Portland Harbor Community Grants

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates Portland Harbor cleanup will begin in the next few years. Community voices and participation are needed to contribute to a successful cleanup of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site. Those interested in amplifying the voices of communities disproportionately affected by the contamination and cleanup, or who have an idea for a project or program to support these communities are encouraged to apply. Learn more about the Portland Harbor Superfund Site or previous grantees' work.

View the Portland Harbor Community Grant Eligibility page for more information on projects, programs, and activities eligible for grant funding.

Goals and Objectives

The goal of the Portland Harbor Community Grants is to support meaningful public involvement, particularly for communities disproportionately affected by the contamination and cleanup. These communities include people with current, traditional, or cultural connections, including:

• Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals 
• People who eat shellfish and non-migratory fish like carp, catfish, and bass caught in Portland Harbor
• Housed and unhoused residents who live in neighborhoods near the Portland Harbor Superfund site

Based on feedback heard from grantees, community members, and government partners, funds will support activities that advance and achieve the following objectives:

1. Expand and deepen leadership and participation in the cleanup process by communities disproportionately affected by the Portland Harbor Superfund cleanup and contamination
2. Provide resources to support under-represented community members’ participation in the cleanup design process  
3. Build community-based organizations’ capacity to shape and support EPA’s plan to minimize impacts of cleanup construction on housed and unhoused neighbors (i.e., transportation routes, emissions, sound, light, and access restrictions)
4. Engage and educate communities about the Portland Harbor Superfund, including the Lower Willamette River Fish Advisory, and scientific, technical, policy, and process topics related to the cleanup.
5. Support career development in environmental remediation 
6. Strengthen partnerships among community groups and governments

Award Amounts

A total of $500,000 is available this funding cycle. Applicants may request up to $75,000. Funds must be spent by February 16, 2024.