Contact: Shawn Uhlman, PDC, 503-823-7994
The Portland Development Commission (PDC) has announced availability of $300,000 in grant funds for community-based organizations proposing projects in the Interstate Corridor urban renewal area (URA).
Priority will be given to projects that benefit communities of color or people with low incomes, and that promote widely shared prosperity.
Funding will be available through PDC’s Community Livability Grant program, which prioritizes projects that support wealth creation opportunities for small business owners; improve access to jobs and workforce development services; honor and enhance the neighborhood’s cultural diversity and history; and/or deliver a community asset tailored to the community’s expressed priorities and opportunities.
Proposals should also align with the priorities of the recently adopted North/Northeast Community Development Initiative Action Plan, which are to build community prosperity by supporting growth, development and sustainability of key community-based organizations that drive economic development outcomes and serve communities that have experienced displacement or not benefited from economic opportunities (e.g. African Americans, people of color, and people with disabilities).
The application process opens on Wednesday, March 1, 2017, and proposals are due Friday, April 28, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. PDC will hold information sessions on Wednesday, March 15 and Tuesday, April 11 for applicants who want hands-on assistance. Times and locations will be posted on www.pdc.us.
Since 2006, PDC has awarded more than $5 million to 104 community livability projects across multiple urban renewal areas, including the Portland Mercado, the North by Northeast Community Health Center, Arbor Lodge Urban Farm, Albina Green, and the Malden Court Community Orchard. PDC recently announced $840,000 in grant awards for 13 projects in the Lents Town Center, Gateway Regional Center, and Central Eastside urban renewal areas as well as in Old Town/Chinatown, drawing from resources in both the Downtown Waterfront and River District URAs.
