PCEF awards grants to 65 new projects in RFP #2
Read the full program report, including short summaries of each funded grant that was recommended by the 9-person PCEF Committee and presented to City Council on July 13, 2022.
| RFP #2 grant funds | $107,215,441 |
|---|---|
| 10% grant project contingency set-aside | $10,721,545 |
| Mini grants program | $200,000 |
| Total funding request | $118,136,986 |
The PCEF Committee met on May 26 and June 2 to discuss the proposed portfolio and arrive at their funding recommendation.
These grants all meet the program’s objective of addressing climate change and advancing racial and social justice. The estimated lifetime reduction in GHG emissions for projects in the clean energy and innovation funding categories is estimated to be roughly 300,000 metric tons CO2e. This estimate does not include regenerative agriculture projects as there are no reliable models for estimating impact at the urban farming scale. This yields an average cost of $219/metric ton CO2e for clean energy focused implementation grants.
Within the RFP #2 portfolio there is robust representation of culturally specific groups implementing projects that provide a multitude of benefits to all of PCEF’s priority populations. Project benefits provided to households and individual community members goes well beyond greenhouse gas reduction and includes improved indoor air quality and comfort in homes, climate resilience, reduced utility bills, training and connection to living wage jobs, access to high quality fresh foods, and connection to community. 71% of funding will go to organizations that reflect the PCEF priority populations that their projects intend to serve.
The planning grants represent planning efforts across all funding areas (e.g., clean energy, green infrastructure, and workforce development). The implementation grants are distributed within the target funding areas that were published in the RFP for clean energy, workforce development and contractor support, and regenerative agriculture and green infrastructure, and innovation.
Clean energy projects include energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to single-family, multi-family, and commercial properties with an emphasis on deep energy retrofits.
Workforce development and contractor support projects will train both existing and new workers in green technologies and practices, as well as training offering support to resource and credential disadvantaged contractors to pivot towards green contracting opportunities.
Regenerative agriculture and green infrastructure projects include gardening, food production, and food sovereignty.
Innovation / Other projects will support the community with cutting edge ideas to increase mobility and build capacity for climate action work.
Planning Grants represent planning efforts across all funding areas.
The full list of grantees is below, alphabetized and organized by project type.
Clean Energy
| Applicant organization | Application title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
| Albina Vision Trust, Inc. | Albina One Affordable Housing | $1,700,000 |
| African American Alliance for Homeownership | Comprehensive Repair and Retrofits with Power to the People PDX | $1,793,144 |
| Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church | Project Green HOPE | $722,288 |
| Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. | Cascadia Residential Energy Efficiency and Regenerative Agriculture Project | $470,049 |
| Central City Concern | PCEF CCC Large Application | $5,525,750 |
| Community Energy Project, Inc. | Deep energy and electrification retrofits for frontline communities | $9,999,378 |
| Hacienda Community Development Corporation | MEE Casa (My Energy Efficient Home) | $9,400,000 |
| Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) | Bottling Blocks Related Northwest | $1,418,922 |
| Innovative Housing, Inc. | Anna Mann | $1,804,450 |
| Innovative Housing Inc. | Garden Park | $1,608,104 |
| Meals on Wheels People | Meals on Wheels People Solar Project | $809,292 |
| Native American Youth and Family Center | Tistilal Village Redevelopment | $1,804,000 |
| Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, Inc. | NECN King Facility Community Solar Program | $473,299 |
| Our United Villages; Rebuilding Center | ReBuilding Community Solar | $883,363 |
| Portland Community Reinvestment Initatives, Inc. | Energy Efficiency 4 Renters 2 | $1,186,730 |
| Proud Ground | Concordia Townhomes | $447,867 |
| Proud Ground | Net Zero Housing Units | $2,368,215 |
| Proud Ground | Solarize the Land Trust | $295,135 |
| Rohingya Youth Association of Portland | Rohingya and Somali home weatherization project | $232,056 |
| Roots and Beats Project | Clean Energy for Roots and Beats Community Arts Center | $389,588 |
| ROSE Community Development | Leander Court Solar | $499,000 |
| Seeding Justice (formerly known as MRG Foundation) | Seeding Justice Project | $2,965,528 |
| Street Roots | Street Roots Headquarters | $1,171,087 |
| The Black United Fund of Oregon, Inc. | Building United Futures Complex | $3,550,007 |
| Verde | Goodling Annex Community Solar | $4,207,192 |
| Verde Builds | Ductless Heat Pumps for Priority Populations in Portland | $482,878 |
| Williams & Russell CDC | Williams & Russell CDC | $4,717,274 |
Workforce and Contractor Development
| Applicant organization | Application title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians | Tribal Solar and Renewable Energy Training Program | $3,726,709 |
| Constructing Hope Pre-Apprenticeship Program | Building Equity: Clean Energy Careers through Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Training | $7,200,000 |
| Ecotrust | Green Workforce Academy | $2,038,051 |
