Applicants must briefly explain how their projects meet these criteria on the pre-application and in greater detail on the full application. Below is more detail about each of the four criteria that Environmental Services' reviewers look for when evaluating a potential Percent for Green project.
Watershed Benefits
Percent for Green grants fund large-scale community projects that help improve watershed health by solving stormwater problems, protecting water quality, removing impervious areas, increasing tree canopy, restoring habitat, or adding green spaces to the city.
Project elements may include:
- Stormwater management such as rain gardens, stormwater planters, or ecoroofs.
- Drainage improvements such as swales and gutters to redirect rainwater to the right place.
- Pavement removal to reduce stormwater runoff.
Community Involvement, Partnerships, and Benefits
Percent for Green funds support projects that create strong partnerships and increase leadership in local communities. Projects rank higher if they:
- Involve multiple partnerships.
- Include volunteers and participants beyond the project coordinators.
- Build or strengthen relationships among groups and organizations.
- Foster ongoing partnerships and connections between neighbors and groups.
- Provide multiple community benefits such as enhance pedestrian safety and circulation, enhance bicycle safety and circulation, calm traffic, provide or enhance a community amenity, bring community members together for design or installation, connect parks and other facilities, or provide public education.
Equity
Percent for Green funds support projects that advance the City’s equity goals. We prioritize projects that involve and benefit historically underserved communities. The program encourages projects with diverse leadership and participation in project development and management. We prioritize projects that:
- Are led by or include meaningful partnerships with people of color, low-income residents, immigrants, youth, elders, those with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups.
- Benefit people of color, low-income residents, immigrants, youth, elders, those with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups.
- Involve individuals and groups who have not previously participated Environmental Services programs.
Equity in Construction Contracting
Percent for Green funds prioritize support for projects that advance the City’s social equity goals in construction contracting. See the COBID information.
- The goal for Percent for Green projects is 100 percent D/M/W/ESB/SDVBE participation in design and construction. This is not a requirement.
- Consideration will be given to certified D/M/W/ESB/SDVBE companies and to companies that are not certified but may still meet the D/M/W/ESB/SDVBE requirements.
- We prioritize projects that:
- Expand workforce opportunities and partnerships in project design or construction.
- Promote social equity in employment and job training.
- Provide workforce development opportunities such as partnering with pre-apprenticeship programs like Oregon Tradeswomen, Portland Youth Builders, or Constructing Hope.