City of Portland PCEF Community Grant

The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) Community Grants program is an initiative by the City of Portland, Oregon, aimed at advancing climate action while ensuring social, economic, and environmental justice for historically underserved communities. Established by a 2018 voter-approved ballot initiative, PCEF is funded through a 1% surcharge on large retailers operating within Portland. The fund’s broader five-year Climate Investment Plan outlines a budget of approximately $1.6 billion, and the 2025 Community Grants cycle committed up to $67 million to community-led projects. The 2025 Community Grants program awarded over $64 million to 60 nonprofit-led projects. These include both implementation and planning grants that collectively advance equitable access to clean energy, workforce development, regenerative agriculture, green infrastructure, and transportation decarbonization. Planning grants are designed for early-stage efforts like feasibility assessments and community engagement, while implementation grants support shovel-ready projects focused on greenhouse gas reduction and community resilience. Implementation projects may range from weatherization and solar installations to job training and tree planting, with varying durations up to five years depending on scope. Eligibility is limited to nonprofits designated as 501(c) or 521(a), registered with the Oregon Secretary of State, and not listed on the Department of Justice’s disqualified charities list. Organizations do not need to be located within Portland, but all physical projects must occur within city boundaries. Workforce and contractor development projects may serve the broader Portland Metropolitan Statistical Area. New or emerging groups lacking nonprofit status may apply using a fiscal sponsor that meets eligibility requirements. Projects cannot be conducted on public right-of-way without proper agency letters of support, and certain activities like land acquisition are restricted. Applications for the 2025 cycle were submitted through WebGrants, Portland’s centralized grants management platform. Required steps included registration, use of optional templates, completion of eligibility and budget forms, and submission of supplemental category-specific forms for projects spanning multiple funding areas. The application window ran from March 26 to May 27, 2025. Following submission, applications underwent eligibility screening, technical and financial reviews, and scoring by panels comprising PCEF committee members, staff, and subject matter experts. Notifications and onboarding for grantees began in late fall 2025, with all agreements expected to be executed by spring 2026. Projects are evaluated based on alignment with PCEF’s guiding principles, projected environmental and social impacts, and feasibility. Reporting requirements include quarterly invoicing, demographic and wage tracking, and adherence to PCEF’s minimum wage ($28.71/hour for 2024–2025) and prevailing wage standards for qualifying construction projects. Additionally, all grantees must comply with workforce equity reporting and respectful worksite policies, and include specific protocols for contractor selection and community engagement. The next round of Community Grants is expected to open in 2026, with full details and resources to be provided via the Technical Assistance Webpage and updated Applicant Handbook. This recurring program underscores the city’s commitment to a clean, equitable energy transition through inclusive and community-driven funding.

Clearly align project narrative with PCEF funding categories and GHG reduction goals; maintain internal consistency across budget and narrative; use optional templates; submit early to avoid WebGrants delays.