Funded by a $1 fee on each ton of waste processed at the Metro Central Transfer Station in Northwest Portland, this grant program benefits the neighborhoods of Forest Park, Cathedral Park and Linnton; the Northwest District Association and the Northwest Industrial Area; and an area of the St. Johns neighborhood.
A committee of local residents, including Metro Councilor Mary Nolan, annually reviews applications and selects projects to fund. The Metro Central Community Enhancement Committee approved funding for 14 projects in the 2023 grant cycle, awarding a total of $358,111.
- Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association: $10,000
This project will remove concrete debris and rubble from the Cathedral Park beach and riverbank. This will improve access and enjoyment of the riverbank, beach, fishing, picnic and swimming area at the Cathedral Park Beach. Removing waste will also improve the flow of the Willamette River in this area.
- CoHo Productions: $45,000
Nonprofit theater CoHo Productions is launching a new community resource center to benefit local BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and low-income emerging artists. This new program will remodel and repurpose the existing CoHo facility on NW Raleigh Street to provide a resource lab, recording studio, coworking station and conference room to benefit the broader theatre community.
- Community Alliance of Tenants: $30,000
The nonprofit Community Alliance of Tenants empowers renters to demand safe, stable and affordable rental homes. This grant will expand the organization’s work in North and Northwest Portland to hold leadership trainings for first time renters, high school seniors and young families.
- Dance United: $22,000
This project will produce four multicultural arts and education events located in parks and outdoor spaces in the grant area. The events will share appreciation of nature, art and diverse cultures, and create a welcome space for people who have immigrated to the U.S., communities of color and other marginalized groups.
- Forest Park Conservancy: $30,000
This year-long workforce development program provides a paid opportunity for BIPOC youth that have traditionally been under-represented in the natural resources field. Youth will gain hands-on fieldwork experience in Forest Park and grow their professional networks, laying the foundation for a successful career in the environmental sector.
- Friendly House Student Success: $40,000
The project will support the After School program and the virtual Complete Student Support program. The after-school program serves up to 130 children from the neighborhood with high-quality, safe and enriching childcare. The program operates in the hours after the typical school day and on school in-service days. The Complete Student Support program offers one-on-one academic and social support and mental health services to students in grades K-8.
- Friends of Trees: $20,410
Friends of Trees’ certified arborists will work with community volunteers and a youth Green Team to assess and prune 300-400 street trees at residences and businesses in the St Johns, Cathedral Park, and Linnton neighborhoods. Youth interns will gain skills in tree identification, tree care and pruning, and community engagement.
- Lift Urban Portland: $12,371
This project will replace and upgrade a food pantry refrigeration system to accommodate more food donations from gleaning partners. This will help meet increased demand for weekly food deliveries and pickups for households throughout the grant area.
- Linnton Community Center: $16,100
This project will replace the existing exterior entry door hardware and replace the preschool entry door hardware with a handicap-accessible system. The Linnton Community Center provides a community food bank, preschool and after school programming and coordinates community volunteer events for local residents.
- Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership: $24,158
Grant funding will allow the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership to host a series of river trips using their two, 29-foot Big Canoes. The trips will provide recreation opportunities and environmental education to 180 people.
- Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group: $15,000
Many community groups and organizations are working to improve the Portland Harbor. This project will establish an organizational space known as the River Center by upgrading a repurposed shipping container. The center will be located at Green Anchors PDX, an eco industrial park located downstream of the St Johns Bridge.
- St. Johns Center for Opportunity: $30,000
This project will support adequate staffing during each St Johns Farmers market day. Staff will support a safe work environment and increase promotional and outreach efforts with an emphasis on serving diverse vendors and shoppers. The project will also fix crumbling asphalt and potholes at the market site.
- Store to Door: $45,690
Store to Door will support independent living for homebound seniors and adults and those living with disabilities through personal, volunteer-based grocery shopping and deliveries and free food box deliveries. Volunteers also provide friendly caller social connections and referrals to other community services.
- Rewild Portland: $17,382
Rewild Portland will install an outdoor irrigation system, storage sheds for tools and seeds, and a heat-assisted propagation area in a rebuilt 3,000 square foot greenhouse at Green Anchors PDX, an eco industrial park. These renovations will support Rewild’s wide array of free workshops, classes and volunteer sessions on gardening, herbal medicine and land restoration techniques among other community supports.
Learn more about Metro Central Enhancement Grants