Current Grants
The Portland Children’s Levy (PCL) aims to prepare children for school, support them to be successful inside and outside of classrooms, and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in children’s outcomes.
PCL funds programs in six program areas, as approved by voters: after school, child abuse prevention and intervention, early childhood, foster care, hunger relief and mentoring. Programs serve children and families living in or going to school in the City of Portland boundaries.
We provide multiyear funding to support high-impact programs, including programs that serve Black/African American, Indigenous, and children and families of color, children with disabilities, youth who identify as LGBTQ2SIA+, immigrant and refugee children and families, families earning low incomes, and children and families who reside in East Portland or North Portland.
Funding for the below grants started July 1, 2025.
After School
Organization name and program description (Investment 2025-28)
Investment 2025-28
Black Oregon Land Trust, Ancestral Agricultural Education
Provide nature-based education for children and families.
The Blueprint Foundation, After School WISE Program
Provide environmental education and career exposure program for middle and high school youth.
BRAVO Youth Orchestras, After School Music Education
Provide youth orchestra music education program for K-8 youth at 5 school sites.
Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest, After School Groups
Provide group programming focused on empowerment, academic support and enrichment at up to 9 school sites.
Hacienda Community Development Corporation, Expresiones After School
Provide after school and summer academic support and enrichment programming at 3 affordable housing sites.
Human Solutions, Inc. DBA Our Just Future, LearnLinks: Community-Based Academic Support
Provide academic and enrichment after school programming at up to 4 affordable housing sites.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), After School SUN Community Schools
Provide SUN Community School services offered at Ventura Park and Parkrose middle schools.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), INSPIRE After School
Provide academic support and case management services for youth at 8 elementary and middle school sites.
Impact NW, AKA Science
Provide experiential science education program for K-8 youth at SUN school sites.
Impact NW, Career Opportunities Readiness and Exploration (CORE) High School Program
Provide CORE program for youth at 3 high schools, with options to receive high school elective credit and stipends for internships.
Latino Network, After School Educational Access Program (EAP)
Provide after school programming focused on academic support and social-emotional learning at 2 middle schools.
Metropolitan Family Service, SUN After School Programming
Provide SUN Community School services at Cherry Park and West Powellhurst schools.
My Voice Music, Incorporated, My Voice Music: Trauma-Informed After School Music Programs
Provide after school music enrichment programming at the MVM studio.
Native American Youth & Family Center, After School Program
Provide academic support and enrichment services for youth.
Pacific Refugee Support Group, After School Program
Provide tutoring and enrichment activities for youth in SW Portland.
Pathfinders of Oregon DBA The Pathfinder Network, The PATHfinder Club: An After School Program
Provide academic support and enrichment services for youth impacted by incarceration and detention at 1 high school and at Donald E. Long facility.
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc., After School Program
Provide college/career readiness support and robotics enrichment program for youth enrolled in POIC alternative schools.
The Portland Playhouse, Social Justice Theatre Program
Provide after school theater program at up to 16 school sites.
Portland Tennis & Education, After School Program
Provide after school tennis instruction enrichment and academic support programming in North Portland.
Self Enhancement, After School Support
Provide academic support and enrichment programming for middle and high school youth.
Somali American Council Of Oregon, Club Baro (Learn)
Provide academic and enrichment programming for youth.
Total After School
Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention
Organization name and program description (Investment 2025-28)
Investment 2025-28
Bradley Angle, Healing Roots/Kinship program
Offer individual support to adults/youth and family stabilization services for survivors of domestic violence or youth who have experienced violence in their homes.
Bridge Meadows, Intergenerational Interventions
Provide therapy, case management and community meals for youth previously in foster care and currently living at Bridge Meadows housing site.
El Programa Hispano Católico, Trauma Recovery
Provide prevention and therapeutic support to families impacted by domestic violence, sexual abuse and/or trafficking.
Family Skillbuilders Services, In-Home Parent Training and Family Support
Offer home visiting services, hands-on parenting support, and community connection to families.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention Program
Provide home visiting and parent education services for parents with risk factors for neglect and abuse.
Impact NW, Safe Families, Safe Communities
Offer therapeutic services for families impacted by domestic violence.
Janus Youth Program, Insights SEEDS Program
Provide parenting education and home visiting services for teen and young parents up to age 22 and their children.
Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center DBA CARES Northwest, Trauma-Focused Therapy Program
Provide therapy services to children who have experienced significant child abuse trauma (physical, sexual, and/or significant traumatic histories).
LifeWorks NW, Children’s Relief Nursery
Provide family relief nursery services for infants-children age 5 and their families.
LifeWorks NW, Family Community Alliance
Provide strengths-based and intensive home visiting services for families at risk for involvement with Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare.
Lutheran Community Services Northwest, Parenting in Portland (PIP) program
Provide parenting education and support services for families.
Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, Incorporated, Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention (DHS contracts team)
Provide family stabilization and preservation services to children and their families.
Pathfinders of Oregon DBA The Pathfinder Network, Center for Family Success
Provide parenting education, case management, and wrap-around support services to families who are impacted by the criminal justice system and/or reentering the community after incarceration.
