Community Grants Program

The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) has a long-standing commitment to supporting nonprofits that serve the diverse needs of residents across Oregon. Since its inception over 29 years ago, the Community Grants Program has focused on community-led solutions by directing flexible funding to organizations that understand and are embedded within the populations they serve. This initiative has adapted over time to meet the complex challenges facing Oregon, including systemic inequities and a lack of equitable access to resources. In response, the 2026 Spring Cycle of the Community Grants Program will continue to offer general operating support to nonprofits working closest to the ground, with a particular emphasis on organizations serving communities that have been historically underinvested in. The primary purpose of this grant is to provide general operating support that sustains and strengthens nonprofit organizations across Oregon. Funding is unrestricted and designed to enable recipients to address ongoing operational needs. This includes expenses related to staffing, infrastructure, outreach, and administrative functions—allowing organizations to focus on their missions rather than specific program execution. OCF explicitly trusts grantees to determine the most effective use of funds in support of their community-driven work. The grant does not support applications tied to specific programs, and such proposals will not be considered in the 2026 Spring Cycle. Eligibility for this grant extends to 501(c)(3) public charities registered with the Oregon Department of Justice, as well as government entities, churches, and federally recognized tribes. Fiscal sponsorship is also permitted, provided there is a formal agreement submitted with the application by the deadline. Notably, organizations that received a Community Grant in 2025 must observe a two-cycle waiting period and are therefore ineligible for this current cycle. Organizations that have active grants from other OCF programs, including the Arts and Culture Rebuilding initiative, are still eligible to apply. The 2026 Spring Cycle prioritizes applications from three key types of organizations: small rural nonprofits, culturally specific organizations, and culturally responsive organizations. Small rural organizations are defined as those with annual operating expenses below $250,000 and that serve communities with populations under 35,000 that are not part of or adjacent to metropolitan areas of 50,000 or more. Culturally specific organizations are led by and serve distinct cultural communities, demonstrating intimate knowledge of those communities' lived experiences, including the impact of racism and other systemic barriers. Culturally responsive organizations must show an ability to adapt their services in ways that are relevant and respectful to the cultural, linguistic, and social norms of the populations they serve. Applications are submitted through OCF's upgraded MyOCF portal, which offers clearer navigation and improved tools to track submissions. All users, including returning applicants, will need to create a new password to access the updated system. The application opened on December 2, 2025, and will close on January 13, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. PT. An information session is scheduled for December 11, 2025, with a recorded link made available for those unable to attend live. The application review process is carried out by OCF program officers and trained staff using a published scoring rubric, and incorporates feedback from regional volunteers to ensure local context and diverse perspectives are represented. Awards will be announced and distributed in mid-May 2026. There are no post-award reporting requirements. In line with its mission to serve Oregon equitably, OCF emphasizes nondiscrimination and encourages applications from a wide array of nonprofit organizations, particularly those serving populations that have experienced systemic exclusion. These include, but are not limited to, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, people experiencing disabilities, individuals with low incomes, unsheltered populations, LGBTQ+ communities, and survivors of domestic or child abuse. The program is highly competitive, as the previous cycle received $18 million in requests against a $5.6 million budget, with only 241 out of 595 applicants receiving awards.

Align to rubric: focus on priority populations; demonstrate leadership by community members served; avoid proposing specific programs.