Announcing PPF's 2026 PGE Parks Champions!

2026 PGE Parks Champions

The Parks Champion Awards honor individuals who make outstanding contributions or provide significant service to a Portland park, community center, natural area, community garden, or park-related or recreation program through direct volunteer service.

PPF is excited to announce our two 2026 awardees: Katherine Schroeder, for her work at the Community Music Center, and Patricia Frobes, for her work with Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden, Portland Parks Coalition, and even previously on PPF’s own board of directors! These two women exemplify that parks volunteerism can take many forms - from the rose bed to the board room, from balancing budgets, to getting students and teachers needed scholarships and supplies. All helps expand access to parks and recreation programing, and creates a deeper sense of ownership for our natural spaces and community. Thank you for your service!

Katherine Schroeder 

Katherine Schroeder is a behind-the-scenes star at the Community Music Center (CMC Inc.), where she has been on the board since 2011. CMC Inc. supports PP&R’s synonymous facility, which serves hundreds of students from 50 different zip codes around Portland offering affordable music lessons, classes, and ensembles. Katherine raises money for need-based scholarships and merit awards, helps acquire specialized equipment, and she stewards the non-profits’ financial resources and musical instrument collection. Kathy has helped CMC and PP&R negotiate several partnership contracts, build the non-profit’s website, maintain and insure its instrument collection, and procure professional services such as bookkeeping and legal advice. During the pandemic shutdown she helped CMC’s music lessons continue by helping the organization provide micro grants paid directly to music teachers providing remote learning. Together with the free and low-cost services CMC hosts, it provides equitable access to music making and music learning programs for thousands of Portlanders each year.

Patricia Frobes 

Patricia Frobes is a consistent advocate for Portland parks and a core leader in the founding and ongoing work of the Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden (FOPPRG) since 2012. Through her service on Parks Board, the Parks Foundation Board, and the Parks Alliance, and her longtime guidance of FOPPRG, Pat has always pushed for accountability, fairness, and for what’s best for the environment and the people of Portland. During the BLM marches, many of which began at Peninsula Park, Pat realized that the historical record of the rose garden and park were flawed: it omitting the important history of people of color in and around Peninsula Park. She then worked with a group of advocates and artists to create a public project featuring a diverse collection of community members, past and present. She has been an inspiration to hundreds of volunteers over the last 14 years, and continues to help mentor new Friends groups, boards, and board members. 

---

2026 Nominees

• Bill Bannister - Forest Park, Marquam Nature Park, Ancient Forest Preserve

• Catherine Clark - Roseway Parkway

• Corin Wallace - Village Park

• Danae Hutson - Peninsula Elementary School

• Eric Mitchell - Hoyt Arboretum

• Jill Gaddis - Friends of April Hill Park

• Jo Durand - South Park Blocks

• Kara Shane Colley - Couch Park

• Karen Campbell - Trail Keepers of Oregon, Powell Butte Nature Park, Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

• Katherine Schroeder - Community Music Center

• Lise Gervais - Mt. Tabor, Montavilla Park, Ventura Park, Forest Park, Leach Botanical Garden, Richmond Neighborhood, St. John’s Community Center, Lents

• Patricia Frobes - Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden, Portland Parks Foundation Board, Parks Board, Parks Alliance

• Peter Condra - Lents Neighborhood

Announcing PPF's 2026 Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership Honorees

Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership
2026 Honorees

The Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership was established in 2022 to recognize an emerging leader, organization, or initiative promoting greater innovation and accessibility in Portland’s system of parks and open spaces. Learn more here.

PPF is excited to announce 2026’s Joey Pope Award Honorees: Talietha Mathis of Better Chances, Inc. and Eca-Etabo “Waso” Wasongolo, of Our Village Gardens. Both of these honorees exemplify what it means to make parks, nature, and recreational opportunities responsive their communities, by creating innovative and culturally-informed programming. Learn more about their work below.

