Community Placemaking grants

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Community Placemaking grants support community-led, equity-focused, arts and culture based efforts

Black History Festival NW

Black History Festival NW, Beaverton, Gresham, Troutdale, Portland, $25,000 (photo credit: Shawnte Sims)

Multicultural stormwater murals in Washington County

Multicultural Stormwater Murals in Washington County, Tigard and Hillsboro, $11,500

Art Saved My Life

Art Saved My Life, North and Northeast Portland, $11,400

Autumn Moon Festival

Autumn Moon Festival, Downtown Portland, $20,000

Free Arts NW

Free Arts NW Mobile Art Studio, Fairview and Wood Village, $8,465

King + Parks Community Art Project

King + Parks Community Art Project, Northeast Portland, $25,000

New Year in the Park

New Year in the Park, Northeast Portland, $5,000

Portland All Nations Canoe Family

Portland All Nations Canoe Family, Lake Oswego, $25,000

Supa Fresh Youth Farm

Supa Fresh Youth Farm Metzger School Park Placemaking Project, Tigard, $13,050

Tonga Day 2018

Tonga Day 2018, East Portland, $15,000

Applications closed

Metro received 88 applications for the 2024 cycle. Applications were open Aug. 11 through Oct. 10 at noon. Grant awards will be announced in January.

Learn how to apply

Last cycle's grantees

Read about the ten proposals selected for grant awards.

Open 2023 placemaking grantees page

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Community Placemaking grants support community-led, equity-centered, arts and culture efforts that strengthen people's connections to each other and places they care about. Think you might want to apply? Check out the how to apply page and contact the grant manager to talk over your idea. Contact information appears below.

What is Community Placemaking?

Community Placemaking can take many forms, but it shares a few main elements. The idea comes from the community the effort is intended to serve. Those community members, especially people of color or other historically marginalized communities, play a role in making it happen. Arts or cultural activities bring people together to strengthen their connection to each other and the places they care about.

Program objectives

Placemaking: People’s connections to each other and to places they care about are strengthened.
Equity: People of color and members of historically marginalized communities have power and resources to influence their neighborhoods and communities.
Partnerships: People’s efforts are maximized because they work in partnership with each other and with Metro.
Leadership: People participate in projects and decisions that affect them.

Funding available

Up to $200,000 will be awarded for the 2024 cycle in grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. No matching funds are required. The online application was open August 11 through (extended deadline) October 10. Metro received 88 applications requesting more than $1.8 million in funding. Ten to thirteen proposals will be selected and grant awards will be announced in January.

Past recipients

Community Placemaking efforts are creative at their core and can take many forms. Get started thinking by looking at recipients of the 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 cycles to see the range of efforts this program has supported.