Apply for a PCEF grant

Service
Follow the steps below to apply for a grant from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF).

The 2021 application period is closed

Please visit the PCEF homepage for updates on the PCEF grant process or for new grant opportunities through the PCEF program. 


1. Get started

Review our guide to the PCEF grant application process so that you don’t miss key information about eligibility, application content, deadlines, how to get assistance with your application, and more. 

2. Choose your grant type

Determine which of the following describes your funding request(s). You may apply for more than one grant and more than one type of grant. Follow the steps below or watch this video:

Planning grant

icon of lightbulb with rings around it, set inside a purple circle

Are you requesting funds to help complete assessments or planning in order to develop a full project proposal?

  • If yes – choose the Planning grant application (purple track).

Standard small and large grants

Dollar sign and text <500K inside teal circle

Are you requesting funds to implement a project that is primarily focused on clean energy, regenerative agriculture, green infrastructure, or innovation? The budget might include some planning costs and may include workforce or contractor development, but the focus is on implementation of a project addressing climate change.

Dollar sign and text >500K inside orange circle
  • If yes and the budget is up to $500,000 – choose the Standard small grant application (teal track).
     
  • If yes and the budget is more than $500,000 and up to $10,000,000 – choose the Standard large grant application (red track).

Workforce and contractor development grant

icon of person wearing hard hat

Are you requesting funds to implement a project that is primarily focused on developing workforce and/or businesses related to climate work? The budget might include some planning costs and may include clean energy, regenerative agriculture, green infrastructure, or innovation but the focus is on implementation of a project addressing workforce or contractor development.

  • If yes – choose Workforce and Contractor Development application (orange track).

3. Prepare your application

There is an application packet for each grant type (planning, standard small, standard large, and workforce and contractor development). The application packets contain the following:

  • A checklist to ensure application is complete
  • Application questions and scoring criteria tables
  • Sample grant agreement
  • Clean energy project requirements (applies only to energy efficiency and renewable energy components of a project)

Follow the steps below to prepare and submit your application in the PCEF application portal or watch this video:

Download the application materials packet for your grant type(s):

Planning grant

Standard small grant

Standard large grant

Workforce and contractor development grant, small and large

If you need hard copies of the application materials printed and mailed to you, please contact Portland Clean Energy Fund.

Video options: In addition to the required application information, applicants may choose to include a video of up to 7 minutes to help tell their story. Submitting a video is not a requirement. If you choose to include a video, please remember:

  • Videos should be no longer than 7 minutes. The quality or production value of your video is NOT considered. Submissions recorded by cellphone are welcome. When recording your video, aim to limit background noise so we can hear you and limit camera shaking and movement so the video is easy to view.
  • Upload your video to a file sharing site, such as YouTube or Vimeo, and paste the link into your PCEF grant application. Include any information (such as a password) needed to access the video. Your video link must be live and accessible through February 28, 2022.

4. Submit your application

Applications are submitted through the application portal link below. If you do not already have a portlandoregon.gov account you will need to create one in order to access the application portal.

Once you log in to the application portal, you may save your work and return at a later time to complete your application.

We recommend gathering the required information and preparing your responses in advance of submitting the application.

Open the application portal

If you would prefer to submit your application by email or by mail please contact Portland Clean Energy Fund.

Contact

Portland Clean Energy Fund