State Bank has been committed to supporting our community above and beyond our lending by providing sponsorships to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations each year. We provide sponsorships to 501(c)(3) organizations in California, Oregon, and Washington that are engaged in transformative social justice and environmental work in our target sectors:

Social:

• Affordable and Multi-family Housing
• Arts, Culture and Community Building
• Education and Youth Development
• Beneficial Financial Services
• Economic, Business and Job Development
• Making, Manufacturing and Production
• Social Justice

Environmental:

• Environmental Sustainability
• Health and Well-being (non-food)
• Healthy Food
• Other Mission Categories (Business Ownership, Structures and Practices)

Beneficial State Bank has a unique business model compared to other banks. As a mission-driven bank majority-owned by the nonprofit Beneficial State Foundation, we work to maximize prosperity for our communities and our customers instead of working to maximize shareholder profits. We structure our business practices to benefit our stakeholders, not just our shareholders, so our total sponsorship budget is smaller than what you’ll find at a large, national bank. Therefore, we are limited in the number of sponsorships we can approve each year.

Statement of Objectives

Idaho Power Company (IPC) does not believe that its responsibility ends with the delivery of reliable, affordable, and clean energy to its customers. As a corporate citizen, IPC believes that its responsibility extends to supporting and participating in activities and organizations that help maintain and improve the quality of life within the communities we serve. Serving those who depend on us is at the center of everything we do. We all prosper by committing to the needs, safety, and success of our customers, communities, employees, and shareholders.

IPC’s contributions of financial and non-financial or “in-kind” support are investments in the economic and social viability of the communities we serve. But the benefits to the community and IPC are not always measurable, and subjectivity is a part of every contribution decision. It is the intent of IPC that its contributions strike a reasonable balance between the need to be accountable and responsible to our shareowners and customers and the desire to contribute to the economic and social needs within communities we serve. 

At IPC, we continually strive to lead with our values and beliefs. Idaho Power is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. Our community comes from all walks of life and so do we. All contribution decisions will be made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, or age. 

 Community Contributions

Community contributions range from support for capital fund drives to sponsorship of nonprofit fundraising events to non-cash donations like awarding retired company vehicles to emergency-response organizations.

IPC has established five general categories of contributions.

These categories are:

• Health and Human Services:
• To assure the availability of adequate health care and human service support for employees and other members of the public and to promote the development of new, workable responses to health and human services needs, this category includes:
  • Support of organizations dedicated to this cause, and other federated campaigns.
  • Hospitals and other health care facilities.
  • Agencies for senior citizens and the elderly.
  • Youth agencies.
  • Local health and human service organizations.
• Agencies receiving primary funding from federated drives (e.g., Unites Way) to which IPC separately contributes are generally not eligible for additional health and human services operating funds. Exceptions may exist in the case of capital fund drives.

• Education:
  • Priority is given to education to ensure the continued availability of highly skilled, educated men and women to enrich local communities and from among whom IPC may draw employees, to encourage continuing research and development in academic areas relevant to IPC, and to promote standards of educational excellence.
• Culture and Arts:
  • Contributions made in this area are intended to encourage high standards of excellence and provide a pool of creative resources in the visual and performing arts for the enrichment of our employees and the community. This category includes support to orchestras, museums, theaters, performing arts programs, cultural arts programs, public radio and television, and non-academic libraries.
• Civic and Community:
  • Support for organizations and/or programs addressing civic and community needs demonstrates our commitment to increasing citizen awareness and participation in the management of community life. This commitment extends to supporting organizations that provide services for adequate housing and neighborhood improvements, local civic and community projects, conservation activities, and the support of groups desiring to develop workable solutions to community issues.
• Environment and Recreation:
  • This category provides contributions to organizations and projects that support environmental stewardship, including clean and renewable energy. It also supports the expansion and preservation of recreation opportunities.
• Other:
  • This category includes support for organizations not included in the four preceding categories, but which have a benevolent or philanthropic purpose relevant to IPC and its communities. 

IPC intends to respond to requests for contributions in a timely manner, and generally not more than 60 days following submission of the completed application.

Starseed Foundation seeks to provide opportunities and exposure to the arts and environment, to improve the quality of life for those in need, and support social programs that offer cultural and lasting benefit to deserving populations.

In furtherance of these goals Starseed Foundation shall:

• Make gifts to exempt organizations which focus on expanding and enriching the performing and visual arts through education and public performance
• Make gifts to exempt organizations which focus on the environment through education and environmental protection work
• Make gifts to exempt organizations in support of literacy
• Make gifts to exempt organizations to alleviate hunger and support social services;
• Make gifts to exempt organizations that support programs related to children and animal welfare
• Make gifts to exempt organizations, with board approval, in support of culture and community improvement
• Make gifts to exempt institutions of education that support the goals listed above.

