Spring Grants From Oregon Community Foundation Support Nonprofits In Rural, Urban Communities (Photo) - 05/04/26
May 4, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Paige Parker
Public Relations Manager
Oregon Community Foundation
SPRING GRANTS FROM OREGON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SUPPORT NONPROFITS IN RURAL, URBAN COMMUNITIES
Nonprofits share 258 grants totaling nearly $5.2 million across several programs
PORTLAND, Ore. — A nonprofit that stands up for domestic and sexual violence survivors in Yamhill County.
A community radio station that broadcasts Spanish-language news and music to the Columbia River Gorge.
And an organization that supplies furniture to people starting over in Central Oregon.
These are just a few of the nonprofits across Oregon that will share nearly $5.2 million in grants to strengthen community well-being, build arts infrastructure, expand economic opportunities and stabilize families.
In total, 258 grants will support organizations through several Oregon Community Foundation grant programs. Most of the funding — $4.77 million — comes through the Community Grants program and goes to 252 organizations. Grants go to organizations serving all 36 Oregon counties.
“Oregon is full of people working hard to improve the lives of our neighbors across the state, and we’re grateful to our donors for sharing resources to support big ideas and smart solutions,” said Kim Koenig, Director of Community Programs for Oregon Community Foundation.
Community Grants: $4.77 million for General Operating Support
The Community Grants Program is a responsive funding opportunity for nonprofits based in Oregon or primarily serving Oregon communities. This cycle, OCF prioritized three categories of organizations that have historically experienced underinvestment: those serving small, rural communities, and those that are either culturally specific or culturally responsive. Nearly half of the grants went to organizations focused on economic vitality and livability.
Nonprofits use the flexible grants where they matter most — on anything from stabilizing staffing, strengthening essential programs or maintaining the infrastructure that allows organizations to serve their communities. This spring’s awards will help nonprofits meet rising demand and support community-led solutions in both rural and urban areas.
Row River Fire Response received a grant to protect residents of the 20-mile Row River Valley in Lane County.
“We started this work in 2022 with a goal of fire protection in the valley, and in 2024, the community came together to create a volunteer fire district,” said Kathleen Istudor, Executive Director.
“Now in 2026, that effort continues to grow as we work to build a main fire station for our volunteers. Along the way, we have come to see how connected we are, not just to each other, but to the land, the watershed and the people beyond our valley.”
Yachats Youth & Family Activities Program will use its grant to provide high-quality preschool, summer camp, afterschool activities and more to families on the North Coast.
“We try to keep tuition as low as possible so that we can ensure services to all families who walk through our doors,” said Kristina Anderson, Executive Director.
To see the full list of grants by region, click here.
Arts and Culture Grants: $250,000 to Build Arts Sector
In 2022, OCF established a learning community to give arts educators a forum to learn from each other and build leadership in their field. Out of it grew the Oregon Arts Education Collective, a program that connects educators and advocates to cultivate a thriving arts ecosystem across the state. A grant will support the Collective as members develop infrastructure and build coalitions that advance arts and culture.
Arts and Culture Grants: $50,000 to Preserve, Inspire Field of Architecture
A fund that advances the professional development of design and building professionals will award a $50,000 fellowship. The Van Evera and Janet M. Bailey fund supports the Van Evera Baily Fellowship, which is designed and administered by the Architecture Foundation of Oregon in partnership with OCF.
Economic Vitality Grants: $37,500 to Support Sector, Small Businesses
Economic Vitality grants will support nonprofits helping communities build and sustain strong local economies, including efforts that expand entrepreneurship, strengthen small businesses and increase access to opportunity. These resources will help communities invest in strategies that create stability for workers, families and local employers.
Housing Stability in Oregon: $30,000 for Homelessness Response
These grants support research around best practices for organizations helping Oregonians stay housed and regain stability.
About Oregon Community Foundation
Since 1973, Oregon Community Foundation has worked to improve the lives of all Oregonians through the power of philanthropy. Each year, OCF distributes more than $200 million in grants and scholarships statewide in partnership with donors and volunteers. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations can work with OCF to create charitable funds to support causes important to them. To learn more, visit oregoncf.org.
COMMUNITY STORIES
Furnish Hope: Central Oregon
“Furnish Hope started furnishing homes over seven years ago. We believe that everybody needs a place to call home and that there are people all throughout our community that are working really hard to get back on their feet after something unexpected and oftentimes traumatic has happened.
“When they do get back on their feet and they're able to get into housing again, most of the time, they don't have any furniture, because if they've lost their home, they've lost their furniture, and if they've lost their furniture, they've most likely also lost a lot of their community, a lot of the people who can rally around them.
