We prioritize funding to organizations whose purpose is to support humans, directly and primarily. While many efforts impact human lives (e.g. providing free animal food to our vulnerable neighbors, tending to our beloved hiking trails, or crafting much-needed legislation), our work centers those organizations who focus immediately on human needs and address those needs directly.

We believe in an Oregon that positions all of its people and communities to thrive — especially our BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrant, neurodivergent, differently-abled, and low-income neighbors.

Such a future requires that we recognize, value, elevate, include, and advocate for those community members. While understanding the diverse regions, demographics, cultures, and circumstances of our state, we continue to prioritize partners who clearly understand the critical importance of equity, demonstrably commit to it, and integrate it into the daily work, objectives, and measures of the organization.

This work takes practice and is ongoing; there is no mastery of this commitment and we understand that organizations may be uniquely positioned or developed in their efforts.

The nonprofit sector is among the most trusted in the nation. In their service to our communities, nonprofits are also critical stewards of individual, government, business, and private funding; they often employ some of Oregon’s most passionate, capable, and skilled leaders and volunteers. As such, we expect applicant organizations to manage their business and financial operations with the utmost responsibly, appropriately mitigate operational or financial risk, and demonstrate trusted, ethical, and effective leadership over time.

Such management and leadership not only encourages our own investments, but builds further community, employee, volunteer, and donor trust and retention.

The many timely and important needs throughout our state and region require our collective attention and investment. Yet as a single private foundation, our award capacity has its limits and as such, we rely on proven metrics to understand the breadth, depth, and scale of organizational impact over time — and prioritize efforts that directly impact the community. Not only do these metrics and efforts help us to understand the success of the organization, but they prove themselves critical to nonprofit storytelling, self-assessment, strategic development, and long-term viability.

How an organization collects and reports data, leverages and communicates research, or practices ongoing operational learning can often be indicative of its long-term success.

Beyond our commitment to arts, creativity, education, mentorship, health, and well-being, we also work to affirm that organizations are unquestionably aligned with our guiding values. While you can learn more about what we do or do not fund here, we continue to prioritize applicants whose efforts are holistically aligned (across all programs and operations) and demonstrate impact here in Oregon. Moreover, we value those partnerships that prove direct human impact, especially on youth or our most marginalized community members.

We recognize that all of our applicants have philanthropic needs. In some cases, that need is exceptionally clear. However, for those organizations whose operations are more robust (e.g. universities, hospitals) or whose long-term efforts have secured considerable savings, reserves, or endowments, we do still expect that the need for funding be well articulated. Certainly, financial responsibility and operational complexity can be commendable and often motivate our philanthropic investments, yet no matter the size or scope of an organization, our work requires us to make difficult funding decisions that often consider the scope of need relative to that of other high-need applicants. We encourage prospective partners to consider this prior to pursuing funding.

We continue to prioritize efforts that focus right here in Oregon. Similarly, those efforts that are led by and for community are especially valued in our funding process.