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc., Young Parent Program
Provide parenting education and home visiting services to young parents ages 18-24 and their children.
Volunteers of America of Oregon, Inc., Family Relief Nursery
Provide family relief nursery services for infants-children age 5 and their families.
Youth, Rights & Justice, Family Defense Project
Offer short-term legal representation and social work services for youth at risk of entering foster care, and supporting families to keep youth safely at home.
YWCA of Greater Portland, Healing Together: Trauma-Focused Therapeutic Support
Offer therapeutic services for children and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence.
Total Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention
Early Childhood
Organization name and program description (Investment 2025-28)
Investment 2025-28
Albina Head Start, Early Head Start Classrooms
Provide Early Head Start classroom-based services for infants and toddlers from families with low incomes, including children with disabilities.
APANO Communities United Fund, Family Wellness Early Childhood
Provide family wellness nutrition/exercise groups, parenting groups, and parent/child groups for parents with children prenatal-age 5, including children with disabilities and medical needs.
Black Parent Initiative, First 1,000 Days Early Childhood Continuum
Provide pre/post natal and doula services for mothers and their families, with a focus on families with infants-children age 2.
Hacienda Community Development Corporation, Sembrando Semillitas Early Childhood Education
Provide home visiting and parent-child group early learning services for families in NE Cully area, with a focus services on prenatal-children age 2.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, Child and Parent Success (CAPS)
Provide home visiting and parent-child early learning group services for families in East Portland, with a focus on prenatal-children age 2.
Impact NW, Parent-Child Development Services (PCDS)
Provide home visiting and parent-child early learning group services, with a focus on prenatal-children age 2, including historically marginalized and under-resourced families.
Latino Network, Juntos Aprendemos
Provide weekly, school-year parent-child early learning groups for children and families at 5 school sites in 3 districts, including East Portland.
Metropolitan Family Service, Early Ready, Set, Go! 0 to 3
Provide parent-child early learning group services at 1 site in East Portland for families, with a focus on prenatal-children age 3.
Morrison Child and Family Services, Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Provide infant/early childhood mental health consultation focusing on infants-children age 2 attending childcare, early learning and home visiting programs funded by PCL and PCL’s Community Childcare Initiative.
Morrison Child and Family Services, Listos Para Aprender
Provide home visiting and parent-child group services for children and families in East Portland with a focus on prenatal-children age 2.
Native American Youth and Family Center, Ten’As Sun Early Childhood
Provide home visiting and parent-child early learning group services, with a focus on prenatal-children age 2.
Total Early Childhood
Foster Care
Organization name and program description (Investment 2025-28)
Investment 2025-28
Boys & Girls Aid, Permanency Services
Provide permanency services (adoption, return to parent, guardianship, etc.) for foster youth.
The Dougy Center, Inc., The L.Y.G.H.T. Program: Peer Grief Support Program for Youth in Foster Care
Offer facilitated group grief support services for foster youth experiencing loss.
Friends of the Children-Portland, Mentoring Services for Foster Youth
Provide long-term mentoring services for foster youth.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, Foster Care Program
Provide a range of support services for foster youth, their foster families and birth families.
Janus Youth Program, Inc., Insights Echo Program
Provide intensive home visiting, parenting and life skills education for foster youth and former foster youth who are pregnant or parenting, or who have children who were or are in foster care.
Kinship House, Mental Health Therapy for Children in Foster Care
Offer therapeutic services for foster youth.
Native American Youth and Family Center, Foster Care Support
Provide case management and support services to foster youth.
New Avenues for Youth, Inc., Avenues to College & Workforce
Provide wraparound support for youth ages 18-24 who are/were in foster care to access higher education, job training/employment and housing support.
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc., Mental Health Services for Foster Care Youth
Offer mental health services to youth ages 14-24 who are/were in foster care.
Self Enhancement, Inc., Foster Care Support
Provide home visiting and support services for youth in foster care and their families.
Youth Progress Association, Positive Outcomes for Older Youth in Foster Care
Offer case management and support services for foster youth in Behavior Rehabilitation Services or therapeutic foster care placement.
Youth, Rights, & Justice, SchoolWorks
Provide legal advocacy in educational settings including special education and disability accommodation services for foster youth.
Total Foster Care
Hunger Relief
Organization name and program description (Investment 2025-28)
Investment 2025-28
Black Food Sovereignty Coalition, Cultivating Intergenerational Connection
Provide community-based food hub to offer free food weekly to families and provide summertime food/health education club for children/youth ages 5-12 at Come Thru Summer Market.
Community Development Corporation of Oregon, Locally Grown Food Security
Support local farmers/growers to supply culturally relevant foods to families through markets and food delivery through partnership with Play, Grow, Learn in East Portland.
Familias en Acción, Nutrition and Food Justice Program
Provide health, nutrition, gardening and cooking education classes for families of young children, including focus on social determinants of health.
Feed ’em Freedom, Community Food Hub
Provide community-based food pantry and community health worker to support family food access in Parkrose area.
Growing Gardens, Hunger Relief Through Culturally-Responsive Garden Programming
Provide school-based garden education at 10 schools in 4 school districts.