| ELSO, Inc. | ELSO WCD Application | $1,901,781 |
| Familias en Acción | Acción Climática (Climate Action) Initiative - Pilot | $770,000 |
| Friends of Zenger Farm | Zenger Farm's Workforce Development Grant Application | $ 995,211 |
| LatinoBuilt; LatinoBuilt Association | Green Building Training for Portland's Latinx Contractors | $335,783 |
| Leaders Become Legends | Increasing Access to Green Jobs for Black, Brown and Indigenous Portlanders | $1,849,873 |
| Oregon Native American Chamber | Native American Workforce and Contractor Development | $778,496 |
| Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 49 | Portland Green Janitor training program 2022-2025 | $500,000 |
| Urban League of Portland | UL Green Careers Program | $2,971,156 |
| Worksystems, Inc. | Worksystems Umbrella Application | $2,966,545 |
Regenerative Agriculture / Green Infrastructure
| Applicant organization | Application title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
| Black Food Sovereignty Coalition; Black Futures Farm | Black Futures Farm Net Zero Community Demonstration Site | $1,715,489 |
| De Rose Community Bridge and Holistic Wellness | The Rainbow Community Garden | $1,061,922 |
| Native American Youth and Family Center | NAYA Neerichokikoo Food Sovereignty Project | $3,694,885 |
| Our Village Gardens | Our Village Gardens - Growing in Place | $131,464 |
| Portland All Nations Canoe Family | Portland All Nations Canoe Family | $2,320,814 |
| The Rosewood Initiative | Rosewood Resiliency Through Regenerative Agriculture | $2,033,825 |
Innovation
| Applicant organization | Application title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bikes for Humanity PDX | Free Bikes for Portlanders in need | $20,000 |
| Community Cycling Center | Advancing Climate Action and Social Justice Through Increased Bicycle Ridership | $499,419 |
| Forth | Green Energy and Mobility Project | $3,674,491 |
| Metropolitan Family Service | MFS Climate Resilience Capacity Building Project | $3,523,788 |
Planning
| Applicant organization | Application title | Grant amount |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Waters Canoe Family | 7 Waters Food Sovereignty Project | $100,000 |
| Black Educational Achievement Movement | Community-Driven Solar-Powered On-Grid / Off-Grid Emergency Preparedness Hubs | $99,082 |
| Center for Intercultural Organizing; Unite Oregon | Building Power: SW Corridor Net Zero Affordable Housing | $100,000 |
| Constructing Hope Pre-Apprenticeship Program | Clean Energy / Green Construction Apprenticeships, Training & Career Tracks for People of Color & Women | $100,000 |
| Community Vision | Green Jobs for People with Disabilities | $69,478 |
| El Programa Hispano Católico | EPHC Green Workforce Program Development | $100,000 |
| Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural and Resource Center | EECRC Sustainability Project | $100,000 |
| Friends of Trees | Growing Workforce Training, Growing Opportunities | $95,791 |
| Friends of Tryon Creek; Friends of Tryon Creek State Park | Green Leaders Workforce Development Program to Combat Climate Change and Racial Injustice | $98,000 |
| Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization | Immigrant and Refugee Green Construction Project | $100,000 |
| LatinoBuilt; LatinoBuilt Association | Evaluation of Badges Program for Home Retrofit Contractors | $100,000 |
| NE STEAM Coalition | Permacomputing: The Antithesis of Computer Waste | $100,000 |
| Nutrition Garden Rx | Nutrition Garden Rx - Behavioral Health | $100,000 |
| Oregon Public Health Institute | Climate Justice for Black Childcare Providers | $100,000 |
| Our Streets PDX | Low Income Housing Sustainability Services | $99,560 |
| Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, Inc. | Program Development | $99,232 |
Applications submitted for RFP #2
The PCEF code requires that applications submitted for funding requests be posted online. To access the information, this online application portal allows members of the public to review all eligible applications submitted to the request for proposals.
Staff held three information sessions on RFP #2 and 17 office hours sessions during standard work hours, weekday evenings, and weekends. The program also offered 15 training sessions on specific areas including energy efficiency, solar energy, grant writing, budget development and permitting for projects.
Information sessions were attended by more than 200 individuals, office hours were attended by 102 individuals, and subject specific trainings were attended by 243 individuals. Staff additionally responded to 77 questions left on the main phone line and held numerous one-on-one meetings with new organizations led by PCEF priority communities.
141 non-profit organizations submitted 162 applications in response to the RFP. The amount of funding requested ranged from $20,000 to $10 million with an average of just under $100,000 for planning grants and just over $2 million for implementation grants. Total funding requested was $223 million.
Frequently asked questions
Have more questions about the program, the first round of grantees, decision-making, etc.? Find answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
If your question isn't addressed here, feel free to contact us at CleanEnergyFund@portlandoregon.gov and we will do our best to respond in a timely manner.
RFP grant application guide
The program’s RFP was released September 28, 2021 and closed November 30, 2021. The September 2021 Grant Application Guide details the program’s second RFP and walks potential applicants through the application steps. Read through the guide to see what information and guidelines potential applicants received prior to applying for a PCEF grant.