Nonprofits serving every corner of Oregon — from domestic and sexual violence survivors in Yamhill County to Spanish-language radio listeners in the Columbia River Gorge and families rebuilding in Central Oregon — will share nearly $5.2 million in new grants from the Oregon Community Foundation.

In all, 258 grants will support organizations through several Oregon Community Foundation grant programs, with awards going to organizations serving all 36 Oregon counties. Most of the funding, $4.77 million, comes through the foundation’s Community Grants program and will go to 252 organizations.

“Oregon is full of people working hard to improve the lives of our neighbors across the state, and we’re grateful to our donors for sharing resources to support big ideas and smart solutions,” said Kim Koenig, director of community programs for Oregon Community Foundation.

Community Grants provide general operating support, a flexible funding source nonprofits can use for needs ranging from stabilizing staffing to strengthening programs or maintaining infrastructure. This cycle, the foundation prioritized organizations that have historically experienced underinvestment, including those serving small, rural communities and those that are culturally specific or culturally responsive. Nearly half of the grants went to organizations focused on economic vitality and livability.

Among the recipients is Row River Fire Response, which received a grant to protect residents of the 20-mile Row River Valley in Lane County.

“We started this work in 2022 with a goal of fire protection in the valley, and in 2024, the community came together to create a volunteer fire district,” said Kathleen Istudor, executive director. “Now in 2026, that effort continues to grow as we work to build a main fire station for our volunteers. Along the way, we have come to see how connected we are, not just to each other, but to the land, the watershed and the people beyond our valley.”

Yachats Youth & Family Activities Program will use its grant to support preschool, summer camp, afterschool activities and other programming for families on the North Coast.

“We try to keep tuition as low as possible so that we can ensure services to all families who walk through our doors,” said Kristina Anderson, executive director.

The Oregon Community Foundation also announced additional grantmaking across several focus areas:

Arts and culture: $250,000 to build arts sector infrastructure. In 2022, the foundation established a learning community for arts educators that led to the Oregon Arts Education Collective, a program connecting educators and advocates to cultivate a thriving arts ecosystem across the state. A grant will support the Collective as members develop infrastructure and build coalitions that advance arts and culture.

Arts and culture: $50,000 to preserve and inspire the field of architecture. A fund that advances professional development for design and building professionals will award a $50,000 fellowship through the Van Evera and Janet M. Bailey fund, supporting the Van Evera Baily Fellowship designed and administered by the Architecture Foundation of Oregon in partnership with the Oregon Community Foundation.

Economic vitality: $37,500 to support the sector and small businesses. The foundation said these grants will support nonprofits helping communities build and sustain strong local economies, including efforts to expand entrepreneurship, strengthen small businesses and increase access to opportunity.

Housing stability: $30,000 for homelessness response. These grants support research around best practices for organizations helping Oregonians stay housed and regain stability.

Several organizations highlighted in community stories described how grant support can help meet local needs.

Furnish Hope, based in Central Oregon, said it helps people restarting after unexpected and often traumatic events by furnishing homes with donated items.

“We believe that everybody needs a place to call home and that there are people all throughout our community that are working really hard to get back on their feet after something unexpected and oftentimes traumatic has happened,” said Megan Martin, founding executive director. “We’ve furnished over 3,000 homes in seven years. On average, we furnish 50 or more homes each month. Our vision is to see this region transformed by hope. And the vehicle that we use to bring hope to people is furniture.”

In Yamhill County, Henderson House said it provides confidential services for victims of domestic and sexual violence, including emergency shelter, advocacy and culturally relevant support for the Latinx population.

“We were founded and are currently led by survivors of domestic and sexual violence. We are the only domestic and sexual violence confidential victim services provider in Yamhill County,” said Fay Schuler, executive director.

In Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley Mentoring said it connects youth ages 9-24 with trained adult mentors through one-to-one relationships and mentoring circles.

“Our work makes a difference because it addresses a fundamental human need: connection,” said Laura Pinney, executive director.

The Oregon Community Foundation, founded in 1973, said it distributes more than $200 million in grants and scholarships statewide each year in partnership with donors and volunteers.

The foundation said individuals, families, businesses and organizations can work with OCF to create charitable funds supporting causes important to them.

More information is available here.

In a victory at the Utah Democratic Party Convention, Dr. Kent Stewart Udell has secured the Democratic nomination for Utah’s 3rd Congressional District. His message, he said, centered on integrity, science, practical solutions and bridging political divides.

Udell will spend the coming months meeting with voters across the district via listening sessions, town halls and community service projects. He will be in Park City Monday, and his first road tour will be in Southern Utah May 8-18.

“I’m both honored and humbled by the faith the delegates have placed in my candidacy” said Udell. “Our goal is to run a creative, energetic campaign that excites Democratic voters, engages new voters, and offers a place for disillusioned Independents, Libertarians, and Republicans to land. I entered this race because I feel what so many Americans are feeling right now — the grief and frustration of watching too many leaders lose sight of their commitments to the Constitution, the rule of law, and to a nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We deserve better. We need a representative who honors those commitments and stands up for truth, integrity, competence, and compassion.”

Udell, an engineer, scientist and educator with a history of working on water and land remediation problems, will now shift his campaign to the general election. He said he is focused on addressing the issues that matter most to Utah families, including cost of living, water security, protecting public lands and restoring accountability in Washington.

With data centers moving front and center in Utah politics including in CD3, Udell said he is calling for an immediate moratorium:

“Utah cannot afford data centers, especially without transparency and public input. In a desert state, water is life. It belongs to our communities, our farms, our families and our future, not to the highest bidder. Putting profit over people cannot continue to be the ‘Utah way.’ At some point, it will devour all of us.”

As the general election season begins, Udell emphasized his commitment to earning the support of all voters, regardless of party.

“You don’t have to agree with me on everything to know that I’ll show up, listen and work hard for you,” Udell added. “Utah deserves a representative who is accountable to the people here, not to political parties or special interests.”

Udell has promised not to accept donations from corporations or corporate PACS.

“When you take money from corporations you inevitably owe them favors and special backroom deals,” said Udell’s campaign manager, Cherise Udell. “Our campaign is powered by the people for the people, and they are the ones Kent will represent. This should be the case for all elected officials.”

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WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD (May 4, 2026) – The Washington County Division of Emergency Services (DES) invites you to an exclusive sneak peek of the new burn building at the Washington County Public Safety Training Center (PSTC) on May 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Come take a look at the newly constructed burn building and hear about future plans for the PSTC.

Join us for a first look at this state-of-the-art training facility, designed to enhance firefighter and first responder preparedness through realistic, hands-on, live-fire training scenarios. This new addition will be placed in service by the end of June; and, it represents a major step forward in strengthening emergency response capabilities across Washington County and the region.

Training programs offered at the PSTC continue to emphasize the importance of joint training among fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), law enforcement, and emergency management partners. Facilities like the burn building allow multiple agencies to train together in realistic environments, improving coordination, communication, and overall response during critical incidents.

This event will also highlight the future vision of the training center, including plans for construction of a tactical village. The proposed tactical village will further expand multi-agency training opportunities and provide realistic environments for real-life, public safety scenario-based exercises.Guests will be treated to a sneak peek demonstration. The demonstration will showcase the capabilities and training value of the new burn building, as well provide a glimpse into future plans for the PSTC.

We hope you’ll join us as we showcase this exciting milestone. Come help us celebrate the continued growth of public safety training in Washington County.

Address: 18350 Public Safety Pl, Hagerstown, MD 21740
Date: May 19, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m.