Talietha Mathis
Better Chances Inc.

Talietha Mathis is the Executive Director of Better Chances Inc. (BCI) which is a 100% volunteer-run nonprofit activating parks and recreation spaces in North and Northeast Portland as structured environments for youth leadership, mentorship, and growth. During Talietha’s leadership, BCI has established itself in just a few years as a reliable and respected presence within Portland’s park system, demonstrating what disciplined, volunteer-led leadership can accomplish. Whether on the court, in the garden, or in the community, each experience reinforces responsibility and positive youth development.

Advancing Equity, Access & Cultural Understanding

Talietha’s commitment to advancing equity and cultural understanding within the parks system is evident in her programs aimed at historically excluded groups. Through the “Future Leaders” initiative, she creates an inclusive environment where youth from diverse backgrounds can engage in discussions about cultural identity and community issues. This initiative not only empowers participants to embrace their cultural heritage but also fosters a sense of belonging and shared responsibility. By prioritizing accessibility in all her programs, Talietha actively works to dismantle barriers that have historically marginalized certain groups, ensuring that every youth has the chance to thrive.

Learn more about their work here: betterchances.net

Eca-Etabo “Waso” Wasongolo
Our Village Gardens

Eca-Etabo Wasongolo, known to everyone in New Columbia as “Waso,” has spent twenty years showing up for one of North Portland’s most under-resourced neighborhoods, but has deepened his work in the past 4 years to great impact to this international neighborhood. He works as Garden Program Manager at Our Village Gardens (OSV), a community-led nonprofit rooted in New Columbia, Oregon’s largest affordable housing neighborhood. OSV operates the Seeds of Harmony Community Garden, with 83 free plots where immigrant and refugee families grow lemongrass, bitter melon, chilacayote, and dozens of other crops rarely available at any nearby store. 

Building Coalitions & Partnerships

Waso’s approach is not programmatic. He does not run a model. He listens to people’s stories, identifies what is missing, and builds something to fill it. When families needed more than just a food box, Waso helped develop educational workshops so they understood what they were growing and why it mattered. To make the work more accessible, Waso designs and facilitates multilingual workshops on composting, irrigation, seasonal planting, and seed saving. He runs garden registration with multiple time slots so that neighbors who work different schedules can participate. He personally recruits gardeners from communities with no prior relationship to Portland’s parks infrastructure, and he stays in relationship with them across seasons.

Learn more about their work here: villagegardens.org

---

2026 Nominees

• Andra Vltavín, Regenerate Northern Willamette Valley

• Ashley Murray, Sellwood Community House

• Beth Kracum, Portland Children’s Garden

• Bo Lyons & Marti Clemmons, Birdhers

• Community Orchard Care Program, Portland Fruit Tree Project

• Corey Pierson, Rosewood Initiative

• Curbside Serenade

• Dieter Waiblinger, Sail2Change

• Eca-Etabo “Waso” Wasongolo, Our Village Gardens

• Eric Carlson AKA “Seymore Gulls”, Birding For The People

• Full Count: Play Ball Everywhere, Friends of Baseball

• Jen Armbruster, Adaptive Sports Northwest

• Latino Outdoors, Portland Chapter

• Ryan Al-Schamma, Stay ON the Grass (SOTG)

• Talietha Mathis, Better Chances Inc.

• Tammy Jo Wilson, TERRAIN: a land art exhibition

Thompson Elk Fountain Update March 2026

Thompson Elk Getting Ready for its Return in April

Image courtesy of Keith Lachowicz, Regional Arts & Culture Council

After many years of advocacy, private and public support, an amazing project team, and a serious commitment to patience and project flexibility, the Elk is ready to return to its historic home this April.

At this time the stonework is done and the steel vault has been installed. Over the next few weeks the construction team will be repairing the road and putting the final touches on the site to get it ready for the Elk’s homecoming. Meanwhile, the Elk is getting ready too.