Since its inception, the Foundation, which is still led by Lester T. Sunderland's descendants, has focused on supporting construction projects, awarding grants to nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other markets traditionally served by the Ash Grove Cement Company. 

 The Foundation prefers to make grants for construction and special interest projects rather than for annual operating expenses. 

Grants for planning, design, construction, renovation, repairs and restoration of facilities are considered. Areas of interest include higher education, youth serving agencies, health facilities, community buildings, museums, civic projects and energy efficient affordable housing projects sponsored by qualified tax-exempt organizations. 

Funding Areas

In recent grant cycles, the Board of Trustees has awarded the majority of grants in four broadly defined areas:

Higher Education

In 2022, the Foundation awarded $49 million to more than 35 educational organizations. Grantees included community colleges, private colleges, and public universities.

Human Services

The Foundation awarded $30 million to human service nonprofits in 2022, and many grants in this area went to groups that provide essential services to youth and families. Grantees included a range of youth-focused groups, including Reconciliation Services, the Nebraska Youth Justice Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska and the Sno-Valley Senior Center in Carnation, Washington. 

Arts and Culture

Arts and culture projects received $23 million in 2022, including grants to the Springfield Art Museum in Springfield, Missouri, the Omaha Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium in Seattle, Washington. Health Care and Hospitals.

Health Care and Hospitals

This is a growing area of need in many communities the Foundation serves. In 2022, $65 million was awarded to hospitals and health-care groups to build and improve their facilities.

Larger funding requests

For requests that exceed $25,000, applications should be aligned with our funding priorities. We fund programs, operations and capital projects. 

Grant Funding Priorities

Family

Grants aligned with our Family impact area help strengthen connections between a parent or other primary caregiver and a child. We focus on ensuring that children have nurturing attachments from their earliest years, including preventing child abuse and neglect. We also focus on promoting financial stability so that families have the resources they need to care for their children.

Current grant funding examples

• Children’s mental health supports
• Parenting support programs
• Domestic violence programs and shelters for families with children
• Child abuse prevention and intervention programs
• Supports for children in foster care
• Maternal-child health programs
• Two-generation family literacy programs
• Family financial education and access
• Earned Income Tax Credit access and utilization
• Scholarships for parents to complete their college education
• Statewide networks and systems reform to support all of the above

Education

Grants aligned with our Education impact area aim to ensure that rural children have the supports and opportunities they need to succeed in their education. Our emphasis is on early childhood education, helping children start strong in their early grades, and preparing students for the transition from high school to postsecondary education or a career.

Current grant funding examples

• Child care and early childhood education
• Early literacy programs
• Family engagement in their children’s education
• Programs that support social-emotional learning
• Youth development and summer learning programs
• Programs supporting students of color and marginalized populations
• College and/or career preparation programs
• Scholarships for aspiring low-income rural and urban students to attend and complete college
• Programs to support low-income, first-generation rural student success beyond high school

Community

Grants aligned with our Community impact area support conditions that help children and families thrive in rural communities. This includes focusing on their local economies, social capital, community visioning and planning capacity, and public gathering spaces.

Current grant funding examples

• Community building and engagement efforts
• Community centers and convening spaces
• Community social service centers (Where direct youth programming is provided)
• Arts and culture centers
• Libraries
• Rural health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers)
• Disaster resiliency planning and fire halls
• Community economic development planning, feasibility studies
• Community supports for entrepreneurs, including start-ups, business retention, and youth and women entrepreneurs
• Business development services

Applying for a capital project?

We offer support for large capital projects (usually up to $250,000) aligned with our impact areas. Capital grants can fund up to one-third of a project’s total budget. Successful applications include significant community support in the form of local or regional dollars. Fifty percent of the budget should be raised before applying. This process can take three to six months.

Capital projects aligned with our impact area are limited to the following:

• Community centers and gathering spaces
• Social services centers (when direct youth programming is provided)
• Libraries
• Children’s museums or children’s exhibitions
• Small business incubators
• Fire halls
• Rural health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers)
• Art and cultural centers

In addition, we support capital projects aligned with our Family and Education impact areas.

Youth Empowerment Grants Program

Greetings and welcome to the Believe in Me Youth Empowerment Grants Program! We're here to bring tangible change to children's lives, and we're excited that you're interested in joining hands with us.

5 Pillars of Caring

From meeting basic needs to fostering a sense of belonging, your support creates transformative experiences for the kids who need it most. These initiatives provide everything marginalized youth need to overcome adversity and pursue their dreams. Your support cultivates life-changing connections and youth empowerment, instilling hope and confidence for the future. Let's dive a little deeper into our 5 Pillars of Caring.