Human Solutions, Inc. DBA Our Just Future, LearnLinks: Food Pantries
Provide community-based food pantries at 2 affordable housing communities in East Portland.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, School-Based Hunger Relief
Provide 5-7 school-based food pantries in 4 school districts serving children and families with food insecurity.
KairosPDX, School-Based Happy Belly Outreach program
Provide food bags during school breaks to children with food insecurity and school-based cooking/nutrition classes for families.
Meals on Wheels People, Meals 4 Kids Program
Deliver prepared meals and groceries to families with food insecurity, including families with significant barriers to food access such as disabilities and medical/health barriers.
Metropolitan Family Service, Hunger Relief School-Based Food Pantries
Provide 3 school-based food pantries in communities with food insecurity in 3 school districts in East Portland.
Neighborhood House, Inc., Mobile Food Pantry
Provide mobile food delivery to 7-9 affordable housing communities with food insecurity in SW Portland.
Oregon Food Bank, Inc., School Pantry Program
Provide 15 school-based food pantries with partner organizations serving children and families with food insecurity in 4 school districts.
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc., School and Community-Based Nutrition Program
Provide food closets at alternative school campuses and community-based, pop-up fresh food distribution for families.
Sunshine Division, Community Hunger Relief
Provide weekend food bags to houseless children attending Community Transitional School.
Total Hunger Relief
Mentoring
Organization name and program description (Investment 2025-28)
Investment 2025-28
Center for African Immigrants & Refugees Organization (CAIRO), Project to Educate, Empower, and Re-frame (PEER) Leadership
Provide college, career, and leadership development mentoring activities for youth ages 18-24.
Elevate Oregon, Building Relationships Mentoring
Provide mentoring services to youth in grades 5-12 in Parkrose School District.
ELSO Incorporated, Tappin’ Roots Program
Provide mentoring services for high school youth from historically marginalized communities to train in science, technology, engineering, art, and math careers, and lead summer environmental education activities for younger youth.
Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural and Resource Center, Tomorrow’s Leaders Mentoring Program
Provide mentoring services and academic support for K-12 youth.
Friends of the Children-Portland, Mentoring
Provide long-term mentoring services for youth in grades 1-12.
Going Home II, Triple Threat Mentoring
Provide mentoring services, college readiness activities, and summer programming for middle and high school youth in North Portland at risk of committing violence.
HOLLA, Expanding Mentorship
Provide mentoring services for historically marginalized youth in grades 2-12 in David Douglas School District.
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, RIM program
Provide mentoring services and academic support for high school youth.
Latino Network, Mentoring Education Access Program (EAP)
Provide mentoring services for students at 2 East Portland high schools.
Latino Network, Padrinos Mentorship Program
Provide mentoring services to gang affected/involved youth.
Lewis & Clark College DBA Lewis & Clark, T2 Collective
Provide group mentoring services at 2 sites to youth ages 5-17 at high risk for depression and negative health outcomes.
Native American Youth and Family Center, College & Career Readiness Program
Provide college and career mentorship program for high school youth.
Open School, Inc., Step Up
Provide academic mentoring services to students from historically marginalized communities at 3 high schools.
Outside In, Youth Services Program
Provide wrap-around mentoring services, job readiness, and GED completion support for houseless youth ages 18-24, including historically marginalized and LGBTQIA+ youth.
P:ear, Creative Mentorship
Provide mentoring services to support job training and GED completion services for houseless youth ages 18-24.
Pathfinders of Oregon DBA The Pathfinder Network, Mentoring Inside Out Program
Provide mentoring for youth with parents impacted by criminal justice system involvement.
Portland Workforce Alliance, Mentoring to Portland Careers
Provide career-focused mentoring services for youth ages 14-24.
Portland YouthBuilders, Creating Pathways Out of Poverty
Provide mentoring services to support youth ages 18-24 from historically marginalized communities to complete GED, high school diploma, and/or pre-apprenticeship programs.
Samoa Pacific Development Corporation, INSPIRE Mentoring
Provide mentoring services for youth at Roosevelt High School.
Total Mentoring
Small Grants Fund
Organization name and program description (Investment 2024-25)
Investment 2024-25
A.Y.C.O. (African Youth and Community Organization)
Provide after school tutoring, sports, and nature-based field trips, including for East African youth and youth with disabilities.
Brown Girl Rise
Provide mentoring for youth ages 7-17, including historically marginalized youth and nonbinary youth.
Urban Gleaners
Provide food to families sourced from gleaning and purchased from local farmers. Distribute food at school sites, parks and under-resourced neighborhoods.
Total Small Grants Fund
Special Initiatives
Organization name and program description (Investment 2025-28)
Investment 2025-28
Childcare Resource & Referral Multnomah at Mt. Hood Community College, Community Childcare Initiative
Childcare subsidy initiative that helps working families earning low incomes afford high-quality childcare, for infants-children age 12. Supplements the state’s Employment Related Day Care subsidy and ensures that costs for families are covered in full. Citywide. This allocation was unanimously approved by the Allocation Committee at the June 24, 2024 meeting.
Total Special Initiatives
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