OVERVIEW: The Collins Foundation broadly funds education, arts, environment, and racial justice concerns in Oregon.
IP TAKE: The Collins Foundation is a low-key family funder that makes moderate to large grants to nonprofits in its giving area. It funds broadly and generously, with responsive grants ranging up to $100,000 and beyond, making it an excellent resource for Oregon nonprofits of all sizes in all sorts of issue areas. The foundation has recently pivoted to conducting the majority of its grantmaking through the lens of racial justice, with special initiatives to support Black-led nonprofits and programs that serve immigrant and refugee communities. While the foundation’s Responsive Grants program is currently on hiatus as the foundation works to reformulate its giving strategy, it is still awarding grants through the Black Equity Movement and Oregon Immigrant & Refugee Funders Collaborative.
This is a relatively transparent and accessible funder. While not in database form, the foundation maintains lists of past grantees dating back to 2012, including grant values and brief summaries of the projects funded. It also publishes its annual reports and financial statements. Collins generally accepts applications for all its programs, however its main grantmaking vehicle, Responsive Grants, is on hiatus. Deadlines vary by program, so grantseekers may want to sign up for the foundation’s newsletter to keep abreast of new opportunities in its current and upcoming giving areas.
PROFILE: Based in Portland, Oregon, the Collins Foundation was founded in 1947 by Truman W. Collins Sr. and other members of the family of timber and railway magnate E.S. Collins. E.S. Collins was a prolific philanthropist who preferred to make his generous gifts anonymously. Today, the foundation that bears his name continues to invest “in Oregon nonprofit organizations, both rural and urban, that are dedicated to improving quality of life and well-being for the people in their communities.” This funder supports the areas of health, social services, education, housing, and employment. It also funds efforts related to neighborhoods, communities, arts and culture and Oregon’s natural environment. Back in 2013, the foundation revised its mission to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. These are goals that the foundation implements in its grantmaking, hiring, training, and ongoing grantee relationships.
Grants for Education and Youth
The Collins Foundation makes project-specific and general operating support grants to Oregon nonprofits working in the field of education and youth. It primarily supports organizations working to improve educational outcomes, children’s physical and mental health, and youth well-being, especially for children from underserved communities. Past grantees include All Hands Raised, CETI, College Possible, Columbia Gorge Children’s Advocacy Center, Educate Ya, Elevate Oregon, Family Forward Oregon, and Family of Friends Mentoring.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The Collins Foundation makes project-specific and general operating support grants to Oregon arts organizations, cultural institutions, and art education groups. Past grantees include All Ages Music Portland, Arts in Education in the Gorge, August Wilson Red Door Project, Blackfish Gallery, Boom Arts, Cascadia Concert Opera, East Creek Arts, and Fuse Theatre Ensemble.
Grants for Environment
The Collins Foundation makes project-specific and general operating support grants to Oregon nonprofits working in land conservation, marine and freshwater conservation, climate change, environmental justice, and agricultural sustainability. Past grantees include 1000 Friends of Oregon, BlueGreen Alliance Foundation, Columbia Riverkeeper, Crag Law Center, and Friends of the Columbia Gorge.
Grants for Community Development and Public Health
The Collins Foundation makes project-specific and general operating support grants to Oregon nonprofits working to improve well-being in their communities. It broadly funds neighborhood and parks improvements, public health initiatives, and human services that address basic needs like hunger, shelter, and access to health care. Past grantees include Alano Club of Portland Oregon, American Leadership Forum of Oregon, Call to Safety, Catholic Charities of Oregon, Clackamas Women’s Services, Coalition of Communities of Color, Community Vision, and Feed the Mass.
Grants for Racial Justice
The Collins Foundation launched its Black Equity Movement initiative in 2020 to help “confront and address the inequities experienced by Black Oregonians.” To that end, it awards unrestricted general operating support grants to organizations that serve the Black community and have a majority of leadership roles filled by Black members. Collins prioritizes “emerging and mid-sized” organizations, which it defines as groups that have been working for seven years or less and have a budget of under $500,000. Depending on the size of the organization, Collins will fund up to 40% of a grantees operating budget, with a maximum award of $50,000.
Past grantees include African Family Holistic Health Organization, AYCO, Black Oregon Land Trust, Black United Fund of Oregon, Communities United for People, and Taking Ownership PDX.
Grants for Immigrants and Refugees
The Oregon Immigrant & Refugee Funders Collaborative is a partnership between the Collins Foundation, Oregon Community Foundation, and Meyer Memorial Trust. Its purpose is to craft “a coordinated and nimble funding approach to address emerging and urgent issues impacting immigrants and refugees across the state” in order to promote “economic mobility and social inclusion for newcomers and their children.” The initiative’s two-pronged approach includes grants for “Collaborative Movement Building” and “Basic & Wraparound Services.” Grantseekers may apply through any of the three participating funders, as they share an application form.
IMPORTANT GRANT DETAILS:
Grants generally range from $10,000 to $100,000, but may go up to $200,000 a year for select, long-term partners. Grantseekers may review the foundations lists of Past Grantees dating back to 2012 for more information on its grantmaking habits.
The Collins Foundation’s grants are limited to the state of Oregon. The foundation primarily funds local and regional nonprofits, but sometimes donates to large, national organizations that have branches or operations in the state.
The Collins Foundation is currently not accepting applications for its Responsive Grantmaking until 2025, as it reevaluates its grantmaking strategy.
Collins accepts applications for the Black Equity Movement through its online portal. The deadline typically falls in September.
The Oregon Immigrant & Refugee Funders Collective accepts applications for Basic & Wraparound grants year round; the deadline for Collaborative Movement Building grants typically falls in early December. Grantseekers may submit their applications through any of the partner foundations.i
The Collins Foundation does not make grants to individuals, political campaigns, lobbying campaigns, organizations that discriminate on the basis of a protected status.
Grantseekers may reach out to the foundation at 503-227-7171 or information@collinsfoundation.org.
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