• Basic Human Needs:
  • Amidst challenging times, these programs stand as pillars of support, meeting kids' fundamental needs with essentials like food, shelter, clothing, or vital documents. They also extend emotional refuge, providing solace for intense feelings, and create a haven of comfort as they transition to new environments, offering safe havens adorned with beds, blankets, toys, and more. Through these steadfast endeavors, a message of unyielding care shines, illuminating their path during the most trying moments.
• Love & Belonging:
  • Like a warm hug, these programs support vulnerable children who have been removed from their homes, cradling them with unyielding affection. Caregivers receive guidance to craft nurturing environments and preserve sibling bonds. Special advocates offer unwavering support, while the gentle presence of animal companions lends a hand in healing. Care packages and moments of respite stand as poignant symbols, affirming that every step of their journey is embraced with deep compassion and belonging.
• Community Support:
  • With care and kindness, these programs are beacons of light for youth facing challenges. They offer things like comfort, transportation, or legal guidance through tough experiences like trauma, abuse, or substance use. This lifeline doesn't stop when they come of age—it's a constant source of support, guidance, and help. As they enter adulthood, they find support for living independently, obtaining an education, and embarking on careers within a steadfast, supportive community.
• Education Program:
  • Nurturing a spirit of endless possibilities, these programs are guiding lights for kids to conquer anything, building success in education and equipping them with life skills like budgeting, cooking, and cleaning. Offering a bridge to knowledge and access to technology, they weave tutoring and career readiness into the journey. From leadership lessons to school supplies, these youth empowerment initiatives pave the way, cultivating a profound sense of brilliance and lighting a flame of hope for the future.
• Enrichment Program:
  • Every child deserves to conquer challenges and rise regardless of their journey. In these youth empowerment programs, young heroes who've triumphed over adversity connect, share stories, make friends, and embark on adventures that light up their lives. Through diverse, enriching activities like music, theater, sports, and art, they explore passions that fuel their spirits. With mentors as guiding constellations, they chart a course toward a brighter, promising future of self-discovery and boundless growth.

Features

• Mission-Centric Approach: We prioritize programs whose missions align with ours. When our goals resonate, we create something truly impactful.
• Tangible Impact: We're not just about ideas – we're about supporting initiatives that can make a real, measurable difference. Our focus is on results.
• Pacific Northwest Outreach: Our scope isn’t limited to Spokane. We extend our support wherever it's needed, spanning various corners of the Pacific NW.
• Fairness at Heart: Equal opportunities are at the core of what we do. Our commitment to fairness ensures that every grant application gets a fair evaluation.
• Good Stewardship: We place great importance on accountability. Our grants are allocated thoughtfully to maximize their impact.

Funding

Think between $5,000 and $15,000. That's our sweet spot.

Onpoint Community Credit Union Community Giving 

Established in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union has become Oregon’s largest credit union with over 500,000 members. As we have grown, so has our commitment to community engagement, from the volunteerism encouraged among employees to direct financial support of schools and nonprofits.

OnPoint awards grants to community-based organizations offering programming that aligns with one or both of our impact values. Funding can be requested for programmatic and general operating support.

OnPoint’s focus areas

• Economic Opportunity
• Community Vitality

We are able to consider one grant request per organization in a 12-month period.

WESTAF’s TourWest Grant provides flexible funding for presenters/presenting organizations within the WESTAF region to support their regional touring program. WESTAF also encourages the inclusion of community/educational outreach as part of an organization’s presentation of touring artists. 

TourWest is a competitive grant program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts to provide subsidies to arts and community organizations in the 13-state WESTAF region and jurisdictions, including Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa for the presentation of touring performers and literary artists. 

Through TourWest, WESTAF and the National Endowment for the Arts aim to encourage the presentation of performing arts programming to culturally diverse audiences and those that do not typically enjoy ready access to the performing arts. In order to understand local needs and interests, WESTAF advocates working directly with individuals and groups from the communities that your organization seeks to serve. Community engagement and participation are key components of a successful TourWest grant application. 

WESTAF defines regional touring as programming that presents out-of-state touring artists and/or in-state touring artists traveling at least 50 miles to your venue. Presenters/presenting organizations are defined as organizations that present or host guest artists for engagements in their communities. Presenters can include but are not limited to community cultural organizations, community centers, churches, schools/colleges/universities, libraries, museums, film festivals/series, and performing arts centers. Typically, producing organizations or performing arts groups are not considered presenters, and are encouraged to contact WESTAF to discuss eligibility.

