The Gray Family Foundation works to encourage greater civic engagement in Oregon through investments that promote environmental literacy and giving back to the systems that nurture all of us: our culture, our natural environment, and our communities.
Applicant guidelines
The Gray Family Foundation seeks to partner with entities that share our vision of an Oregon where, from childhood, everyone has the opportunity to experience the wonders of the natural world and learn to care for their place and community over a lifetime.
Grantees must:
- Be schools, school districts, colleges, government or recognized tribal agencies, 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, or non-501(c)3 groups with a designated 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor.
- Serve and/or benefit Oregon communities.
- Ensure any fiscally sponsored programs align with the applying organization’s mission and have written support from the fiscal sponsor.
- Agree to the Foundation’s reporting requirements and anti-discrimination policy described in the Award Terms; variance from these terms may jeopardize your eligibility for future funding.
Preference will be given to organizations, program and projects that:
- Are community-led and informed and are directly accountable to the communities they serve.
- Align with Gray Family Foundation’s statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion, including work:
- Engaging and benefiting rural and frontier communities across Oregon and/or;
- Led by, informed by, and directly benefiting Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and/or other racial and ethnic communities facing current and historical policies and practices that have resulted in disparities.
- Demonstrate expertise or lived experiences in content areas specific to the proposed project.
- Dedicate staff time toward the proposed project/program.
- Provide financial support to listed organization or program partners, especially when partners are essential to reaching identified youth or ensuring programming is responsive and reflective of community (i.e. K-12 administrative support, consultant support, culturally-responsive/reflective partners, etc.)
- Secure additional contributed or earned support for the program or have a plan for identifying and securing additional funding.
We are unable to fund:
- Activities outside of our grant program’s priorities.
- Capital campaigns, site improvements, or acquisitions of land.
- Purchases or activities that occur prior to the grant decision.
- Deficit funding or the elimination of operating deficits.
- Annual fund appeals or endowment funds.
- Religious activities.
- Grants or loans to individuals.
Annually our grants provide more than $1 million across Oregon. To explore a funding area or to apply, click on the program below:
Each year, the Gray Family Foundation receives requests well over our available funds, with fewer than half of applicants being awarded funds. The average grant award is $14,000 with amounts ranging from $5,000-$50,000 depending on the program area and scope of the project. Specific funding priorities for each grant program can be found on individual program pages and corresponding requests for proposals (RFPs).