Below are photos that were taken earlier this month from our friends at Regional Arts & Culture Council of the Elk receiving a nice new coat of wax to get ready for its return.

In the first two images, Conservator Robert Krueger of Cascadia Art Conservation Center is shown "hot waxing" the Elk. In his left hand he is holding a torch that he uses to heat the bronze surface, in his right hand is a natural bristle brush loaded with a special wax mixture that he lightly touches to the surface, the heat of the metal and the composition of the wax allow it to flow onto the surface evenly. The wax protects and preserves the bronze and its patina.

The bottom two images were taken after he followed up the hot wax with a layer of "cold wax"—this is a way to add an additional layer of protection that will then be hand buffed. Buffing toughens the wax coating and causes its matte finish to take on a subtle sheen.

In the middle image, as the Elk moves back into the warehouse securely attached to its temporary pallet, you can see a bit of that buffed sheen reflected on the surface.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you and our city. Details coming soon!

Hot Waxing

Conservator Robert Krueger of Cascadia Art Conservation Center is "hot waxing" the Elk.

Hot Waxing

Conservator Robert Krueger of Cascadia Art Conservation Center is "hot waxing" the Elk.

Buffed

The Elk moves back into the warehouse securely attached to its temporary pallet, you can see a bit of that buffed sheen reflected on the surface.

Cold Waxing

After the hot wax Conservator Robert Krueger of Cascadia Art Conservation Center adds a layer of "cold wax" which will then be hand buffed.

Cold Waxing

After the hot wax Conservator Robert Krueger of Cascadia Art Conservation Center adds a layer of "cold wax" which will then be hand buffed.

Photos:  Images and wax description of the Thompson Elk courtesy of Keith Lachowicz, Regional Arts & Culture Council. 

Playground Designs Unveiled at Portland Heights Park Play Day

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Portland Heights Park (Strohecker’s) on Saturday, June 7 to unveil the design options for the park’s new playground. Portland Heights Park is one of the three locations that is part of our Everybody Plays Campaign that’s building new playgrounds in three parks throughout the city in partnership with Portland Parks & Recreation.

In addition to unveiling the playground design options, we also got to enjoy a final game of the season for two of Lincoln Youth Baseball’s teams, and celebrate some local partners including Hoyt Arboretum Friends, RecTennis, Free Arts NW, Nicole’s Face Painting and Dream Big City. And there’s not better way to cool down on a hot day in the city or celebrate your final little league game of the season than with a fun ice cream treat from local ice cream truck, Heightscream, who generously donated their time to the campaign!

Missed the event and want to help select the next playground? We are also collecting design input online through June 23. Please share your design selections and input for the Portland Heights Playground Project on the online survey. Your insights for the playground areas are essential to designing the best future playground at Portland Heights Park.

You can cast your votes on the new Portland Heights Park playground design here, through June 23, 2025.

Thank you to everyone who has also supported our Everybody Plays! Campaign, bringing new, inclusive playgrounds to three parks around Portland, and increasing access to healthy activity, outdoor fun, and inclusive play equipment. Get involved here.

Remembering our founding board chair, Josephine “Joey” Pope

"The bottom line is that we’re here to raise much-needed money for parks … There’s such a discrepancy between areas such as Cully and Grant Park. We need to reach for what seems impossible and think in the long term.”  

- Josephine “Joey” Pope, PPF founding board chair, July 2001,
on why Portland needs a parks foundation

The Portland Parks Foundation exists today thanks to the vision and dedication of our founding board members including our founding board chair, Josephine “Joey” Pope. Joey was instrumental in developing the concept of a city-wide parks nonprofit for Portland to help address the inequities in our parks and recreation system, and to ensure that we think strategically about advancing a thriving parks system for all.

Joey passed away on October 2, 2024. As her family shared with us in her obituary, “Joey dedicated her time and energy to Portland's parks and people.” For those of you who were lucky enough to work alongside Joey, you understand that the depth of her dedication had no boundaries.

