OVERVIEW: This funder is affiliated with local Native American tribes and a casino hotel. It primarily supports groups in Southwest Oregon. Funding areas are education, health, public safety, problem gambling, the arts, the environment, cultural activities, and historic preservation.
IP TAKE: Although this is a Native American-affiliated funder, it supports a wide range of causes in Oregon that are not Native-specific.
PROFILE: The Three Rivers Foundation (TRF) is based in Florence, Oregon. It seeks to “improve, enrich, and enhance the health and welfare of the land and people of the historical homelands of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw people.” This foundation was established in October 2011 as the charitable arm of the Three Rivers Casino and Hotel, as well as the Confederated Tribes.
Southwest Oregon is the homeland of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw people, which is why foundation grantmaking typically stays in the region. However, TRF also accepts applications for statewide impact projects and projects that improve life for Native Americans elsewhere in Oregon. Funding priorities include education, health, public safety, problem gambling, the arts, the environment, cultural activities, and historic preservation
TRF is highly responsive in nature and does not currently pursue specific initiatives. To be eligible for a grant, organizations should be located in Coos, Lane, Douglas, Curry, or Lincoln County or at least be pursuing a project in one of these counties. Groups elsewhere in Oregon can also be eligible for TRF grants if they are relevant to statewide Native American populations or have a statewide impact. No grants are made to groups located outside of Oregon.
TRF typically provides only single-year support and rarely funds construction projects or projects that are political or religious in nature. The average award is between $2,000 and $7,000.
Funding cycles typically open in December each year, with grant application deadlines falling on December 31. Awards are typically announced in February. TRF does not have the staff resources to screen letters of inquiry, so grant seekers will need to submit a full application during the open application period. TRF is supported by volunteer staff and trustees and does not have a physical location to drop off applications in person. The entire application is online.
The best way to get in touch with TRF is via online form, as phone calls and mailings are discouraged. Shelby Clark, the human resources assistant at the Three Rivers Casino Resort, is a good contact for TRF inquiries. Keep up with foundation news and recent giving on the Press Room page.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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