The City of Portland is seeking applications for its Community Grants.
Donor Name: City of Portland
State: Oregon
City: Portland
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/27/2026
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 5 Years
Details:
PCEF provides a consistent, long-term funding source and oversight structure for community climate work that supports social, economic and environmental benefits for all Portlanders, particularly communities of color and people with low incomes.
Type of Grants
- Planning Grants
- Planning grants support organizations in conducting assessments and other preparatory activities needed to develop a full project proposal. These grants are intended for work that lays the foundation for future implementation.
- Planning grants cannot be used for any costs associated with project implementation activities. Receiving a planning grant does not guarantee future funding awards.
- Planning grants should clearly describe the process and outcomes it hopes to achieve. The application should make a clear connection between the planning process and how it will lead to a successful project that aligns with PCEF’s goals addressing climate change while advancing social, economic, and climate justice.
- Planning grants can range from one to two years in duration.
- There are two funding levels based on the type of planning activity:
- Up to $100,000 for planning activities such as community engagement, general research, or curriculum development.
- Up to $200,000 for proposed projects that include highly technical planning activities such as construction feasibility studies, energy modeling, or fleet assessments. This higher cap reflects the additional cost and expertise often required for in-depth technical planning.
- Planning grants support organizations in conducting assessments and other preparatory activities needed to develop a full project proposal. These grants are intended for work that lays the foundation for future implementation.
- Implementation Grants
- Implementation grants can be used for projects that address climate change and advance social, economic, and climate justice.
- Projects can include physical improvements (e.g., weatherization, solar installations, tree planting, or regenerative agriculture) and/or non-physical activities (e.g., workforce training).
- Grant funds can be used to pay PCEF-compliant wages for staff and worker time, contracted work, purchase of equipment, materials and supplies, costs associated with fulfilling program requirements (e.g., additional insurance, reporting), and other items needed to complete the project.
- Some planning can be a part of an implementation grant application, but implementation must be the primary focus of the application.
- Implementation grants can range from one to five years, unless otherwise stipulated in specific funding category requirements below.
- Implementation grants can be used for projects that address climate change and advance social, economic, and climate justice.
Funding Categories
The 2026 Community Grants funding cycle will offer in grant funds across all grant types and funding areas. There are different funding limits (grant caps) and total funding allocations depending on the type of project being proposed.
- Regenerative Agriculture
- Green Infrastructure
- Transportation Decarbonization
- Workforce and Contractor Development
- Youth Workforce Education and Exposure
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
- Other Greenhouse Gasreducing projects
- Planning Grants (all funding areas)
Funding Information
- Regenerative Agriculture
- Total allocation: Up to $5.3 million
- Large grant cap: $1 million
- Small grant cap: $200,000
- General operations grants: Up to 25% of the organization’s annual operating budget or $200,000, whichever is lower.
- Green Infrastructure
- Total allocation: Up to $1.7 million
- Large grant cap: $1 million
- Small grant cap: $200,000.
- Transportation Decarbonization
- Total allocation: Up to $12 million
- Large grant cap: $4 million
- Small grant cap: $500,000.
- Workforce and Contractor Development
- Total allocation: Up to $7.9 million
- Large grant cap: $1.5 million
- Small grant cap: $500,000
- Youth Workforce Education and Exposure
- Total allocation: Up to $800,000
- Large grant cap: $400,000
- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
- Total allocation: Up to $31 million
- Large grant cap: $5 million
- Small grant cap: $2 million
- Other Greenhouse Gasreducing projects
- Total allocation: Up to $700,000
- Planning Grants (all funding areas)
- Total expected funding: Up to $600,00
- Grant cap: community engagement, research, curriculum development $100,000
- Grant cap: technical assessments, feasibility studies $200,000
Grant Period
- Planning projects may span 1 to 2 years.
- Implementation projects may span 1 to 5 years.
Allowable Expenses
- Materials, supplies, and equipment purchases must be in service of implementing the proposed project. PCEF does not require lowest cost budgeting; applicants should consider the social, economic, and environmental impacts of purchasing choices.
- Insurance costs that are additional and a direct result of requirements associated with the PCEF grant are an allowable expense for the first grant year. Grantees would be expected to pay for all insurance costs through their “overhead” funding for subsequent years.
- Project reporting. Reports, plans, and other material developed using grant funds are an allowable expense and considered public information. In addition to standard reporting that is required of all PCEF grantees, PCEF applicants are encouraged to integrate culturally appropriate and meaningful ways of communicating and reporting about their project. Examples could include works of performance or visual art, etc.
Eligibility Criteria
- Qualified nonprofit organizations who meet all the following requirements are eligible to apply for PCEF grant funds:
- Designated by the Federal government as a 501(c) or 521(a) nonprofit entity.
- Registered and certified with the Oregon Secretary of State as a nonprofit organization.
- NOT on the Oregon Department of Justice list of Disqualified Charities.
- Qualified nonprofit organizations do not need to be located within the City of Portland but all projects with physical improvements must be located within the City of Portland. Workforce and contractor development projects must serve residents located within the Portland Metropolitan Statistical Area.
- Newly established or emerging groups who do not meet the 501(c) or 521(a) designation requirement, or eligible nonprofits seeking additional administrative capacity, may apply for a PCEF grant with a fiscal sponsor. A fiscal sponsor is an eligible nonprofit organization that provides necessary infrastructure and administrative support for managing a grant.
For more informatation, visit City of Portland.
