The Oregon Community Foundation is pleased to announce the Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant Program.
Donor Name: Oregon Community Foundation
State: Oregon
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/16/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
Entrepreneurs have big ideas and creative ways to solve problems. Still, they often need help developing their business plans, creating go-to-market strategies, recruiting talented teams or board members, and raising money. They know entrepreneurs who are women, people of color, or live in under-resourced rural communities struggle more than others to grow and scale their companies.
Goals
The Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant provides an open, responsive grantmaking opportunity that offers organizations flexible funding, with prioritized support for those organizations that serve entrepreneurs who are women, people of color, living in under-resourced rural communities, or working in under-resourced sectors such as consumer products. Funding is not available for individuals; OCF makes grants to eligible organizations only.
Principles
- They value Oregon’s diverse regions and populations, and seek to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion through the funding.
- They are committed to funding across Oregon with grant dollars reaching the remote, rural, suburban, and urban communities across every region of the state.
- They prioritize investments that creatively address needs and position entrepreneurs to thrive in Oregon.
- They prioritize investments demonstrating strong community support, solid planning, and wise stewardship.
Funding Information
- OCF anticipates awarding $800,000.
- Applicants should apply for the amount they need and describe why they need that amount, but most grants will not exceed$25,000.
Grant Period
All grants will be 18 months in duration.
Eligibility Criteria
- 501(c)(3) organizations, Tribal entities, and government entities are eligible to apply. Additionally, other types of organizations may work with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor to submit an application. Applicants must submit formal paperwork confirming the fiscal sponsor relationship.
- Organizations with an active Community Grant or any other OCF grant are eligible to apply. Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant recipients from past years are also eligible to apply in 2026. Priority will be given to organizations that have received less funding through this program.
- Organizations may submit only one application for a 2026 Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant, unless they are an umbrella organization or a fiscal sponsor for a separate application.
- The strongest proposals will:
- Address a clear and compelling business community need
- Have goals/work that are relevant to Oregon’s entrepreneurs, including small and micro businesses
- If the project addresses the needs of a specific population, have staff and board with demonstrated cultural expertise to serve that population
- Demonstrate that people with lived experience are meaningfully leading and/or influencing the work
- Reflect realistic goals and solid planning
- Show strong potential to build the organization’s stability, effectiveness, or capacity
- Demonstrate strong community support, including the support of people being served
- Clearly communicate the role and potential impact of an OCF grant in this moment
- Have a realistic plan for securing remaining funds needed to carry out the work within the grant period
- If the proposal involves new staff or other significant on-going expenses, explain how the organization is thinking about long-term sustainability
- Priority will be given to organizations that:
- Primarily serve one or more priority populations (women, people of color, under-resourced rural communities, or sectors)
- Are reasonably positioned for long-term organizational viability
- Support OCF in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion through the funding
- Reflect a strengths-based orientation
- Work to create positive, substantive change.
For more information, visit OCF.
