City Council approves $1M in Small Grants Fund investments (12-16-20)
Portland City Council today approved $1 million in new investments to improve equity of access for organizations that have not received Children’s Levy funding in the past.
City Council’s approval represents a huge milestone for the Small Grants Fund and the Portland Children’s Levy overall. Given all the challenges that our city and world have faced over the past year, we are thrilled to be able to bring forth something new.
We want to recognize the tremendous work and effort that all the applicants, volunteer reviewers, and Design Team members put into this participatory process. While this pilot project was imperfect, everyone involved worked hard to make the process accessible and inclusive of as many community members as possible.
“You have been really intentional about how you do your work and how you engage communities that are unaccustomed to interacting with Government. I look forward to seeing the incredible work you do in the future.” – Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty
We look forward to working closely with each of these organizations, supporting their capacity building, and watching them get to know and invest in each other.
Welcome to the Small Grants Fund Grantees 2021-2023!
African Youth and Community Organization
Afterschool program for East African youth with disabilities. Tutoring, sports, and nature-based field trips led by Cultural Navigators. Occupational Therapist supports student needs in afterschool program.
STEAMED education and nature-based camps for youth K-5 and 6-8, and a program for teens that provides leadership training, as well as the opportunity to become Camp Guides and teach the younger kids.
Long-term afterschool program with academic, fitness, social-emotional components. Year-round activities including afterschool and summer camp activities.
Mentoring offered to non-white girls and non-binary femmes 7-17. Create a youth board to plan curriculum and conduct program evaluation and monitoring activities.
Black and Latinx culturally specific youth mentoring in Parkrose. Emphasis on post-secondary education. In-school character building curriculum offered and afterschool activities with Teacher Mentors.
Ethiopian & Eritrean Cultural and Resource Center
Mentoring for newly arrived refugee youth from Ethiopia & Eritrea. The youth in this program have been in the country 1-3 years. Individual mentoring (socially distanced when possible) and groups online. Families receive wraparound support.
Food is gleaned and distributed to families. Additional food purchased from local farmers. Foods prepared for families in need. Distribution sites located in high poverty, high BIPOC areas. Millions of pounds of food diverted from landfills.
