Communities become stronger when neighbors come together across differences to build connections to one another and create a shared vision for change. The Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Coalition Community Small Grants program helps grassroots groups working in or for inner SE Portland support the community’s needs, develop collaborative projects and bring their ideas to fruition.
Through this program, SE Uplift provides seed funding and grant application support to help applicants shape the places where they live, work and play for current and future generations. This program is funded by the City of Portland’s Office of Community and Civic Life (OCCL) and approved by Portland City Council.
This year’s cycle will award $76,394 in funds for community-driven projects. “With more money this year than ever before, we are excited to attract more applicants with creative ideas. From communal gardens to street murals, there is no limit to the incredible creativity of the SE community,” says Grantmaking Programs Manager Alex Cherin.
There are two categories that applicants can apply for funding. The Community Small Grants program includes microgrants for small-scale projects up to $500 and grants for larger projects up to $5,000. The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Communications Grants for up to $1,000 are for communications-related projects that build a greater sense of belonging in the community.
Project ideas do not have to be extraordinary to receive funding but they do need to be well thought out, practical and achievable. Examples of past projects that have received funding include engaging neighbors in creating a street painting to slow down traffic in a residential neighborhood; workshops, forums and trainings that create stronger skills among community leaders; civic engagement efforts such as a voter registration drive led by high school students; and the translation of printed materials into multiple languages such as at a farmers’ market and neighborhood association.
SE Uplift invites applicants to attend one of three workshops where they can learn more about the application process and seek input on their idea. The online workshops will be held 7-8:30 pm Thursday, October 5, Sunday, October 15 and Wednesday, October 25. There is also one-on-one support available, time permitting, by contacting Cherin at 503.232.0010 x2 or alex@seuplift.org.
Applications are due by Tuesday, October 31, 11:59 pm and will be evaluated by a volunteer-led Grants Review Committee. The committee will score each proposal according to the grant program goals and criteria and how the project aligns with SE Uplift’s IDEA Code of Ethics and IDEA statement. The committee will make funding recommendations to the SE Uplift Board of Directors December 4 and applicants will be notified of funding status by December 15.
Eligibility requirements, additional details and applications can be found at seuplift.org/grants.
