Portland Harbor Community Grants

This year, the grant review committee selected 11 organizations to receive a total of $463,361. The Portland Harbor Community Involvement Program is proud to support an exciting set of projects that will serve a wide range of Portlanders. Learn more about how this year’s grant recipients plan to strengthen community involvement in the Portland Harbor Superfund Cleanup:

Bird Alliance of Oregon ($50,000) will work with elementary school students to deliver culturally responsive curricula that introduce the ecological significance of waterways impacted by the Superfund. Through classroom sessions and fieldtrips, students will explore the importance of these waterways to native wildlife and their own community and understand the impact of contamination on the river and human health. 

Community Pulse Association ($19,508) plans to host three educational events designed to identify Slavic and Eastern European community leaders who will participate in a final Round Table discussion focused on the Lower Willamette Fish Advisory. These events will cover essential technical and policy topics related to the Portland Harbor Superfund cleanup. 

Ecotrust ($48,216) will fund their Green Workforce Academy, a 5-week paid training program offered twice a year, designed to increase BIPOC participation in green industry jobs in Portland. The Green Workforce Academy will contribute to the development and prosperity of frontline communities through an environmental literacy and workforce development curriculum developed by and for Native American and Black communities in Portland.

ELSO ($50,000) will facilitate unique learning opportunities to educate youth on the cultural significance and ecology of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site through culturally relevant curriculum. They will engage kindergarten through 8th-grade youth in their Wayfinders day camp, support interns in deepening their understanding of complex environmental justice issues through the Tappin’ Roots environmental internship program, and engage high school-aged youth in the Willamette Cove project area through their Studio Justice design program.

Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership ($33,792) will create opportunities for access to the Willamette River and Portland Harbor through river-based paddle programs in their 29-foot Big Canoes. They also plan to share an educational field guide map of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site in multiple languages. 

Living Islands ($49,999) continues its advisory council that serves as a platform for Pacific Islanders in Oregon to discuss environmental and public health issues. They continue to empower Pacific Islander communities in Oregon and enhance their capacity to engage with environmental and health-related matters that directly affect their lives through PSAs, educational field trips, and culturally relevant education.

Mosquito Fleet ($29,072) will encourage direct engagement with the Willamette River by strengthening their Kayak Library, hosting kayak training sessions, and social paddles. They will develop a video series on the Superfund site for public access television, broadening access to information on Portland Harbor. 

Neighbors for Clean Air ($32,867) will host community engagement sessions to bolster input in the Superfund cleanup design process. They will also host Camp AQ to connect metro area students with hands-on education and training around air quality, monitoring, and pollution.  

Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group ($50,000) will continue to host monthly public meetings with EPA and other partner agencies to discuss issues relevant to Portland Harbor. They will also develop Superfund-related curriculum for Portland Public School teachers, table at local events, and host their annual River School -  a series of workshops and events featuring the river's natural history and educating about contamination and the Fish Advisory. 

Portland Harbor Community Coalition ($50,000) will work to engage and educate communities disproportionately impacted by the Portland Harbor Superfund contamination and cleanup and support ongoing community involvement in decision-making processes related to the Superfund cleanup. They plan to develop community leadership skills, host a youth fishing event, support career development workshops for environmental science and restoration jobs, and host the annual Water Ceremony at Cathedral Park.

The Blueprint Foundation ($50,000) will engage Black and Indigenous youth in workforce training opportunities to diversify the green sector and develop the next generation of leaders. They also plan to raise awareness among BIPOC community members about the Superfund site while creating a cultural shift toward nature-based activities for Black and Indigenous communities.

7 Waters Canoe Family ($23,000) will engage the Portland-area Native American community about the Superfund cleanup and provide culturally specific information sessions and opportunities for connection with the river and other community members. They also plan to fund four staff members to participate in the Portland Harbor Collaborative Group.

Accent Network ($39,115) will empower and integrate newly arrived Slavic and Eastern European immigrants and refugees through culturally specific education on safe fishing practices in the Lower Willamette. They plan to foster a sense of stewardship over the Portland Harbor through training, environmental education, and opportunities to engage in the Superfund cleanup.

Black Men’s Wellness ($33,155) plans to raise awareness around the health risks facing Black families as they relate to the Superfund contamination and cleanup and create pathways for BIPOC engagement in the Superfund cleanup process. They will facilitate safe and culturally responsive access to the outdoors for BIPOC individuals by hosting trips to the Willamette River in partnership with Columbia Slough Watershed Council and Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership.

The Blueprint Foundation ($57,143) will engage Black and Indigenous youth in workforce training opportunities with the goal of diversifying the green sector and developing the next generation of leaders. They also plan to raise awareness among BIPOC community members about the Superfund site while creating a cultural shift toward nature-based activities for Black and Indigenous communities.

