Metro Central enhancement grants support residents within a target area that stretches along the west side of the Willamette River from the Northwest Neighborhood Association to Linnton, along with an area around the St. Johns Bridge within North Portland’s Cathedral Park neighborhood.
Donor Name: Metro
State: Oregon
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/29/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Grants are awarded on an annual basis by the Metro Central Enhancement Committee, made up of representatives from the surrounding neighborhoods, businesses and environmental community.
These grants are typically competitive, meaning there are more requests for funding than can be met in a given year. Successful proposals will strongly meet at least one of the following program goals:
- Provide programs, training or services that benefit youth, seniors, low income persons, people of color, veterans or other marginalized and underserved populations
- Increase reuse, recycling and waste prevention opportunities; reduce toxicity of waste
- Improve the environmental quality of the area
- Preserve or enhance wildlife and natural areas within the target area
- Improve or increase recreation opportunities for residents in the target area
- Rehabilitate and upgrade property owned or operated by non-profits
- Improve the safety, appearance or cleanliness of neighborhoods.
Funding Information
- The 2026 grant cycle will fund a total of approximately $280,000 worth of community enhancement projects.
- Projects requesting grant funding of $40,000 or less will be prioritized.
Grant Period
January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.
Eligible Expenses
Eligible grant expenses include:
- Personnel: Costs directly attributable to designing, implementing or evaluating the project. May include benefits such as health insurance, retirement funds, salaries, etc.
- Professional services: Professional consultant or contractor services hired for the purpose of the project. Stipends paid to non-staff for their project participation.
- Materials and supplies
- Transportation
- Equipment.
Eligibility Criteria
Groups with nonprofit or other tax-exempt status, including but not limited to community groups, neighborhoods, schools and school groups, government agencies, faith groups, and service groups may apply. Applicants may use a fiscal sponsor if needed. Metro is not eligible to apply for or receive grant funds.
Applicants and projects must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for funding:
- The project must be located in the Metro Central community enhancement grant area boundary or benefit individuals, programs or community infrastructure located inside the boundary. Applicant organizations are not required to be physically located in the target area, but programs must benefit the people and communities within it.
- The project applicant is A) a non-profit organization; if a non-profit is applying to rehabilitate or upgrade property that it owns it must have 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Service; B) a local government or a local government advisory committee; C) a K-12 school; or D) a charitable organization.
- A maximum of 15% of total annual grant funds may be awarded to local governments.
- Applicants must have a current registration with both the Oregon Secretary of State (SOS) and Department of Justice Charitable Activities Section and must be in good standing with the IRS (no revocation notice).
- Applicants must be current (fewer than 12 months delinquent) with all legally required state and federal filings (i.e., IRS and Charitable Activities Section tax filings; annual report to SOS). If an applicant is not current, staff will follow up to request copies of the most recent required filings. If the applicant is unable to produce the filings, the applicant will be deemed ineligible.
- The project must not be used to replace any other readily available source of federal, state, local or regional funds.
- The project must not promote or inhibit religion.
- The project must not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, age, gender or sexual orientation.
- If the project is located on private land, the project application must establish a clear public benefit and must document landowner permission.
For more information, visit Metro.