“So, we show up with a trailer full of items that have been donated to us. We're putting 1,000 items in each home, from the teeny, tiny little things that go into a kitchen to large pieces of furniture. Those items come to us every day from people throughout the community.
“We've furnished over 3,000 homes in seven years. On average, we furnish 50 or more homes each month. Our vision is to see this region transformed by hope. And the vehicle that we use to bring hope to people is furniture.
“We say: ‘We see you. You're not defined by your circumstances. Your life has meaning, purpose and value. You are worthy of every single one of these items.’”
Megan Martin
Founding Executive Director
Furnish Hope
Yachats Youth & Family Activities Program: North Coast
“Since our beginning over 30 years ago, Yachats Youth & Family Activities Program has served local and visiting youth through preschool, summer camp, after school programming, family events, and enrichment activities. As the Executive Director of YYFAP, I am reminded daily just how fortunate we are to live, serve, and grow in our coastal town of Yachats.
“Students and families come to our doors from Yachats, Waldport, Newport, Seal Rock, Alsea, Tidewater, the Tenmile area, and across the United States. We try to keep tuition as low as possible so that we can ensure services to all families who walk through our doors. Funding from this grant will go directly toward our high-quality programming and material costs. It is an honor to serve the children and families of our community.”
Kristina Anderson
Executive Director
Yachats Youth & Family Activities Program
Henderson House: Northern Willamette Valley
“The mission of Henderson House is to provide culturally aware outreach, education and services for victims of domestic and sexual violence through leadership, hope and respect for thriving families. We were founded and are currently led by survivors of domestic and sexual violence. We are the only domestic and sexual violence confidential victim services provider in Yamhill County. We offer culturally relevant services to the Latinx population which have been developed, facilitated and informed by Latinx survivors.
“Our services include confidential one-on-one advocacy, 90-day emergency shelter, motel vouchers, protection order assistance, court accompaniment, survivor healing events, art therapy groups for survivors and their children, trauma informed parenting classes, prevention education, DHS co-located advocacy, community outreach, crisis response, emergency room accompaniment during a sexual assault, strangulation, or high lethality forensic exam, safety planning, provider of Oregon Health Authority HRSN program, resource and referrals and basic needs supplies.”
Fay Schuler
Executive Director
Henderson House
Rogue Valley Mentoring: Southern Oregon
“Rogue Valley Mentoring is a nonprofit based in Southern Oregon with a mission to transform entire communities through the mentoring of youth. For over 20 years, we have connected young people ages 9–24 with trained, caring adult mentors through both one-to-one relationships and school and community-based mentoring circles.
“We serve youth across Jackson County who are navigating complex challenges, including poverty, social isolation, trauma, housing instability and limited access to mental health support. Many of the young people we work with have experienced disruptions in school, family instability, or a lack of consistent, supportive adult relationships.
“Our programs are designed to meet youth where they are, on school campuses, in after-school settings, and in the community, removing barriers to access and ensuring that support is culturally responsive and relationship-centered. We act as a bridge for youth and their families by helping them connect to trusted community resources such as counseling, healthcare and basic needs services.
“Our work makes a difference because it addresses a fundamental human need: connection. Through mentoring, young people build confidence, strengthen social-
emotional skills and develop a sense of belonging. Research and our own data show that when youth have a consistent, caring adult in their lives, they are more likely to stay engaged in school, make positive choices and envision a hopeful future.”
Laura Pinney
Executive Director
Rogue Valley Mentoring
Row River Fire Response: Southern Willamette Valley
“One action leads to another. Trust builds trust. A shared goal becomes a mission, and that mission grows into a community with purpose. We started this work in 2022 with a goal of fire protection in the valley, and in 2024, the community came together to create a volunteer fire district. Now in 2026, that effort continues to grow as we work to build a main fire station for our volunteers.
“Along the way, we have come to see how connected we are, not just to each other, but to the land, the watershed, and the people beyond our valley. What is taking shape here reaches beyond this place. It reflects a shared responsibility for the people and landscapes we are connected to across Oregon. Small actions, carried forward, can grow into something that serves far more than where it began.
“This 20-mile valley serves a much larger region, supplying drinking water to downstream communities, hosting the Row River Trail, one of Lane County’s top destinations, and providing a primary corridor to the Umpqua National Forest. After years without emergency response, in 2024, the community came together to create a volunteer fire district, now supported by 23 firefighters, strengthening a shared sense of responsibility and connection across the valley. That effort continues in 2026, as we work to establish a fire station to improve response, support our volunteers, and protect our community, visitors, and this part of Oregon’s forest, watershed, and the falls and rivers that draw visitors across the state. Please visit and explore the Row River Valley for yourself.”
Kathleen Istudor
Executive Director
Row River Fire Response
