About Small Grants & Sponsorship Program
Sometimes big ideas need funding to realize their potential. The Small Grants & Sponsorship Program is an opportunity for small, emerging, and grassroots organizations to access funding for projects and programming that strengthen neighborhood livability and civic engagement.
The grants and sponsorships are designed to support community groups that have a low annual operating budget. Each grant can range from $3,000-$4,999, which can be a significant investment for community groups.
How is the Small Grants & Sponsorship Program Funded?
The Office of Community & Civic Life distributes $250,000 throughout the City’s seven District Offices. Each District Office creates its own specific grant eligibility criteria, application, and timeline.
The grants and sponsorships are geographically organized, meaning that applicants should apply for funding through the District Coalition Office that represents the area where the applicant’s project will happen. You can use this map to figure out which district office represents your area.
Past Grantees
The Small Grants and Sponsorship Program has funded incredible projects over the past years. Below is a small sampling of our 2022 grantees.
De Rose Community Bridge
De Rose used the small grant to provide culturally specific mental health training to 40 African and Burmese women in East Portland. Referred to as “Ambassadors” these women were trained to provide cultural, emotional, and welfare community checks on African and Burmese community members by phone and in person. The Ambassadors also help coordinate Asusu, a traditional way women help each other take care of immediate needs and reduce financial stress.
PDX Saints Love
PDX Saints Love used the small grant to establish a pilot program that provided support to individuals in East Portland experiencing homelessness and/or substance abuse disorders, as well as those living with resource scarcity, but maybe housed. Through this small grant, they were able to execute the project for nearly a year and a half and served thousands of individuals with groceries, vaccines, showers, supplies, and hot meals.
Homestead Neighborhood Association
HNA received funds to meaningfully engage low-income renters, young adults, and seniors in the Homestead neighborhood. Outreach activities included: development and promotion of a community survey to understand the priorities of the target population and broader community; honorarium for listening session participants who identify as having one or more under-represented identities; neighborhood-wide mailer with specific messaging for the target audience; and a Homestead Celebration event for the entire community to come together, learn about City resources, and build resiliency.
Positive Charge PDX
Funds were used to expand Positive Change PDX’s volunteer-led food donation program Two Can Tuesday. The funds helped to develop and disperse outreach and marketing materials across the Southwest Portland community; conduct in-person and virtual promotion for the program to solicit new volunteers and food donors; and train new volunteers to collect and deliver donations to Neighborhood House.
2023 Office Small Grants & Sponsorship Awardees
North Portland Neighborhood Services:
- United Congolese Community Organization of Oregon
- Portland Indigenous Marketplace
- Friends of Baseball
- Friends of Columbia Park
- Asian and Pacific Islander Community Coalition of Oregon
- PDX Women of Color Zine Collective
Southwest Community Services:
- HAKI (stands for Humanity, Assistance, Kindness, and Interculturalism) Community Organization
- Kindness Farm
- Loving One Another
- Bridlemile Neighbors
- Fool House Art Collective
- Multnomah Neighborhood Association
- Going Astral
- Arnold Creek Neighborhood Association
- South Waterfront Farmers Market
East Portland Community Office:
- 82 Roses Community Enrichment Coalition
- Baby Blues Connection
- Dance United
- Gilbert Park Elementary Parent Teacher Association
- JUNTOSpdx
- Squires
- The Community Services Network
- Tigrian American Women’s Association in Oregon
- Tongan American Resource Committee
- Vietnamese Community of Oregon
- Women-Sew Global Foundation
- Zomi Association of US