Large Grants
Funding for grants is available thanks to voter support for the Portland Children’s Levy, which was created in 2002 and must be approved by voters every five years.
Large grants provide stable, multiyear funding to larger nonprofit organizations serving Portland children and families in one of the Levy’s six program areas. Grants typically range from $100,000 to $850,000 annually. Multiyear grants support grantee partners to build trusting relationships with children and families over the long term, leading to more positive outcomes.
Current grants
Funding for new large grants started July 1, 2025 and will run through June 30, 2028. Grants totaling $71 million benefit 95 programs from 65 organizations, including the Community Childcare Initiative, a special initiative that supports high-quality childcare for working families.
- After school: $11.3 million
- Child abuse prevention and intervention: $12.5 million
- Early childhood: $12.3 million
- Foster care: $8 million
- Hunger relief: $9.4 million
- Mentoring: $11.5 million
- Special initiative: $6 million
2024-25 funding round
Voters overwhelmingly renewed the Portland Children’s Levy for a fourth time in May 2023, which allowed for a competitive funding round in 2024-25 for new large grants.
The process began in 2023 with equity-centered community engagement and input on the needs and priorities of children and families in Portland. More than 750 community members and service providers provided input in more than 25 languages.
PCL used the 2024 Community Engagement Report prepared by consultant Camille E. Trummer to develop funding priorities for grants made during the current Levy authorization, July 1, 2024-June 30, 2029. Funding priorities describe the types of services eligible for funding.
The PCL Community Council helped design the community engagement process, shape the application and scoring criteria, and create funding recommendations. The Allocation Committee, PCL’s oversight body, unanimously approved its funding decisions in April 2025.
In June 2025, Portland City Council unanimously approved the new large grants as recommended by the Allocation Committee.
Through late 2025, PCL staff will gather feedback from applicants, community volunteer reviewers, and Community Council advisory body members about the 2024-25 large grants application process. The results will be used to inform a grantmaking process improvement report to City Council.
For more information on funding results and feedback on previous processes, visit the Grantmaking Improvement Reports webpage.
