What is an advisory body?
An advisory body is any City of Portland board, committee, or commission that advises City bureaus and special projects. Advisory bodies, committees, and commissions (ABCs) are a powerful tool for community members and City liaisons to work together on government projects and provide valuable insight on Portlanders’ diverse needs and interests. These bodies provide opportunities for City officials and communities to come together to hear appeals and concerns, provide expertise and advocate, develop and implement code, review current practices, and plan future services.
What’s in a name: Is there a difference between a committee, commission, and city board?
No, the term “advisory bodies” includes boards, committees, commissions, and groups of all different names that involve community members and City staff liaisons.
Interested in joining an advisory group?
View open roles in advisory bodies, committees, and commissions
What does the Advisory Bodies Program do?
The Advisory Bodies Program provides training and resources to advisory body members, makes sure all advisory bodies follow their rules and bylaws, and handles recruitment for open member positions.
In 2024, it launched a project to create an inventory of the existing advisory bodies, boards, committees, and commissions at the City of Portland. This project informed the Advisory Bodies and Commissions Restructuring project, launched in 2025. This project aims to align the ABC program with Portland’s new form of government including its new checks and balances and district-based representation
Projects
Advisory Bodies and Commissions Restructuring Project
Past Advisory Bodies Recruitment Dashboard (2022-present)
Attend a meeting
Most advisory body meetings are open to the public. Find a list of all advisory bodies at Portland.Gov/Advisory-Groups or view the City’s full event calendar at Portland.Gov/Events to find a meeting to join.
If you have questions, email us at AdvisoryBodies@PortlandOregon.gov
Share feedback
For general questions on how to apply to an advisory body, email AdvisoryBodies@PortlandOregon.gov.
Promote the Common Good: Civic Life connects the people of Portland with their City government to promote the common good. Our programs create a culture of collaboration, expanding possibilities for all Portlanders to contribute their knowledge, experience, and creativity to solve local problems and make life better in the city we all share.