TourWest seeks to support the engagement of new audiences as well as collaboration between the presenters, artists, agents, and communities. In addition to working collaboratively with the artist(s) and/or community partners in planning the project, WESTAF encourages presenters to take advantage of opportunities such as block booking, presenter networks, and booking conferences to reduce costs and make artistic opportunities available to a broader audience. Partnerships and collaborative efforts between presenters are considered in the panel’s evaluation of an application and project.

Program Overview

Creative West’s TourWest grant program, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, provides funding to presenters and presenting organizations to bring touring performers and literary artists to communities throughout the Western region.

Regional touring is defined as:

Programming that brings out-of-state touring artists to your venue, or In-state artists traveling at least 50 miles from their home base TourWest focuses on expanding access to the performing arts, especially in underserved communities.

To support this goal:

• Creative West encourages working closely with local individuals and groups to understand and meet community needs.
• Applicants are urged to include community engagement or educational outreach activities in their projects.
• Collaboration with artists, agents, and community partners is highly encouraged, along with strategies like block booking and using presenter networks to reduce costs and maximize impact.

Our Current Priorities

For those requesting support for youth programs, the Foundation will continue to focus on rural BIPOC organizations and allowing organizations to use awarded funds for general operating support.

Recognizing the critical role of BIPOC organizations, the Charlotte Martin Foundation continues to make it a priority to partner with organizations doing progressive work specifically in the areas of youth education and climate change, with a special emphasis on serving communities of color. Three years ago, we created a fellowship designed around researching BIPOC led organizations within our 5-state region that align with our priorities. We recognize that private funding is inequitably given to white-led organizations and we want to show our commitment to redistributing resources to non-dominant, BIPOC organizations.

Increasing Opportunities for BIPOC:

Increasing racial equity and diversity for youth ages 6-18.

BIPOC led nonprofit organizations with diverse leadership and staff are the focus of our grant-making. Organizations based in rural communities are also a priority for our foundation.

Programs that create opportunities in areas of education, cultural expression and athletics. Including but not limited to:

• Increase access to and the creation of diverse cultural experiences.
• Improve school-based and out-of-school learning opportunities in areas such as science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) and other areas.
• Increase early college awareness and access to post-secondary education.
• Increase access to sports and diversify sports programs.

Guidelines for Youth Programs

Our program funding for youth ages 6-18 falls into three areas: Athletics, Culture and Education. Grants for youth programs must fall within one of these three program areas.

Youth Athletics

Athletics include a wide range of individual and team sports, with an emphasis on the value of sports for lifelong participation. School-sponsored intramural and after school sports programs have been greatly reduced, and middle-school aged youth have been most affected. After school athletics can be the incentive that gets kids involved in programs that also have educational and cultural components. Demand is increasing for athletics programs and facilities in rural areas and inner cities. More girls are getting involved in sports, requiring additional programs and space. Coaches are key to a positive experience for young people, and good coaching requires training.

Youth Culture

Culture includes art, music, dance, literature, theater, ethnic and regional heritage. Positive experiences in culture are essential in educating the whole person and should be an integral part of the lives of youth. Young people can use cultural experiences as creative resources to build self-esteem, promote personal growth, and preserve traditions. Arts and culture programs in the schools are being reduced or eliminated, and many communities, both urban and rural, have limited access to cultural resources.

Youth Education

All young people should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. Education, in and out of school, happens best when youth direct their learning and engage in compelling problem-solving and critical thinking. Educators need support to play a vital role in assisting youth to investigate their passions and explore new interests. Rural schools often have less access to resources and curricula than urban schools. Both public and private schools need support.

Grant Opportunities

Communities need nonprofits to thrive

We believe in transformational ideas that help individuals, families and communities flourish—and since 1975, the Murdock Trust has invested more than $1.4 billion into nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to thinking bigger, challenging problems and making a true difference.

Strategic Project Grants

Capacity-building awards for mission-focused projects and infrastructure investment

Capital Grants

Is capital growth or expansion important to your nonprofit’s vision for long-term growth and success? The Murdock Trust regularly makes grants that support construction, renovation, land purchase and other capital projects. In most cases, we prefer to receive requests for these types of projects once your organization has raised a portion of the needed funds.

Grant Opportunities

Communities need nonprofits to thrive

We believe in transformational ideas that help individuals, families and communities flourish—and since 1975, the Murdock Trust has invested more than $1.4 billion into nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to thinking bigger, challenging problems and making a true difference.

Strategic Project Grants

Capacity-building awards for mission-focused projects and infrastructure investment

Equipment & Technology Grants

Best practices suggest that a healthy equipment and supporting technology infrastructure is essential. Please note that with these grants, recipient organizations are responsible for 50% or greater of the purchase cost.

At Banner we care about the places where we work and live—the places we call home—and we appreciate your interest in our Banner Gives program.