She had big visions for parks and wasn’t afraid to advocate for them through real action and leadership. “We need to consider Portland in many ways – gardens, natural areas, as a green city, the ability to walk and hike everywhere – and look at the system as a whole and how it connects,” said Joey Pope in reference to the overall goal of PP&R’s 2020 Vision Plan and the creation of a Portland Parks Foundation. After contributing to the idea of a foundation, she went on to lead it in the following years -  building a coalition of businesses, community members and parks advocates who cared deeply about elevating the importance of parks and outdoor space. We continue to advance this goal today through PPF’s current playground replacement project, Friends & Allies summits, small grants and award programs, and our commitment to finding sustainable funding for our parks system.

Over the last few decades, Joey remained involved in PPF even after she was no longer on the board. A few years ago, she helped create an emerging leadership program with the Portland Parks Foundation to support future parks leaders. It is our honor to continue her legacy as a leader in Portland through our work at PPF, and more specifically, through our annual Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership. 

Joey leaves us with a clear vision for the parks and the gift of an organization that advocates for access to public parks and recreation for all Portland residents. I look forward to continuing to join forces with you, the Portland community, to carry out her vision of an equitable parks system for all.

Photo collage: Left: Joey with wheelbarrow; Center: Joey Pope and Betsy Bergstein, May 2005; Right: Barbara Allen, Joey Pope (center), Emily Crumpacker in Washington Park circa 2008

Announcing the Fall 2021 Small Grant Recipients

Portland Parks Foundation is Excited to Announce our Fall 2021 Grant Recipients

PPF’s small grants program supports local organizations that steward public parks, park programs, community gardens and natural areas. This Fall our community-based review committee selected five organizations to receive a $2000 grant to support general operating or a specific program. PPF is proud to partner with five new organizations committed to increasing opportunities for Black, Indigenous and people of color, immigrant and refugees, individuals with a disability, and low-income and marginalized youth and their families in public parks, nature and community centers.

Boise Eliot Native Grove

The Boise Eliot Native Grove is a volunteer run organization with a mission of restoring the habitat, cultivating education and growing community. The Boise Eliot Native Grove is a pollinator support grove and public nature space built by and for the community on Portland Bureau of Transportation land, formerly an unimproved right-of-way full of invasive species and used as a trash dump.

Community involvement is essential to the ongoing maintenance and support of the native grove. Students and teachers from Boise-Eliot and Humboldt School, who, along with students and faculty from The Ivy School and Self Enhancement, Inc., have contributed extensive design ideas and habitat restoration support to the grove.

This past summer the “heat dome” and the long, dry weather caused detrimental effects on the plant community, killing off a number of shrubs and knocking back some native ground covers.

This grant will go towards the 2022 Earth Day event plus plant specimen replacement, new signs and Library box and books, and general maintenance on the Grove.

Green Lents

Green Lents, cultivates a thriving, resilient and environmentally just community through engagement, education and collective action. In recent years, they have focused on increasing equitable access and leadership over environmental resources and benefits to those most impacted by gentrification, development, climate change and increased urban high-heat zones, wildfire smoke pollution and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Covid-19 has hit many communities and nonprofits hard over the last two years. Due to funding shortages, Green Lents was forced to cut back on staff expenditures. With programs funded by grants and donations, maintaining the same operational budget during Covid in 2021 proved difficult.

Over the next few month, they will work with board members, volunteers and partners to conduct surveys, determine community needs, and project outlines and budgeting. This grant will support the organization in addressing a funding gap to ensure current programming will not be interrupted during the planning process and provide stability and continuity for a robust 2022.

Portland Fruit Tree Project

Portland Fruit Tree Project increases equitable access to healthful foods and strengthens communities by empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of city-grown produce. The organization coordinates harvesting and sharing surplus fruit amongst communities and community organizations, sustains several mobile orchard and vegetable garden plots in partnership with community organizations, and educates the community on issues of equitable tree canopy, food justice, and the complexities of the food system.

