The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund is committed to supporting projects that advance climate, racial, and social justice in City of Portland.
Donor Name: City of Portland
State: Oregon
City: Portland
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/27/2025
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
This section outlines the two types of grants applications available and key considerations for applicants. Use it to determine which grant type best fits your project and funding needs. Understanding these distinctions will help you submit a strong application that aligns with program goals and requirements.
- 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.
- 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 for staff 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.
- Implementation grants can be used for projects that address climate change and advance social, economic, and climate justice.
Funding Categories
The 2025 Community Grants funding cycle will offer up to $67 million across all grant types and funding areas. Funding limits (grant caps) and total available funding vary based on the type of project proposed.
Projects must fall under one or more of the following categories. However, each application must designate a primary funding category that aligns with the majority of the budget request.
- Energy efficiency and renewable energy
- Includes renewable energy, battery storage, and energy efficiency projects on/in residential buildings, nonprofit occupied commercial buildings (can be privately owned), and community solar that benefits low-income Portland residents. All energy efficiency and renewable energy projects must reduce GHGs.
- Total expected funding is up to $34 million.
- Large grant cap: $5 million.
- Small grant cap: $2 million.
- Includes renewable energy, battery storage, and energy efficiency projects on/in residential buildings, nonprofit occupied commercial buildings (can be privately owned), and community solar that benefits low-income Portland residents. All energy efficiency and renewable energy projects must reduce GHGs.
- Green infrastructure
- Includes planting, establishment, and maintenance of trees; restoration, depaving, planting, and establishing native plants and shrubs. All green infrastructure projects must reduce emissions.
- Total expected funding is up to $2 million.
- Large grant cap: $1 million.
- Small grant cap: $200,000.
- Includes planting, establishment, and maintenance of trees; restoration, depaving, planting, and establishing native plants and shrubs. All green infrastructure projects must reduce emissions.
- Regenerative agriculture
- Includes projects that improve access to local food, fibers, and materials using practices that sequester carbon in the soil and support a healthier urban environment.
- Total expected funding is up to $5.5 million.
- Large grant cap: $1 million
- Small grant cap: $200,000
- General operations grant: Up to 25% of the organization’s annual operating budget or $200,000, whichever is lower.
- Includes projects that improve access to local food, fibers, and materials using practices that sequester carbon in the soil and support a healthier urban environment.
- Transportation decarbonization
- Includes projects that support transportation electrification and those that support active transportation programs. All transportation decarbonization projects must reduce emissions.
- Total expected funding is up to $13.5 million.
- Large grant cap: $4 million.
- Small grant cap: $500,000.
- Includes projects that support transportation electrification and those that support active transportation programs. All transportation decarbonization projects must reduce emissions.
- Climate jobs, workforce and contractor development
- There are three general areas of work within the workforce and contractor development funding area.
- Total expected funding is up to $9.6 million.
- Workforce training or contractor development.
- Workforce training includes pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, and other job training programs that help to diversify the climate workforce with a focus on programs with direct job placement and workers in the construction trades.
- Contractor development includes technical assistance and other support, such as business development to help support and grow diverse contractors and businesses that provide climate-focused goods and services.
- Total expected funding is up to $8.8 million.
- Large grant cap: $1.5 million.
- Small grant cap: $500,000.
- Youth education and exposure
- Includes youth education and engagement that increases knowledge of, and interest in, careers in climate work.
- Total expected funding is up to $800,000.
- Grant cap: $400,000.
- Other emissions reducing projects
- Includes projects that do not fall into one of the above categories but supports program goals of addressing climate change while advancing racial and social justice.
- Total expected funding is up to $700,000.
- Includes projects that do not fall into one of the above categories but supports program goals of addressing climate change while advancing racial and social justice.
- Planning grants (all funding categories)
- Planning grants support the development of projects related to one of the funding categories outlined above. They aim to award 1–2 planning grants per funding area. Funding requests for planning grants should align with the scope of the project and its anticipated outcomes.
- Total expected funding is up to $2 million.
- Grant cap for technical planning (assessments, feasibility, audits): $200,000
- Grant cap for non-technical planning (community engagement, general research, curriculum development): $100,000.
- Planning grants support the development of projects related to one of the funding categories outlined above. They aim to award 1–2 planning grants per funding area. Funding requests for planning grants should align with the scope of the project and its anticipated outcomes.
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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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 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 information, visit City of Portland.