Areas considered for Banner Gives grants include:

• Housing,
  • especially programs that address homelessness and opportunities to advance affordable housing such as home ownership counseling and projects creating and/or preserving access to affordable housing
• Youth
  • academic achievement, civic involvement, financial literacy (see below), as well as physical and emotional development
• Financial education
  • for youth and adults
• Economic development
  • with greatest emphasis on aiding small business and small farm development and lending, workforce development education, job creation and retention

Who We Are

Based in Portland, Oregon and created in 2019 by Dr. Ron Naito, the Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation continues his legacy of healing by supporting nonprofit organizations that strengthen, protect, and transform our communities and our planet.

Our grants support organizations working all over the world to mitigate the climate crisis, reduce health disparities, and build communities that are socially equitable and environmentally sustainable. We also support Oregon-based arts and education initiatives, particularly those focused on under-resourced communities.

Our grants are trust-based. Because we respect the expertise of our nonprofit partners and understand that they know best how to spend their funds, all of our grants are unrestricted.

Current Funding Trends

• Under-represented areas:
  • If you work in these areas and are eligible within our funding priorities and restrictions, please consider applying.
    • Nonprofits that work internationally or domestically outside of Oregon, including regional and national organizations
    • Climate crisis mitigation, especially aggressive efforts to curtail or prevent new greenhouse gas emissions
    • International long-term health equity initiatives and health equity initiatives addressing aging and supporting elders
    • Systemic initiatives and advocacy/policy work in any of our funding priorities
• Over-represented areas:
  • We value these types of work and still seek applications from these categories, but applicants may find these categories slightly more competitive if current trends continue.
    • Arts initiatives
    • Oregon frontline nonprofits across all sectors
    • Frontline services, especially organizations supporting people with mental health or substance use needs and organizations supporting survivors of child abuse and domestic and sexual violence

Funding Area: Climate

We seek to fund initiatives that work aggressively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to prevent new emission sources now, both at the frontlines and through policy, markets, litigation, and legislation.

This includes (but isn’t limited to) organizations that:

• Support or lead upstream policy, advocacy, or other reform initiatives that deter new fossil fuel investments, accelerate decarbonization, and promote renewable energies, both domestically and internationally.
• Advance grassroots organizing by Indigenous or other frontline communities, or work to advance climate justice in systems or markets.
• Regranting organizations that can pool our resources with other funders’ and direct them to impactful, proven organizations.

Funding

We tend not to fund organizations with annual budgets over $20 million, although there are some exceptions. We often fund grassroots initiatives. We fund larger organizations ($10m+ budgets) only if they primarily are resource, advocacy, policy, movement-building; if they are regranting organizations; or if they work beyond the local/statewide level (regional, national, international). We also occasionally fund larger organizations working across multiple regions or countries to provide lasting frontline interventions.

We offer unrestricted grants, mostly ranging from $5,000-$40,000. We occasionally fund smaller and larger requests, and we are moving toward more multi-year grants. We try to keep a balance between organizations providing frontline services and organizations working to create and advocate for systemic solutions.

Our grants are unrestricted and can be used for general operating, program/project, capacity building, capital requests (for projects with budgets under $1m), endowment, seed funding, etc.

The PGE Foundation works in collaboration with the community to help improve educational outcomes, inspire critical thinking through arts experiences and strengthen family stability.

Education

We believe that education is the cornerstone of individual success and community vitality. That's why we're committed to partnering with organizations that provide young people with real opportunities for the future. Our goal is to offer students a clear pathway to higher education and/or a career.

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 use input from the community they're serving and intentionally focus on communities that have faced historic or systemic barriers in reaching equal outcomes.

Arts & Culture

The Foundation will provide support for nonprofits that foster Asian art and culture. Examples include Asian cultural festivals, music and dance, Chinese and Japanese gardens, museums highlighting Asian art, and educational programs on Asian or Asian American history. Priority will be given to organizations that are inclusive to the general public and foster a greater understanding and appreciation for Asian art and culture.

Arts & Culture: Deadline to receive LOIs is end of day Monday, January 9th, 2023.

Environment

The Foundation is committed to supporting work that enhances wildlife connectivity by awarding two-year grants. Our goal is to ensure the health and sustainability of wildlife populations affected by habitat fragmentation due to the disruption of their continuous ecosystems. We aim to foster a resilient and connected ecosystem through these targeted efforts, promoting biodiversity and ecological health. 

What We Do

On the surface, Foundation work may seem to only be about giving money to a nonprofit organization — simple as that. But no! When done well, a foundation’s money giving is only a small part of its activities. To give is not the end game. Well, then why do we exist? TO EFFECT CHANGE!