As the Portland Fruit Tree project expands, they seek to build a workforce development program around fruit tree care, increase equity centered harvesting opportunities, called Healing Harvests, to address harm experienced primarily by the Black and Latino/a/x communities around harvesting food, and further community based research around barriers to accessing fruit as well as a research project focused on increasing people sharing harvests that are less reliant on organizational intervention.

The grant will support the organization as they seek to expand these services and programs.

Sail2Change

Sail2Change (S2C) empowers historically underserved and underrepresented youth through access to sailing, environmental education, mentorship and tutoring as a catalyst for equitable academic opportunity and maritime industry employment. Through sailing and outdoor education, S2C promotes equitable access to Portland’s waterways and natural areas.

Their activities encourage youth to spend more time outdoors and take advantage of Portland’s natural beauty. Many of the youth have never been to the local parks and waterways S2C frequents. As part of the sailing lessons they provide, youth explore the Willamette River and are able to experience their hometown in a new way. While sailing, youth will visit Sellwood Riverfront Park, Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge and will head downtown to the Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Funding from this grant will provide programming to a larger number of youth and help to spread the word about their free programming.

Scott School Basketball Goldenball Program

The Scott School Basketball Program uses basketball as a way to enable children from the community to have a positive after school environment to develop physical, social skills and self-esteem. Scott School is located in the Cully neighborhood and has a large population of low income and students of color. The program is volunteer run, however there are costs associated with league fees, uniforms and equipment. After a season away, due to Covid, 80 students across 3rd, 4th and 5th grade will be able to participate in the Scott School Basketball Program.

The goal of the program, coached by long time physical education teacher and basketball coach, Ken Lee, is not to win games but to ensure all students are included in the game and develop team cooperation and individual growth.

The small grant will help defer some of the registration fees for children on free lunch programs at Scott School. Offsetting the costs of the program, uniforms and equipment will provide opportunities for more students to get involved in after school basketball.

Watch the 2021 Portland Parks Foundation Fall Friends & Allies Summit

Thank you to everyone who joined us on zoom for the Fall 2021 Friends and Allies Summit! The sessions were filled with robust dialogue and questions. And a special thank you to those that volunteered at our Day of Service! Below you can watch the recordings from each workshops.

Fiscal Sponsorships: What They are and What they Aren’t + Insurance 101

Parks and Houselessness: Building compassion and equity between all Portlanders

Investing in your Volunteers

The remaining session will be added after the workshop takes place.

Thank you to our sponsor,

Spring 2021 Small Grant Recipient

Portland Parks Foundation is Excited to Announce our Spring 2021 Grant Recipients

PPF’s small grants program aims to support local organizations that steward public parks, park programs, community gardens and natural areas. This spring our community-based review committee selected five organizations centering equity in their programming. Each organization is receiving $2000 to support general operating or a specific program. PPF is proud to partner with five new organizations committed to increasing opportunities for Black, Indigenous and people of color, immigrant and refugees, disabled, low-income and marginalized youth and their families in public parks and nature.

People of Color Outdoors

People of Color Outdoors (POCO) connects “Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) folks of all ages to the outdoors via BIPOC-led outings; deepening the BIPOC communities’ relationships to the outdoors by learning about basic environmental education, environmental justice, and BIPOC environmental contributions; and connect BIPOC youth to fulfilling careers in parks and nature.” Parks and outdoor areas have not always been a safe place for the BIPOC community. Pamela Slaughter, founder of POCO, started the organization to create a safe space for the BIPOC community to access and connect with nature.

Throughout COVID-19, POCO has successfully brought their members to in-person nature outings and virtual events at no cost to them. The organization operates as a MeetUp group and is quickly expanding. This grant will support POCO's general operating and capacity building by growing their social media presence to reach and engage more community members.

