SE UPLIFT'S 2026 GRANT PROGRAM
Application deadline is Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 11:59 pm!
Grants up to $3,000 for projects that build community and increase civic engagement!
Communities become stronger when neighbors come together across differences to build connections to one another and create a shared vision for change. Through the SE Uplift grants program, groups with a project located in the SE Uplift district area – and/or that will serve the residents of the district – may apply for funding to help shape the places where they live, work and play. SE Uplift provides training and technical support to help applicants submit a strong proposal and see their ideas through to completion.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Applications will be accepted from nonprofit organizations, community groups, and collaborative project teams. Individuals are not eligible to apply.
- Projects must take place in and/or serve residents within District 3.
- The applicant must be a 501c3 nonprofit tax-exempt organization as designated by the IRS, OR: Demonstrate that they have a current fiscal sponsorship agreement with a nonprofit tax-exempt organization, OR: Declare in their application that they plan to apply for fiscal sponsorship through SE Uplift. NOTE: Groups that are registered only as a nonprofit with the Oregon Secretary of State do not have federal tax-exempt status.
- Past SE Uplift Community Small Grant recipients must have completed their project and submitted their final reporting paperwork to be eligible. Current SE Uplift grant recipients must contact SE Uplift prior to applying to verify that they have made sufficient progress towards completing their grant project.
- Past SEUL Community Small Grants recipients who have been awarded two years in a row may apply again only if they have a different project or project phase for funding.
Not a 501c3 non-profit? Learn about fiscal sponsorship options, including how to apply through SE Uplift, visit https://www.seuplift.org/fiscal-sponsorship/.
This year fund requests must be up to $3,000. Overall, we have $40,000 available total.
No. Grants cannot be used for ongoing general organizational support such as rent or utilities. Please refer to the eligible and ineligible costs section of application handbook for specifics. Contact the grants manager if you are unsure about the eligibility of costs.
Applications will be evaluated by a volunteer-led Grants Review Committee (GRC) who will score each proposal according to the grant program goals and criteria. The committee will make funding recommendations to the SE Uplift Board of Directors in December.
Applicants will be notified of their funding status by December 15, 2025
The purpose of the Community Small Grants program is to fund projects that build community and increase civic engagement. Some examples include: street murals, mutual aid gardens, placemaking projects, focus groups, community conversations, radio programs, and more. Check out previous grantee projects for inspiration.
The organization doesn’t need to be in District 3. However, the application must prove the project directly serves the residents of District 3. If you have questions about your project idea, please contact alex@seuplift.org.
Search the address of your organization and/or your project in Portland Maps, then look to see what district it resides in.
SE Uplift does provide fiscal sponsorship opportunities for successful applicants, as well as referrals to other organizations providing fiscal sponsorship. If the applicant is applying for SE Uplift fiscal sponsorship in conjunction with our grant application, the fiscal sponsorship application will be pending until final awards are determined. The fiscal sponsorship agreement will apply only to the project for which the grant has been awarded.
No. If you need insurance for your event, please account for the cost of it within your budget. You may also partner with a neighborhood association and use their insurance for your event.
No. We will only fund one grant proposal per applicant per grant cycle.
Contact the Grantmaking Program Manager at alex@seuplift.org for more info.
Apply Online (Preferred): Click to download the Word Doc version of the Application and Budget then copy and paste your answers into the application below.
· Apply by Mail: SE Uplift | Attn: Alex Cherin | 3534 SE Main St. | Portland, OR 97214
· Drop Off: Tues-Thurs, 10 AM – 5 PM | SE Uplift | 3534 SE Main St. | Portland, OR 97214
· Email: Send a Word doc or PDF to alex@seuplift.org with “CSG Grant Application” in the subject line. Click to download the Word Doc version of the Application and Budget.
If you need more information, you can find it here.
LIST OF PREVIOUS GRANTEES AND THEIR PROJECTS
Get Application Support
Get One-on-One Support
You may contact SE Uplift at any time if you have questions. Time permitting, we are happy to assist you at any stage in your process – from discussing your project idea to reviewing a draft application. Reach out early for consultation, don’t wait until the last minute. Click here to schedule a 15 minute consultation with Alex Cherin, SE Uplift’s Grantmaking Program Manager.
GRANT SELECTION
Applications will be evaluated by a volunteer-led Grants Review Committee (GRC) who will score each proposal according to the grant program goals and criteria. The committee will make funding recommendations to the SE Uplift Board of Directors in December.
Applicants will be notified of their funding status by December 15, 2025