Who changes? As a Foundation, we do. As a receiving nonprofit organization or partner, they do. The people the nonprofits serve also change. We seek to energize our nonprofit partners to excellence by helping them find positive change resulting in the ability to better the lives of those less fortunate. How is this done? In our changing times the answer to the question is – THINK DIFFERENTLY!

We accomplish our core value to effect change by employing the following key strategies to support our nonprofit partners:

• Conduct site visits of our nonprofit partners to hear and see what they do, meet their people, learn their processes, and provide recommendations on how we may help to advance their mission.
• Attending nonprofit fundraising events such as luncheons, galas, or evening programs to understand how the nonprofit functions in their community.
• Attending our nonprofit fundraising events such as luncheons, galas, or evening programs to understand how the nonprofit functions in their community.
• Awarding grants to help key nonprofits to accomplish their mission.
• Introduce nonprofit partners to other partners that promotes networking opportunities in support of common goals.

Our Mission

The primary interests of the Foundation are to partner with nonprofit organizations which address the needs of at-risk youth, families, and the elderly.

The Foundation has a commitment to bettering the lives of the less fortunate in the areas of Families In Crisis, Education, and Mental Health.

Our Values

Our Foundation is in the CHANGE business. Energizing our nonprofit partners to achieve excellence, helps them find positive change.

Thos nonprofit partners that achieve excellence in the art of positive change are considered for the Queen Award.

By providing support, our partners can better the lives of those less fortunate to become productive and self-sufficient in their community. Our core value is witnessing positive change in our partners, and those who are helped by them.

Areas of Focus

• Families in Crisis
• Education
• Mental Health
• Caring for Children

The Rose Grant

The Rose Grant is our most commonly awarded grant — and largest grant budget — designed to support Oregon nonprofits of many shapes and sizes. This grant program, like all programs, is competitive, but more accessible than that of a Daffodil or Zinnia Grant.

• While our typical Rose Grant is $25,000-$35,000 per year, awards can range between $10,000 and $75,000 annually, an increase from 2024
• Award terms can be up to three (3) years for well-aligned, competitive applicants, though they are most commonly 1-2 year terms
• Organizations must have operating budgets in excess of $250,000 to pursue a Rose Grant
• We often encourage first-time partners, or those with whom we have only partnered a few times, to pursue a Rose Grant before considering a more competitive program

The Rose and Daffodil Grant programs share an application, though Daffodil candidates may be required to submit more extensive materials or responses. Once the application period closes, we expect to issue funding decisions within 3-4 months

The Daffodil Grant

The Daffodil Grant is our second most competitive public grant program, designed to issue more substantive investment to many of our most aligned, most impactful Oregon partners.

• Our typical Daffodil Grant is $100,000-$125,000 per year, though awards can be anywhere between $75,000 and $250,000 per year
• Award terms can be up to three (3) years and many of our Daffodil partners receive multi-year commitments
• Organizations must have operating budgets in excess of $500,000 to pursue a Daffodil Grant
• This is an increasingly competitive program, and organizations who apply for a Daffodil Grant will only be considered for this program — such that candidates who are not competitive will not be "moved” for Rose Grant consideration; this preserves the integrity of our grant budgets and ensures that lesser competitive programs stay as such.
• This grant is typically awarded to organizations with whom we have partnered several times, and those who are exceptionally well aligned with our Mission, values, and priorities.

The Rose and Daffodil Grant programs share an application, though Daffodil candidates may be required to submit more extensive materials or responses. Once the application period closes, we expect to issue funding decisions within 3-4 months.

About our Grant Making

Ninety-nine girlfriends makes annual grants, called Impact Awards, in the Portland Metro/SW Washington region from a pool of money contributed by our members. Impact awards range from $50,000-$100,000 each year, depending on that year’s pool.

We fund equally in four focus areas, selecting nonprofits whose work is aligned with our vision of a more equitable future for all and our values of strength in diversity, collective action, and community impact.

Letters of Interest are due in early April. Then, we use our internal processes to select the ones that are most aligned with our vision and values. These organizations are invited to submit applications. During this time, our member-volunteer teams are learning about implicit bias, equity and inclusion, Trust-Based Philanthropy, and consensus building. 

Guiding Principles

In addition to our eligibility criteria, we apply the following principles and trust-based philanthropy to guide decision-making on grant applications.

Equity - Grant making must be grounded in equity.

Trust - We believe the organizations that apply for our grants are the experts in their field. We will lead with trust, respect, humility and curiosity.

Learning - At our heart, we are a learning organization. We value new approaches as much as experience, we recognize our missteps as learning opportunities, and we learn best together. 

Responsiveness and Transformative Impact - We fund organizations that respond to a critical need and/or are working to address the root causes of systemic issues.

Initiative and risk-taking - We believe that taking risks and exploring new ideas can lead to innovative solutions to complex societal problems.  