Vernon Neighborhood Association

The Vernon Neighborhood Association (VNA) brings neighbors together to build a safe and resilient neighborhood, rooted in an understanding of its rich cultural history. VNA actively works to “initiate, promote and implement programs that connect the diverse neighbors in this community.” COVID-19 posed great challenges for the community and now VNA is looking at how to safely connect the community to their neighbors and the outdoors. The group is excited to have local historians Anjala Ehelebe and Doug Decker lead walking tours of the Vernon neighborhood, focusing on Alberta Park and what growing up in the northeast neighborhoods as a person of color is like.

Vernon Neighborhood Association will use the grant to support Anjala and Doug in creating and executing walking tours throughout the summer. Walking tours offer an educational and fun experience for the community after a long and hard year.

Doug Decker

Anjala Ehelebe

Friends of Zenger Farm

Friends of Zenger Farm is deeply rooted in the outer southeast community. The 24 acre farm “promotes and educates about sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, and community building to improve our collective wellbeing.” The organization works to dismantle food inequities created by racism, capitalism, colonialism and other systems of oppression. Friends of Zenger Farm eliminates barriers to food and land access by providing fresh food for low-income Black and Brown families in the community. 

The PPF grant will support their Open Farm Days social media and market delivery. Open Farm Days are regular events that safely bring BIPOC and David Douglas School District families to their farm wetlands. When attending this event, families learn about ecosystems, plant identification and uses, gardening and can enjoy free prepared food made by community chefs.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden will be piloting a program, “Rooting Among Rhodies'' with Latino Network and SUN Community Schools to bring youth to the gardens for fun outdoor learning opportunities. The programing aims to center the experiences of communities of color in our public spaces. Students from Kelly and Bridger elementary schools will visit Crystal Springs for outdoor socio-emotional learning. The program hopes to build cohesion in the children's learning community and help create a stronger sense of ownership and connection to the garden. 

Funds from PPF’s small grant will ensure that the students from the two elementary schools can get to the garden, free of cost to them. Buses will bring the students to Crystal Springs to enjoy, learn and connect with nature.

Friends of Pier Park

Friends of Pier Park is an all-volunteer neighborhood group with the mission of enhancing and advocating for the 85-acre North Portland park, ensuring all visitors feel safe and invited. By including and activating the community, Friends of Pier Park is creating and empowering the diverse community to care for the park. The neighborhood around the park is rich, vibrant and diverse. The park is a place where low-income, immigrant, and culturally diverse families can come together to share ideas and enjoy the outdoors.

Translators and interpreters are an essential part of Friends of Pier Park’s future of ensuring all community members have the opportunity to be involved in the decisions of the park. The small grant will be used for general operating support. This grant will help create the foundation for growth as the organization works on developing new sustainable and inclusive programming.

For more information and to read about past grantees, check out our Small Grants Program page.

Contact Jessica Green at jgreen@portlandpf.org with any questions.

Small Grants Recipients Read, Paddle and Repair

The Portland Parks Foundation is happy to announce our Fall 2020 grantees

PPF’s small grants program aims to support local organizations that steward public parks, park programs, community gardens and natural areas.  This fall our community-based review committee selected three organizations centering equity in their programming with proven adaptability during times of COVID-19 restrictions to continue bringing parks-related programming to marginalized communities in Portland.    

City Repair and Ecological Landscaping

The City Repair Project, $2,500

The City Repair Project facilitates “artistic, social justice and ecological placemaking through projects that honor the interconnection of human communities and the natural world.” City Repair manages village building programs for individuals experiencing houselessness, sponsors popular placemaking events such as Pickathon, and organizes Earth Day celebrations. Through their programming, they “aim to nuture public participation in parks, community gardens and natural areas.”

This small grant will build organizational capacity and directly support City Repair’s ecological landscaping and permaculture community trainings and online workshops, and their 21st annual Village Building Convergence. A portion of the funds will be used to offer paid opportunities for community members to guest teach workshops in their effort to prioritize Black, Indigenous People of Color and LGBTQ+ community members. 

