Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants

Go to the main menu
Go to the search form

Across greater Portland, grants funded by the 2019 parks and nature bond measure help fund projects to improve water and air quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and access to nature by all residents.

Gravel bristlecone pine trail next to a grassy meadow within Hoyt Arboretum with tall conifers in the distance.

Hoyt Arboretum Friends was awarded funding in 2023 to improve accessibility to nature by improving trails like the Bristlecone Pine Trail, and support new outdoor classrooms or gathering spaces.

Artist rendering of a proposed community education building in the forested areas of Tryon Creek Park.

Friends of Tryon Creek was one of the recipients of the recent round of approved Nature in Neighborhood capital grants. The organizations plans to create a new education space grounded in ancestral Indigenous design, shown here in an artist rendering.

Applications are now closed.

For more information, read the pre-application handbook, workshop or watch the presentation:

2025 Capital grants full application handbook

493.4 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Published Mar 31, 2025

2025 Capital Grants Pre-application workshop

3.35 MB Adobe Acrobat PDF Published Dec 31, 2024

Watch presentation here

Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants fund a wide variety of projects. The program provides three-year grants to projects led by community organizations, park providers, local governments and other organizations. The grants are for publicly owned capital projects. It also must meet criteria listed in the 2019 bond, including advancing racial equality, preparing the region for climate change and conducting meaningful community engagement.

Project types

Projects eligible for the Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants fall into four major categories:

Land acquisition. Land acquisition projects can transform privately owned property into the next great neighborhood natural area and preserve special places in communities across the greater Portland area. The Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants have protected local assets that aren’t covered by Metro’s regional efforts to buy natural areas. As a tried-and-true conservation tool, land acquisition provides a straightforward way to make a difference. Purchasing land can be the first step in a community’s mission to open a nature park, build trails or restore habitat.
Urban transformations. A little creativity and determination can go a long way toward weaving nature into the most urban development and infrastructure projects. Urban transformations bring nature to even the most urban areas. Although these projects tend to have the biggest price tags, they also have some of the biggest benefits for their communities
Restoration. Conservation groups and local governments have no shortage of restoration projects on their wish lists. The challenge: finding funding to make them happen. With a boost from Nature in Neighborhoods grants, restoration efforts are improving the health of floodplains and watershed basins across the region. Although these projects improve habitat for fish, amphibians and other animals, many are also designed to improve the experience for the community.
Neighborhood livability. Public land in neighborhoods can become a place for people to experience and enjoy nature. Neighborhood natural areas give people a place to walk, reflect and connect with nature. Nature in Neighborhoods grants are helping communities create and transform outdoor destinations close to homes and schools. Unlike big regional natural areas, neighborhood projects typically don’t protect large blocks of threatened wildlife habitat. But, by preserving nature down the street, they forge a connection between people and the natural world.

Who is eligible?

Capital grants are intended to support community-driven initiatives; therefore, partnerships are key to a successful proposal. Tribal governments, public schools, non-profits, community-based organizations, local governments and special districts can apply for grants.

The final capital asset must be publicly owned by a state or local government.