Small Grants Program | East Portland Community Office

Who Can Apply for Small Grants?

Any group with a community project that either takes place within East Portland or primarily benefits East Portlanders.

Map of East Portland boundaries: http://eastportland.org/map-east-portland-neighborhoods

Your project must meet at least one of the goals of the grant program. It does not need to meet more than one goal. The goals of the grant program are:

Increase the number and diversity of people who are involved and engaged in their communities
Strengthen community capacity through, for example, leadership development, skills building, fostering teamwork and/or partnerships, and community building
Increase community impact on public decisions

Engagement of ethnic stream communities, immigrant and refugee communities, low income individuals and families, young people, people with disabilities, and LGTBQIA+ communities are high priority for our Small Grants Program.

Requested funds may range up to $3,500.

Additional support for grant writers

Computer and copier available for your use at the East Portland Community Office.
Interpretation services are available, as needed, to facilitate our conversation about your project and application.
Translation of application materials available upon request. Note - Ask early, translation may take several weeks.

Types of projects funded in the past

Projects that promote leadership development and collective impact on community-defined issues or public decisions - youth empowerment projects, skill building trainings, cultural and language specific civic engagement workshops, community organizing efforts.

Community building activities - Community story-telling projects, cultural and language specific community building activities, fruit tree harvest parties, community festivals, community gatherings, community conversations.

Community design/build place-making projects - community gardens, planning for playgrounds, murals, intersection repairs.

Projects that build the capacity of the project team and foster collaboration between team members and/or partners in the project.

Some projects we have funded in the past include:

● Native Plant Classroom (2017)
● Youth Empowerment Art Project (2017)
● Myanmar Water Festival (2017)
● Building Russian Speaking Community thru Art (2016)
● East African Nutrition and Inclusion Project (2016)
● Karen Literacy Project (2015)
● New Birth Crew 7 Year Anniversary Jam (2016)
● Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Community Mural Project (2015)

Sample successful applications from previous years

Congratulations to our past awardees!