Two popular City of Corvallis grant programs are set to return next month, each centering on smaller projects, and both having their own focus and requirements.
Of course, officials won’t be able to fund every proposal, so it’s the most promising of them that will be approved. So the City is looking to help would-be grant applicants put their best foot forward. They’ll be hosting an informational session to answer questions about both grant programs at 6 pm, on Wednesday, March 12. The session will take place over Zoom and be recorded for anyone who can’t attend.
Proposals will be due a couple of weeks later, on March 31. If you’re looking to get a head-start, read on.
Empowerment grants
The Empowerment Grant Program provides small cash grants to fund projects and initiatives that improve neighborhoods and forge partnerships to address community issues. Examples of past projects include landscape improvements, neighborhood social events, public art installations, education programs, and training services.
The idea is to help individuals and organizations work together to accomplish common goals that support the overall health, vitality and inclusivity of the place they call “home.” The City of Corvallis offers these grants to applicants who can demonstrate support through cash, in-kind donation, and volunteer hours.
This is a competitive grant program. Applications are reviewed by City staff with input from the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Board. Selected grants are awarded by the City Council. Grant amounts are typically in the range of $300 to $600 dollars each.
The Empowerment Grant Program has three primary objectives. Grant applications may address any or all of the objectives and no single objective is prioritized higher than the other two for receiving funding. The objectives are:
- Organizational Enhancements – The funds may be used for programs that promote the development or sustainability of a neighborhood association or a community group. This may include items such as newsletters, web sites, opinion surveys, informational brochures and training programs, as well as materials related to the launch and operation of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or similar group.
- Improvement Projects – The funds may be used to improve the shared space within a neighborhood or strengthen its identity, or to identify and address a needed improvement in the community. This may include things like landscape improvements and maintenance, signage, bus shelters, natural features management, benches or painting, either for a particular neighborhood or a community group.
- Livability Initiatives – Funds may be used to provide education and outreach opportunities that strengthen social connections in Corvallis, increase safety, improve the environment, or address a community-wide challenge or conflict. Examples may include organizing a lecture from a guest speaker, starting a community garden, launching a day of service or other annual event.
Funds are disbursed by June 30 each year and the project completion forms are due on May 31 of the following year.
This handy tip sheet is a quick read from the City, and here’s a roundup of successful applicants from past grant cycles. For more information contact Chloe Stewart at chloe.stewart@corvallisoregon.gov.
Green grants
Green Grants are also a Corvallis-focused community grant program. Applications are reviewed by the Climate Action Advisory Board, or CAAB, and final award decisions are made by the Corvallis City Council. This is the third year of the program.
$5,000 in grant funds will be awarded this year to projects and initiatives that move the dial on climate change and promote the goals of the Corvallis Climate Action Plan, or CAP. The leaders of these projects can be local organizations, but they can also just be a group of people with, as the City release puts it, a cool idea.
For 2025, CAAB is encouraging applications that focus on Building and Energy CAP items. You can learn more about CAAB here. And you can find all the other information you would need here.
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