We engage women in a collaborative learning environment of inclusiveness and mutual respect, incorporating our collective voices, perspectives, talents, and skills. We educate ourselves about implicit bias, equitable grant making, and consensus-building, and we are embedding racial equity in our work. Each year is a new year of grantmaking at ninety-nine girlfriends. Community context changes as do our members, our grant review teams, and our annual Funding Priority. In the end, what we fund is determined by the votes of our members. 

Focus Areas

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our work. Our vision is a more equitable community for all, therefore we prioritize funding that supports communities that are historically and/or currently underserved with respect to socioeconomic status, race, identity, or ability.

We seek to fund organizations working to improve educational equity, opportunity, or education-related services for children and youth from pre-K through high school in the areas of:

• Early childhood education and development
• Out-of-school time and summer learning
• Programs that work to close achievement and opportunity gaps
• Career and/or college readiness tools and skills for high school students
• Arts education, cultural education, and creative expression

We seek to fund organizations working to ensure everyone has equal access to resources and safe spaces, across environmental issues in the areas of:

• Access to environmental resources - healthy food, homes, water and green space
• Countering environmental burdens - pollution in air, water, and land
• Providing educational resources around sustainability and climate change preparedness
• Advancing participation in the green workforce
• Promoting systems change that includes meaningful and inclusive participation in the environmental decision-making process, that promotes environmental justice and equitable environmental policies

We seek to fund organizations delivering trauma-informed services that focus on housing solutions and home stability for families, youth, and adults in the areas of:

• Prevention of homelessness and helping people stabilize and keep their housing
• Emergency, temporary, and transitional housing and shelters
• Housing placement
• Resources and support that help prevent adverse childhood experiences or provide healing resources for families experiencing housing/home instability
• Wrap-around services that strengthen housing/home stability including mental and physical health services, recovery support, and domestic violence advocacy

We seek to fund organizations that advance the economic security and financial well-being of women by removing barriers to work in the areas of:

• Job readiness - including skills training, trades, and education
• Adult literacy and language proficiency
• Financial literacy
• College and post-secondary success
• Accessibility to affordable and reliable childcare
• Accessibility to safe and affordable healthcare including physical, mental, dental, and reproductive health

Ninety-nine girlfriends recognizes the complexities of gender identity and gender expression, and welcome cisgender women, transgender women, and gender non-binary, gender non-conforming, or gender queer persons.

Use of Funds

Funds may be used for general operating or project support to advance your mission. Awardees may choose to have funds disbursed in one payment in 2024, or in two payments: one in 2024 and one in 2025. 

About

The Arthur R. Dubs Foundation was formed in 1996 to honor and perpetuate the legacy of Arthur R. Dubs, a genuine outdoorsman, filmmaker and philanthropist.

Responsive Grants

We view grant awards as a partnership and are excited to learn about your work; eager to partner with organizations whose primary purpose assist us in achieving our mission; and optimistic that together we can improve our communities for generations to come.

The Arthur R. Dubs Foundation is in a transitional period, and we appreciate your patience as we prepare to celebrate our 20th Anniversary of giving and position ourselves to engage at a deeper level with non-profit organizations. At this time, our grant guidelines are very fluid so we encourage applicants to review these guidelines often prior to submission.

Primary Areas of Interest

Mr. Dubs was a Southern Oregon native who lived his life exploring and hunting in the wilderness areas that surrounded him. The Foundation’s mission is to empower youth; promote mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy families; and to inspire the love of wilderness areas.

To support this mission the Foundation looks for programs that are:

• Provide positive youth development experiences and innovative upstream interventions so youth can reach their full potential;
• Improving access to basic needs such as food, medical care and public safety in rural communities;
• Inspire a love of wilderness areas through diverse and robust hunting heritage programs that provide experiences and education on the integral role that hunting plays in habitat conservation;
• Assist Veterans in their journey to find healing through wilderness based reintegration programs.

Types of Grant Support Awarded

The Foundation will accept grant applications requesting general operating support, special project support and capital campaigns.

The PGE Foundation works in collaboration with the community to help improve educational outcomes, inspire critical thinking through arts experiences and strengthen family stability.

Creative Expression

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 use input from the community they're serving and intentionally focus on communities that have faced historic or systemic barriers in reaching equal outcomes.

Nominate a Nonprofit

The People Helping People Awards are a celebration of exceptional work within the communities we serve and provide us the opportunity to honor members and nonprofits that drive positive change through service to others.

Each year, BECU members can nominate local nonprofits for a People Helping People Award of up to $50,000 in grant funds.

So look around you for heroes who deserve recognition, and nominate a nonprofit for a BECU People Helping People Award today.

