North Portland Fund
Community Grant Program

Portland Parks Foundation is relaunching this historic grant fund, previously managed by the City of Portland. The Fund seeks to improve the livability of neighborhoods and vitality of area businesses in the 11 priority North Portland communities: Arbor Lodge, Bridgeton, Cathedral Park, East Columbia, Hayden Island, Kenton, Overlook, Piedmont, Portsmouth, St. Johns, University Park. Learn more about the program and essential dates below.

Quick Program Links

Public Information Sessions:

Learn more about the history and purpose of this grants program. Join us for a virtual info session.

NPF 2026 Grant Applications:

Applications for the North Portland Grant Fund Grants are open March 1 - April 15. Learn more about the criteria below or:

Coming Soon: Preview the grant app

Program History and Description

Portland Parks Foundation (PPF) is proud to partner with Portland Parks & Recreation to be the new steward of the North Portland Fund (NPF) Community Grants Program. Between 2026 and 2028, PPF will work with North Portlanders to distribute up to $70,000-$80,000 per funding cycle to community projects working to improve North Portland’s neighborhood vitality and livability. The first grant cycle opens March 1, 2026.

The North Portland Fund was established in 1989 to address the impact that the Portland International Raceway (PIR) has on adjacent neighborhoods. Its goal is to provide improvements to neighborhood vibrancy and livability in the 11 surrounding communities of Arbor Lodge, Bridgeton, Cathedral Park, East Columbia, Kenton, Overlook, Hayden Island, Piedmont, Portsmouth, St. Johns, and University Park.

Needed: Grant Selection Committee Members

Committee Applications Due March 6

PPF is seeking 7 individuals to sit on the Selection Committee of the new North Portland Fund Community Grant Program in order to facilitate an equitable and community-centered grantmaking process. Selection Committee members will be responsible for reviewing all eligible grant applications and making final selection of grantees, based on determined criteria. Each participating selection committee member will be offered a $250 stipend for their service, per cycle. Members are asked to serve a 2-year duration.

Learn more and apply here

Grant Program Information & Criteria

Grant Application Open March 1 - April 15, 2026

Key Criteria include:

  • Work in Priority Neighborhoods: work must provide benefits primarily within: Portsmouth, Kenton, Hayden Island, East Columbia, Piedmont, Arbor Lodge, University Park, Bridgeton, Cathedral Park, St. Johns, or Overlook neighborhoods, or some combination of the above.

  • Supporting Youth and/or Underserved Communities

  • Community Benefit: work must improve the livability of these neighborhoods or the vitality of area businesses.

  • Environmental Impact: Successful applications should also demonstrate positive environmental impact to the outlined neighborhoods

  • Partnership & Engagement: applications should demonstrate broad-based community involvement in planning and implementing the proposed work

  • Feasibility: applicants must have sufficient organizational and fiscal capacity to carry out the proposal, and the grant proposal must include a realistic plan describing how the proposal will be carried out. All applications must include a detailed timeline and budget.

Applicant Eligibility:

  • Applicants may include: neighborhood associations; business associations; schools or school districts; governments (including PP&R programs other than PIR); businesses or groups of businesses; churches; other community groups.

  • If applicant is not a 501c3, they must acquire a fiscal sponsor (who is a registered 501c3 in the State of Oregon) in order to receive and manage the grant funds.

  • Applicants do not need to be based in the North Portland community, but the benefit must be concentrated there. Example: SOLVE could apply for neighborhood cleanup in North Portland, even though the organization is based outside of North Portland.

Timeline

  • Applications open online: March 1 - April 15, 2026

  • Applications Reviewed by Selection Committee: Late April - May 2026

  • 2026 Awardees Notified and Announced: June 2026

Coming soon: Start your application
Coming soon: Application Tips & FAQs

Questions?

Please contact Jason Brown, PPF Programs & Partnerships Manager at jason.brown@portlandpf.org or 503.342.0306.