Metro's Nature in Neighborhoods community grants provide opportunities to connect people with nature across greater Portland. The nature education grants are offered every two years.
Purpose of grants
Nature education and outdoor experiences grants support and create partnerships in local communities that improve water quality, restore fish and wildlife habitat and connect people with nature. These grants prioritize programs that advance racial equity, diversity and inclusion, make communities more resilient to climate change and include greater community engagement.
Funding is available for projects that promote cultural, environmental and economic equity. As examples, projects could:
- build relationships and partnerships that promote nature education and outdoor experiences by and for people of color
- increase the number of visitors and staff at parks and natural areas who represent diverse racial, ethnic and cultural groups and other historically and continually marginalized groups
- develop the capacity of organizations that serve people of color to lead nature education and cultural programs in parks and natural areas
- support outdoor nature programs that include family and community collaboration and culturally specific organizations that center people of color, specifically support programs that are led by and for these communities
- integrate outdoor nature education with school-based and science, technology, engineering and math curriculum
- support community engagement and nature education programs that include hands-on restoration activities to improve fish and wildlife habitat in local communities
- support mentorship, youth corps and job skill development or otherwise prepare participants for continuing careers or higher education in natural resources, nature education or other nature-related science, technology, engineering or math fields.
Project types
Nature education grants connect people with nature in wide-range of ways. In recent years, nature education grant recipients connected new Americans to nature at Nadaka Nature Park, brought students from George Middle School to the Columbia Slough, and provided summer work in nature education and restoration to young people of color.
Who is eligible?
Community groups, nonprofits, neighborhoods, individuals, faith groups and service groups with nonprofit or other tax-exempt status may apply. Grants may only be awarded to projects and programs that benefit Metro-area residents.
When do I apply?
The pre-application for the 2022 round of nature education and outdoor experiences grants will go live in early April, 2022. These grants are available every other year.
Watch the information work session here.