OVERVIEW: This corporate funder supports education, youth, and arts and culture programs in Oregon. It also supports basic needs services for local families, including housing and food.
IP TAKE: The PGE Foundation is a local, corporate funder that makes modest grants in a limited range of focus areas in communities where its parent company has a business presence. Education is the top cause for this funder, and it even conducts its arts grantmaking mainly through the lens of education. Proposals should focus on either middle and high school students or adult learners, as PGE does not prioritize early childhood development or higher education. One unique thing to note about this funder is that it has three grant cycles per year, each dedicated to one of its three focus areas, rather than accepting applications for all areas each cycle. When preparing to apply, make sure you have noted the correct deadline for the type of project you are proposing.
PGE is a relatively transparent funder that consistently publishes its impact reports and financial statements, but does not maintain a comprehensive database or list of past grantees. It is accessible, in that it accepts applications without a letter of inquiry, but its giving area is still limited to the state of Oregon, and it does tend to prioritize areas where it has corporate operations. The foundation does not make contact information for its program officers publicly available to potential grantseekers, so having a well-developed network in the area is probably the best way to get on this funder’s radar.
PROFILE: The PGE Foundation, established in 1997, is the charitable arm of the Portland General Electric company. It was founded with the purpose of “improving the quality of life for all Oregonians.” Educational programs and basic needs services are at the heart of this funder’s support. In a recent year, education grants totaled 46% of all grantmaking for the year. PGE is especially interested in arts and culture experiences for youth, career readiness through technical skills, and preventative programs addressing food security, housing, and mental health. When considering proposals, it gives consideration to nonprofits that work collaboratively with other organizations in the area, as well as those that primarily serve and are staffed and led by women, minorities, and other underserved communities. It also highly prioritizes projects that are “designed with measurable objectives.” The foundation’s board meets three times a year to review and award grants for each of its three focus areas in turn. Its Focus Areas are Education, Creative Expression, and Career Pathways.
Grants for Education
The PGE Foundation’s Education focus area makes grants to “organizations that provide young people of all backgrounds real opportunities that will prepare them for the jobs of the future.” It strongly prioritizes programs that serve middle and high school students with hands on STEM, technical, or trade experiences and teaching methods that center around socio-emotional development, essential life skills, and mentorship. It also prioritizes “collaborative models that support system-wide transformation of learning ecosystems.”
Past grantees include Open School, All Hands Raised, College Possible Oregon, Oregon Tech Foundation, Elevate Oregon, Dress for Success Oregon, Confluences, Minds Matter Portland, and Foundations for a Better Oregon.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The PGE Foundation’s grants for Creative Expression support art education programs that “create an environment that values critical thinking, problem-solving and self-efficacy.” The three main priorities of this focus area are “access to arts and culture experiences that foster creativity and connection,” “sequential arts learning opportunities,” referring to activities based around comics and graphic novels, and programs “ integrated into classroom experiences,” both in and out of school.
Past grantees include Beaverton Arts Foundation, Portland Opera Association, Oregon Children’s Theatre Company, Portland Playhouse, Portland Art Museum, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Oregon Ballet Theater, and Salem Art Association.
Grants for Work and Opportunity
The PGE Foundation’s Career Pathways focus area is committed to “helping individuals and communities overcome common barriers to economic mobility and generational wealth-building” by “increasing avenues to family wage jobs, entrepreneurship and small business ownership.” It prioritizes programs aimed at adults and families that help to “facilitate access to in-demand, family-wage jobs in the trades, sciences and green sectors,” offer “mentorship, transportation and other resources that impact workforce participation,” and provide support for minority and women-owned businesses.
Past grantees include Portland Community College Foundation, Path Home, Oregon Food Bank, Latino Network, Self Enhancement Inc., Outside In, Constructing Hope Pre-Apprenticeship Program, and East Metro STEAM Partnership.
IMPORTANT GRANT DETAILS:
Grants generally range from $500 to $25,000, although invitation-only grants to long-term partners may exceed this range. Grantseekers may review the foundation’s Impact Reports, News, or tax filings for more information on its past grantmaking.
The PGE Foundation’s grantmaking is restricted to the state of Oregon and prioritizes communities where the parent company has a business presence.
The PGE Foundation has three grant cycles per year, each dedicated to one of its three focus areas. It accepts applications for Education grants from November to January, Creative Expression grants from February to April, and Career Pathways grants from May to July. Specific deadlines may vary year to year.
Grantseekers may only apply for one grant per calendar year. Past grantees may apply for a new grant only if they have completed their grant impact report.
As a general rule, PGE does not fund library operations, events, capital expenses for equipment, or general fund drives.
Keep up with funder news, updates about the application process, and grant opportunities, at the news section. General questions can be directed to the staff at 503-464-8818 or pgefoundation@pgn.com.
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