OVERVIEW: The Gray Family Foundation funds environmental education throughout Oregon in the form of classroom programs, outside-of-school activities, outdoor science schools, and overnight camps.
IP TAKE: The Gray Family Foundation is a niche funder that makes modest to large grants in a narrow focus area, but grant seekers who align with the foundation’s interests have a great chance at funding. While its grantmaking centers around education and youth, it conducts all its grantmaking through the lens of environmental education, funding various types of programs that help young students learn about and engage with the natural world. Grants can be divided into two categories—grants for educational programs in and out of school, and grants to support outdoor science schools and overnight camps. It awards both project-specific and general operating support grants, so the important thing is to make sure that your organization aligns with the foundation’s mission and values. Be aware, however, that this funder is often reevaluating its priorities, so grant opportunities that are available one year might not be present in the future.
The Gray Family Foundation is a transparent and accessible funder. It maintains a comprehensive, searchable database of grants dating back to 2004, with minimal descriptions of the projects or operating support funded. It is accessible in that it accepts applications for the majority of its programs. However, if funds are limited it may put some grant programs on hiatus for a year or more, making it difficult to predict what grants might be available at any given time. Your best bet as a grantseeker is to reach out to the foundation through one of its program officers to discuss available or potential funding opportunities.
PROFILE: The Gray Family Foundation (GFF) was founded by the late John and Betty Gray, whose fortune came mainly from the development of destination resorts like Salishan Lodge, Sunriver Resort, Skamania Lodge, and John’s Landing in Portland, as well as other real estate investments. The Grays were prominent area philanthropists, first opening the Gray Family Fund, a donor advised fund with the Oregon Community Foundation, in 1998 and later establishing the Gray Family Foundation in 2011 as a supporting organization of OCF. The foundation’s singular mission is to “engage people in Oregon as active stewards of our communities and natural environments.” Through its funding, GFF seeks to increase student attendance at the Outdoor School, boost teaching capacity in environmental literacy and provide middle school field trips for environmental education. GFF also funds programs for geography literacy at all grade levels and efforts to improve outdoor overnight camp facilities. The Gray Family Foundation awards project-specific and general operating support grants through four main programs: Environmental Education, Geography Education, Outdoor School, and Camp Maintenance.
Grants for Education and Youth
The Gray Family Foundation’s grantmaking is driven by the belief that “fostering an understanding and appreciation of our natural world is a crucial part of a child’s education” and a vision of “Oregon as a vibrant, inclusive, and civic-minded society.” Guided by the values of stewardship, curiosity, collaboration, flexibility, and inclusion, GFF makes grants to nonprofits that help teach children about the natural world and give them direct, immersive exposure to it. To that end, it makes grants in four funding areas:
Environmental Education grants support programs that “stimulate or promote the teaching of environmental education in K-12 environments” and provide “outdoor experiences that connect youth with built and natural environments.” These general operating support grants are specifically aimed at groups that serve the K-8 range with in-school or out-of-school programs or services. Past grantees include Klamath Outdoor Science School, Children’s Forest of Central Oregon, Ecology in Classrooms & Outdoors, Growing Gardens, Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, and Southern Oregon Land Conservancy.
Geography Education grants aim to “foster a sense of place for children, youth, and educators in their local and global community” and “prepare students to be active stewards of Oregon’s communities and natural environments.” It funds programs that aim to improve the teaching of geography in schools, support “interdisciplinary instruction of Geography as a foundation for instruction of other subjects,” and promote student participation in out-of-school geography learning experiences. Past grantees include Soul River, Salem-Keizer School District, Vesper Meadow, Maxville Heritage Interpretative Center, Springfield Education Center, and Oregon Council for Social Sciences.
Outdoor School grants provide three forms of funding to support outdoor education facilities and programs that serve 5th and 6th grade students in Oregon. “Planning grants for schools and districts” go to support efforts to launch outdoor schools in communities where few to none exist. “Planning grants for outdoor school program providers” to to support existing outdoor schools in expanding or improving their impact. “Program grants for schools or student groups” are made available to support organizations who do not qualify for state funds through Oregon Measure 99, such as charter or private schools. Past grantees include Friends of Outdoor School, Zion Christian School, Straub Outdoors, Ascension School, Desert Sky Montessori, Camp Fire Wilani, Camp Lutherwood Association, and Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center.
Camp Maintenance grants provide support for outdoor schools providing overnight camp experiences to Oregon 5th and 6th graders to maintain and update their facilities. The foundation accepts maintenance funding requests on rolling basis throughout the year from any and all outdoor camp facilities in the state. It prioritizes organizations that “host outdoor school programs, are geographically dispersed, and reflect Gray Family Foundation’s values regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Grants will fund any maintenance and upkeep needs, apart from new construction, purchase of property such as vehicles, deficit funding, endowment funds, religious activities, or loans to individuals. Past grantees include Camp Baldwin, Camp Lutherwood, Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp, Camp Attitude, OMSI Hancock Field Station, Westwind Stewardship Group, and Camp Angelos.
IMPORTANT GRANT DETAILS:
Grants generally range from $5,000 to $50,000, although targeted, invitation-only grants may go higher. Grantseekers may review the foundation’s Grants Database or Grantee Stories for more information on its giving habits and priorities.
The Gray Family Foundation’s grantmaking is limited to the state of Oregon. Approximately half of its grants go to groups in the Portland metro area, with the rest being spread throughout the state.
GFF accepts applications for Environmental Education grants once a year. In lieu of a letter of inquiry, applicants are asked to contact foundation staff for an informal interview. For grantseekers invited to apply, the deadline typically falls in March. Groups whose work closely aligns with the foundation’s mission may apply for general operating support, while those with a broader scope may apply for program funding. Applicants may request multi-year funding.
GFF accepts applications for Geography Education once a year. Grantseekers may download the request for proposals and submit an application through the online portal. Deadline typically falls in March.
GFF accepts applications for Outdoor Schools and Camp Maintenance grants on a rolling basis throughout the year, but the board only meets quarterly to review the most recent proposals.
GFF does not award grants to individuals, capital campaigns, or political campaigns. Faith-based organizations may request funding as long as their programs do not promote a “singular belief system” and are open to participation from all faiths or groups.
General questions can be directed to 503-552-3500 or grants@grayff.org. Keep up with this funder through its News and Resources section.
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