The City of Portland is currently seeking applications for its SEED Grant Program to advance restorative justice, community reinvestment, and wealth creation for communities.
Donor Name: City of Portland
State: Oregon
City: Portland
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/11/2022
Size of the Grant: $250,000
Details:
While the SEED Grant is managed by the Cannabis Program and funded through cannabis retail tax, projects do not need to be focused on cannabis-related projects. However, the SEED Grant prioritizes projects that advance restorative justice, community reinvestment, and wealth creation for communities who have been disproportionately impacted by more than 80 years of cannabis prohibition laws. The application must fall within one of the SEED Grant’s three priorities:
- Education Development
- Youth training and development
- Workforce development
- Community and health education
- STEAMM education
- Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
- Business incubation and acceleration
- Business support for entrepreneurs
- Co-working spaces
- Networking and mentorship
- Social Justice
Funding Information
- The SEED Grant offers three tiers of grant funding.
- Tier 1: $50,000 Applicants will have 0 – 5 years of operations with little to no funding during that period. These applicants are not traditional grant applicants and often will not have the expertise in Grant Procedures and do not have grant writers or have limited staff, with much of the work being done without paid staff. Community based groups or organizations that are not yet formed are also encouraged to apply.
- Tier 2: $75,000 Applicants will have 5 – 10 years of operations and have a basic understanding of grants but still need additional support in the grant process. They have staff that are dedicated to supporting these operations and they are ready to go and execute the programs.
- Tier 3: $250,000 Applicants have prior experience managing grants, completing grant applications and demonstrating fiscal responsibility through prior grant management. Applicants can execute the completion of larger grants with hopes to apply for higher value state, local, federal, and private grants and will need this grant to help improve their portfolio.
Eligibility Criteria
- All grants must benefit Portland Metro residents. The Portland Metro is within the states of Oregon and Washington centered around the principal City of Portland, Oregon.
- Projects must also be easily accessible, visible to the general public, and show a clear public benefit.
- Community groups, businesses, nonprofits, student groups, schools, faith organizations, neighborhood or business associations, and service groups within the City of Portland or Metro Portland are eligible to apply. All Businesses must be in good standing with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies.
- Because this is a Racial Equity grant, it prioritizes Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and women-led/owned small business initiatives and/or projects, programs, or services that support economic and educational development of BIPOC communities. All applicants are encouraged to self-identify program staff, organization demographics, leadership demographics, and institutional information.
Ineligible Applicants and Projects
- These funds must benefit Portland Metro residents. The Portland Metro is within the states of Oregon and Washington centered around the principal City of Portland, Oregon. The funds should not be used for programming outside Portland Metro. Other disqualifications include:
- Applicants that have won three grants from SEED and have graduated out of the program.
- Applicants who have been found to falsely represent themselves or organizations.
- Applicants who have been found to not meet the spirit of the grant or City Policies.
Eligible Costs
- Eligible costs include but are not limited to:
- Materials and Supplies: This category includes paper, printing, food supplies, paper, parking, technology upgrades, and cell phones.
- Refreshments: Up to $500 dollars can be spent on snacks and drinks for volunteers and work crews.
- Staff and Professional Services: This can include technical assistance, contracted services, project coordination, youth compensation, permits, administrative costs, insurance, etc.
For more information, visit City of Portland.