Summer Free For All Bookmobile Camp

The Bookmobile Babe, $2,500

The Bookmobile Babe’s mobile libraries address the critical importance of childhood literacy and the reading gap that often occurs every summer. This grant will directly fund free books and free literacy programs for children ages 0-18, in addition to supporting the program’s dedicated volunteers. For the last three years, Bookmobile Babe has partnered with Summer Free for All’s Free Lunch + Play programming in Lents and Creston Parks. Free Lunch + Play sites provide free lunches and play opportunities at sites throughout the city where the need for nutritious meals is most critical. The Bookmobile Babe’s partnership provides additional opportunities for these families to engage in summer reading.

The Bookmobile Babe operates on a small but impactful scale, and has done so successfully for three years, including this past summer with COVID-19 precautions in place. This grant will enhance their successful program so that even more children may have access to literacy support in the summer when they need it most. 

Columbia Slough Bilingual Paddle Leaders

Columbia Slough Watershed Council, $2,473

The Columbia Slough Watershed Council (CSWC) maintains and advocates for a healthy watershed for all Portlanders. They recognize the many physical and emotional benefits that outdoor recreation offers. Furthermore, “engaging with local natural areas and parks motivates Portland community members to protect these areas.” Historically, immigrant communities have lacked access and awareness to the outdoor recreation opportunities Portland offers. To address this inequity, CSWC has partnered with Slavic and Latinx communities to develop a bilingual paddle program which provides an opportunity to learn kayak and canoe skills while also teaching about the history and ecology of the watershed. An integral component of this program is recruiting and training bilingual paddle leaders from the Latinx and Slavic communities. Funds from PPF’s small grant will be used to grow the program through training sessions where existing paddle leaders will come together to train new ones as well as provide information sessions on additional environmental topics of interest to these two communities. 

For more information and to read about past grantees, check out our Small Grants Program page.

Contact Jessica Green at jgreen@portlandpf.org with any questions.

Portland Parks Foundation Holiday Cheer Photo Contest

Hey Portland Park Friends! No holiday travel? No problem: Do it in a park!

The next time you stretch your legs at a park, snap a holiday photo for a chance to win a $100 donation to a non-profit parks organization of your choice!

How to enter: Post your photo video on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram , tag the Portland Parks Foundation, and use the hashtag #pdxparkholiday.

Deadline: Monday, December 21, 2020

How to win: Get the most likes on either Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!

We all know 2020 has been full of challenges, but as we close out this year, we should remember all we have to be thankful for. We are looking for some fun, inspirational, and caring reminders of how much we love our parks.  Wear your favorite holiday sweater, bring seasonal decorations and spread some cheer at your favorite Portland park (socially distanced, of course)!

Remember to wear your mask and leave no trace!

Photo Rules:

• Photo must be in a Portland Park 

• Appropriate Content/Material in line with PPF Values 

• You will be responsible for cleanup of all materials used in park 

• Videos are allowed, and encouraged!

• Photoshop and Photo Editing Tools are allowed 

Photo Theme Suggestions: 

• Family/Friends Ugliest Christmas Sweater Group Photo 

• Friends Group Social Distance Fun 

• Holiday Lights/Tree Decoration in a Park 

• Holiday Throwback (a photo from the past) 

• Acts of Kindness with Strangers in the Park 

• Cutest Couple in the Park 

• BLM to Santa 

• Puppies! 

Email Lucy Pawliczek at lpawliczek@portlandpf.org with questions.

We help people help parks.

The Portland Parks Foundation fosters leadership, creates partnerships, and raises funds to advance equity, excellence, accessibility, and good stewardship in our parks. We are the philanthropic partner of Portland Parks & Recreation and work with many other friends and ally organizations to make Portland's parks and open spaces healthy, safe, and inviting to everyone.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter!