Oregon nonprofits to share nearly $5.2 million in grants to boost community well-being

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.