Giving Areas and Subcategories

Nonprofit work must be focused in any one of the following seven giving areas:

• Advancing education (Pre-K through college): Access to education, mentoring, educational materials and programming, classroom, school and PTSA funding for educational programs/materials/experiences.
• Arts and culture: Equitable access to art experiences, underrepresented art and cultural organizations, cultural programs.
• Creating economic opportunity: Living-wage jobs, small and startup businesses, job quality for low-wage workers.
• Preserving health and promoting wellness: Access to healthcare, illness prevention/cure, mental health, patient support, disabilities, veteran advocacy.
• Preserving or restoring the environment: Conservation, stewardship, sustainability.
• Providing for basic human needs: Affordable housing, homelessness, senior advocacy, infant and child advocacy, food/diaper/clothing banks.
• Strengthening local communities: Neighborhoods, public safety, search and rescue, outdoor spaces, rotary/chamber.

The Washington Fund

While we focus more exclusively on Oregon state impact, we still value our partnerships with Washington State nonprofits and value the incredible work being performed by our past and present partners there. 

• We generally expect our average Washington Fund award to mimic our Rose Grant program, with the median award being $25,000-$35,000; awards will vary significantly for this program, however, and will be difficult to predict
• Award terms are typically 1-2 years, with terms open to three (3) years for exceptional applicants
• Generally, this program is only open to general operating support. In rare cases, we will accept applications for Capital Campaigns, though awards for such efforts will still reflect the anticipated median size
• We expect this program to be competitive and will prioritize organizations with whom we have partnered before, especially those in Southwest, Central, and Eastern Washington. Partners in Western Washington, especially the greater Seattle area, are less competitive but still welcome to submit a self-nomination.
• This program is only open to organizations headquartered in and primarily serving Washington State and/or Oregon 

The PGE Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Portland General Electric. Founded in 1997, the foundation was created through an endowment with the purpose of improving the quality of life for all Oregonians.

PGE Foundation welcomes applications from eligible nonprofits through three focus-specific grant cycles: Education, Creative Expression and Career Pathways. While the majority of grants support projects and programs that align with our funding priorities, we also award grants for operating expenses and new and existing capital construction projects.

Career Pathways

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

Conventional grants

Our Board meets once each year in September to decide grants for that year that have not been decided through the small grant program. Inquiries are due August 1 of each year, but may be submitted anytime during the year. These grants are scheduled for distribution in November.

Eligibility Areas

The Foundation makes grants primarily for the purposes detailed here. An important element of all grants is a benefit to the public at large, rather than to specialized populations or groups.

Historic Preservation

Historic preservation has been our principal funding area since our beginning. In 2006 we identified our primary interest in this area as architectural preservation — the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction of historic buildings, structures and related sites. Most of the projects we fund involve buildings that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing resource in an historic district.

We will continue to consider grants for other historic preservation activities as a secondary interest.

Native Wildlife Rehabilitation and Appreciation

Native wildlife rehabilitation is the focus of this interest, and is almost exclusively limited to nonprofits managed by state- and federally-licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These programs offer urgent care of injured and orphaned wildlife native to Oregon and Washington.

A small portion of our native wildlife budget is reserved for wildlife appreciation projects or programs that offer the general public opportunities to observe and appreciate the natural world. These activities will

• promote individuals’ stewardship of native wildlife and its natural habitat
• enable people to understand and minimize their impact on the Earth, and
• promote responsible enjoyment of wildlife in recreational settings.

For Historic Preservation and Native Wildlife Rehabilitation and Appreciation grants, inquiries less than $5,000 are processed throughout the year, and there is no application deadline. Small grant applications will generally require 6-8 weeks to review.

Eligibility Areas

The Foundation makes grants primarily for the purposes detailed here. An important element of all grants is a benefit to the public at large, rather than to specialized populations or groups.

Historic Preservation

Historic preservation has been our principal funding area since our beginning. In 2006 we identified our primary interest in this area as architectural preservation — the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction of historic buildings, structures and related sites. Most of the projects we fund involve buildings that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing resource in an historic district.

We will continue to consider grants for other historic preservation activities as a secondary interest.

Native Wildlife Rehabilitation and Appreciation

Native wildlife rehabilitation is the focus of this interest, and is almost exclusively limited to nonprofits managed by state- and federally-licensed wildlife rehabilitators. These programs offer urgent care of injured and orphaned wildlife native to Oregon and Washington.

A small portion of our native wildlife budget is reserved for wildlife appreciation projects or programs that offer the general public opportunities to observe and appreciate the natural world. These activities will

• promote individuals’ stewardship of native wildlife and its natural habitat
• enable people to understand and minimize their impact on the Earth, and
• promote responsible enjoyment of wildlife in recreational settings.