We Are Better Together: Community Partnerships and Sponsorships

Overview

Every year, the City of Portland sponsors dozens of community events – from festivals to fundraisers to parades. Our outreach team loves attending events to build relationships and learn about the important work you are doing to serve our local community.

The City focuses on: 

• Engaging culturally specific organizations and communities
• Supporting youth and workforce development programs
• Encouraging public involvement in City processes
• Contracting with Disadvantaged Businesses & Women Owned Businesses

Apply for a Sponsorship

View full size image of Mayor Keith Wilson, Councilor Loretta Smith, and other City employees smile at a community event in downtown Portland.

Interested in a sponsorship? Tell us about your event, including the time, place, audience, and requested sponsorship amount. Submitting your application will take less than 15 minutes.

Almost all our awards are for $2,500 or less.

Please provide at least three months' notice to increase the likelihood the City can sponsor your event.

Apply for the City to sponsor your event

Applications are reviewed by a committee which includes liaisons from more than 20 city bureaus and offices. 

Decisions are based on funding availability from bureaus and offices with missions related to the event, while ensuring a diversity of organizations and communities are supported.

We almost never award more than one sponsorship per year to any particular organization.

The City's financial year begins July 1. This is usually the best time to apply for a sponsorship, because we have a fixed budget for the year. However, some money is reserved for sponsorships submitted later in the financial year.

Due to the volume of requests, we are unable to respond to each inquiry. If your request is accepted, you'll receive confirmation from the team. 

Questions? Contact us at wabt@portlandoregon.gov.

2025-2026 Results

View full size image of City of Portland employee smiles at a community event in a Portland park. He is standing at a table resplendent with leaflets on recycling.

During the 2025-2026 financial year, the City of Portland sponsored 82 community events and attended over 100 events – totaling more than $233,000 invested directly in the Portland community. 

More than 20 city bureaus and offices participated. The largest contributions came from the Portland Water Bureau, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), and the Office of Procurement Services.
 

WABT for City Employees

Are you a City employee who wants to learn more about We Are Better Together? Visit our employees page at We Are Better Together (WABT) | Portland Employees