Ecotrust ($27,078) will fund their Green Workforce Academy, a 5-week paid training program offered twice a year and designed to increase BIPOC participation in green industry jobs in Portland. The Green Workforce Academy will contribute to the development and prosperity of frontline communities through environmental literacy and workforce development curriculum developed by and for Native American and Black communities in Portland.

ELSO ($60,300) will facilitate unique learning opportunities to educate youth on the cultural significance and ecology of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site through culturally relevant curriculum. They will engage K-8th grade youth in their Wayfinders day camp, support interns in deepening their understanding of complex environmental justice issues through the Tappin’ Roots environmental internship program, and engage high school-aged youth in the Willamette Cove project area through their Studio Justice design program.

Ground Score Association ($74,912) will conduct peer-led outreach to the homeless community living in and around the Superfund site. They will develop and distribute educational material focused on the Superfund cleanup, waste prevention, fire safety, and other relevant topics and distribute these materials to homeless community members.

Living Islands ($57,440) plans to create an advisory council that serves as a platform for Pacific Islanders in Oregon to discuss environmental and public health issues. They will empower Pacific Islander communities in Oregon and enhance their capacity to engage with environmental and health-related matters that directly affect their lives through PSAs, educational field trips, and culturally relevant education.

Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership ($20,000) will create opportunities for access to the Willamette River and Portland Harbor through river-based paddle programs in their 29-foot Big Canoes. They also plan to develop an educational field guide map of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site.

Nesika Wilamut ($37,857) will provide opportunities for a network of environmental partners to connect, build capacity, and decolonize their approach to river stewardship. They will convene an Indigenous Advisory Council to build on community-guided priorities for Network Learning. They will also host three consecutive Network Learning events to engage partners and the Indigenous Advisory Council.

Portland Harbor Community Coalition ($70,000) will work to engage and educate communities disproportionately impacted by the Portland Harbor Superfund contamination and cleanup and support ongoing community involvement in decision-making processes related to the Superfund cleanup. They plan to develop community leadership skills, host a youth fishing event, support career development workshops for environmental science and restoration jobs, and host the annual Water Ceremony at Cathedral Park.

Blueprint Foundation ($74,600) redresses the opportunity gap for Black youth within the Portland metro area by engaging youth in culturally-specific experiences that introduce and prepare them for family-sustaining careers in the green sector. With these funds, Blueprint will help prepare the next generation of BIPOC environmental scientists and professionals. Blueprint will also increase awareness about the Portland Harbor Superfund, deepen trust in the scientific processes, and expand its Portland Harbor education, stewardship, and STEAM education efforts. BIPOC youth and undergraduate peer mentors will engage in field activities, including conducting air and water quality monitoring in and around the Portland Harbor Superfund site.

Ecotrust ($75,000) manages the Green Workforce Academy in partnership with Blueprint Foundation, Native American Youth and Family Center, Self Enhancement, Inc., and Wisdom of the Elders. The Green Workforce Academy is a dynamic, BIPOC-led partnership aimed to build economic justice through green jobs training for Portland’s adults of color. Funding will support the expansion of the Green Workforce Academy curriculum to include more information on the Portland Harbor Superfund and new content on environmental remediation career pathways. The program will also foster connections between students and environmental remediation professionals to support networking and relationship-building for career development.

ELSO ($74,600) provides culturally relevant STEAM programs that empower children and youth of color to Experience Life Science Outdoors through place-based education that centers and elevates the stories, ways of knowing, individual needs, and lived experiences of Black and Brown communities. With these funds, ELSO will train high school-aged summer camp guides about the Portland Harbor Superfund site, cleanup, river ecology, and environmental justice to conduct age-appropriate interactive educational activities for K-8 students.

Living Islands ($50,000) is a BIPOC woman-led, volunteer-driven organization that advocates for Pacific Islander communities through cross-cultural education and awareness. Grant funds will support the group’s expansion of its "GoFish PI" program to include information about the Lower Willamette Fish Advisory. Living Islands will engage Pacific Islander communities through social media, holding culturally specific fish education events, and collaborating with other community organizations and government agencies working on the Portland Harbor Superfund.

Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership ($32,537) will work to restore and care for the water and ecosystems of the Lower Columbia River for current and future generations of fish, wildlife, and people. With these funds, the partnership will recruit and support BIPOC interns as Paddle Leaders for on-river educational canoe trips for Portland Harbor Community Grants grantees and their networks. Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership will collaborate with each grantee to shape canoe trips that expand participants’ understanding of the Lower Willamette River and the Portland Harbor Superfund site through direct on-the-water experiences.

