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Eligibility & Requirements

Whether you’re a first-time applicant or current grant recipient, the Portland Children’s Levy encourages all eligible organizations to apply.

If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact info@portlandchildrenslevy.org

Eligible applicants

Nonprofit corporations (501(c)(3)), local education agencies, community colleges and universities are eligible to apply for PCL funding. 

Partnerships or collaborations of multiple entities must designate a lead entity to apply for funding, and if funded, take responsibility for reporting and billing. The lead entity may subcontract with partners to deliver portions of the proposed program. 

Applicant organizations must have at least $750,000 in annual revenue in the last closed fiscal year to be eligible to apply.

For smaller organizations who are otherwise eligible except for their annual revenue, learn more about our small grants fund, which is scheduled to have a funding round open in 2025-26.

Must serve City of Portland community members

All children and families to be served with PCL funding must reside or go to school within City of Portland boundaries. (See a map with zip codes and a map with detailed street and school locations for reference.)

Eligible service population

Proposed programs must directly serve children and/or youth and their families. Please refer to the grant applications for each program area for additional eligibility requirements, such as the age ranges of people served.

Duration of investment

PCL funding is available for 36 months beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2028.

Available funding and grant amounts

  • Applicants must request a minimum grant of at least $300,000 and propose a year-one budget of at least $100,000. 
  • An organization’s total annual PCL grant request(s) can’t exceed 30% of their organization revenue in their last closed fiscal year. 
  • Please refer to the grant applications for each program area for additional funding details, such as the range of funding and the maximum grant amounts available.

Funding priorities

Applications must be for a program providing services that address one or more of the program area funding priorities. Scoring criteria favor applications that include the program features outlined in the PDF below.

  • Organizations may submit multiple applications in a single program area, and/or multiple applications in different program areas. 
  • A single application must address only one PCL program area and at least one funding priority in that program area. 
  • Applicants may not request that a single application be considered for funding in more than one program area even if the program addresses funding priorities in multiple program areas. PCL staff may recommend to the Allocation Committee that the application be considered in a different program area than the program area selected by the applicant, and the Committee has discretion to do so. 

City of Portland rules and guidelines

Funded organizations will be required to follow City of Portland Equal Employment Opportunity hiring guidelines and contracting rules, provide proof of insurance for general liability, automobile, abuse and molestation, and workers compensation and provide additional assurances as required by PCL staff. 

2019-20 funding round background

In the most recent large grant competitive funding round held in 2019-20, PCL received 116 applications across 6 program areas, requesting $114.1 million for $68.4 million in projected resources over 3 years. Please refer to the grant applications for the figures for each program area.