Nesika Wilamut ($50,000) is an Indigenous-led organization that creates connections, builds community, and shares resources to build capacity for an equitable, diverse, and inclusive river health movement. Funds will support Nesika Wilamut’s engagement with BIPOC community members, build capacity, and decolonize approaches to river stewardship through Network Learning events. During the events, they will center traditional knowledge and the cultural lifeways of Indigenous communities by educating participants about the Portland Harbor Superfund, Lower Willamette River health, history and connection to the river, tribal community engagement, and respect for Indigenous knowledge.

Pacific Northwest Council of Water Protectors ($25,600) is a coalition of Indigenous and non-Indigenous supporters who carry forward the fire that began at Standing Rock to protect our sacred water and maintain the sovereignty of tribal nations. Grant funds will support events that center cultural, educational, and Indigenous traditions, including the Medicine Gathering, Portland Harbor riverbank cleanup, and Water Blessing for Indigenous communities. These events will provide educational opportunities about the Portland Harbor Superfund site, environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and healing through ceremonies tied to the water.

Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group ($62,000) will foster ongoing communication with government agencies about community concerns, questions, and priorities pertaining to the Portland Harbor Superfund site. These funds will support the development of The River Education Center and associated programming at Green Anchors, located on the riverfront of the Portland Harbor. Through The River Education Center, the Community Advisory Group will provide Superfund-related educational programming, workshops, and community meetings. Funds will also support the development and implementation of the River School to teach North Portland youth and adults about the Portland Harbor Superfund history, contamination, cleanup, and how to get involved.

Portland Harbor Community Coalition ($37,500) will elevate the voices of communities most impacted by contamination in the Portland Harbor Superfund site and ensure these communities lead cleanup, restoration, and redevelopment in ways that directly address their needs. With these funds, Portland Harbor Community Coalition will collaborate with tribal representatives and Indigenous Mayan community members to organize a culturally inclusive water ceremony along Portland Harbor. They will also work with organizational partners and youth to co-create an interactive educational workshop and field trip to increase awareness and interest in Portland Harbor, the river, Lower Willamette Fish Advisory, and safe fishing practices.

Black Educational Achievement Movement ($30,000) will expand and deepen its Portland Harbor educational efforts and leadership development work with Black youth. With these funds, BEAM will equip students with new skills and knowledge to facilitate their own educational tours that connect histories of the Superfund site to issues of displacement, forced migration, contamination, remediation, and reconciliation. Funds will support collaboration with educational partners, broad student-led coalition building, and activate youth to further engage in conversations about what needs to be done to clean up the river and achieve climate justice and equity.

Blueprint Foundation ($21,540) will host awareness raising canoe paddles that focus on teaching Black youth and adults about the history of Portland Harbor and how to support a healthy Willamette River. Blueprint will work with participating youth to create culturally specific messaging to share what they learn with family and friends.

Coalition of Communities of Color ($7,500) will collaborate with the Braided River Campaign to engage transportation advocates and communities affected by the Superfund site to host educational and relationship building events that focus on why the Portland Harbor is a Superfund site and opportunities to engage in the cleanup process.  

ELSO ($40,000) will apply a culturally relevant approach to educating Black and Brown youth about Portland Harbor. Superfund information will be integrated into ELSO’s STEAM programming for St. Johns youth, preparing them to educate their families and communities about the contamination and cleanup. A cohort of trained students will also present to other ELSO students and community members through a symposium.

Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership ($12,000) will provide canoe trips for Portland Harbor community grantees and their networks. LCEP will collaborate with each grantee to shape canoe trip goals that expand participants’ understanding of the lower Willamette River and Portland Harbor through direct on-the-water experience.

Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods ($26,490) will use funds to create and implement the Portland Harbor Community Stewards Program. This program will build community members’ understanding of how to engage in public processes related to the cleanup. NECN will also support program participants in the production, publishing, and distribution of community-focused reporting from individual perspectives about the cleanup.

People of Color Outdoors ($11,680) will hold field trips and seminars focused on engaging and educating BIPOC communities on Portland Harbor cleanup topics, including environmental law; environmental justice; impacts of contamination on human health, the environment, and wildlife; environmental remediation, careers in the harbor, and how to stay engaged in the cleanup process.

Portland Harbor Community Coalition ($30,800) will collaborate with Living Islands and Get Hooked Foundation to develop cultural- and language-specific education materials for the Pacific Islander community about Portland Harbor. The coalition will continue to support communities disproportionately impacted by the Superfund site in participating in the cleanup process, including the remedial design process for the in-river cleanup of Willamette Cove and other project areas. These funds will also support their work towards community benefits tools for ensuring an equitable cleanup with a diverse workforce.