Recognition and Funding

Grants, Bonds, and Loan Programs

Oregon Programs

• DEQ Solid Waste Grant Program (for Oregon Governments)
• Metro Grants
  Metro, the Portland Area regional government, offers community enhancement grants; for more information, contact Metro's community enhancement coordinator or call 503-797-1648. To learn more about Metro's community enhancement programs or to have a speaker address your organization, contact Metro's Councilor, or call 503-797-1546.
• NW Small Business Finance Corporation - 504 Loan Program
  Fixed asset financing to help established small businesses with financing expansion. Loans range from $100,000 to $3 million. Contact: NW Small Business Finance Corporation, 3802 NE MLK Blvd, #203, Portland OR 97212, 503-232-7796
• Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs
  Operates 42,000-square-foot business incubator. Provides loans, referrals, and administrative services. Promotes community development through economic development. Contact: Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, 1130 NE Alberta St, Portland OR 97211, 503-284-5069
• Oregon Economic Development Department - Flexible Network Grant
  Matching grants up to $10,000 to encourage groups of three or more Oregon companies to work cooperatively to manufacture and market products, develop technologies and create or disseminate information that increases their profits. Contact: Key Industries Development, 775 Summer St. NE, Salem OR 97310, 800-233-3306
  • Entrepreneurial Development Loan Fund
    Initial loans up to $15,000 to entrepreneurial businesses. Follow-on loans of up to $10,000 also are available. Must employ dislocated timber workers, be located in a severely affected community or be owned by individuals who are severely disabled. Cannot have been operating more than 15 months or have revenues in excess of $50,000.
  • Oregon Business Development Fund
    Statewide revolving fund for manufacturing, processing and tourism-related projects. Provides long-term, fixed-rate financing for land, buildings, machinery and equipment, as well as permanent working capital. Emphasis on rural areas, enterprise zones and businesses with fewer than 50 employees. 503-229-5625
  • Oregon Port Revolving Fund Loans
    Long-term loans to ports at below-market interest rates. May be used for port development projects or to assist private business development projects. Also may be used as matching funds for government grants. 503-373-1240
  • Industrial Development Revenue Bonds
    Tax-exempt bonds for manufacturing, processing and tourism-related facilities. Limited to manufacturing and nonprofit facilities in Oregon. 503-373-1240
  • Oregon Composite Revenue Bond Program
    Allows the state to combine several industrial development revenue bonds into one bond issue. This can lower issuance costs. 503-373-1240
• Oregon Department of Energy - Energy Loan Program
  This program offers low-interest, fixed-rate, long-term loans for any qualified Oregon project that invests in energy conservation, renewable energy, or creating products from recycled materials. Small and large loans are available, with technical assistance available early in the project design phase. Individuals, businesses, schools, special districts, tribes and local, state or federal government agencies may apply. Call the loan program at 800-221-8035 or visit the web site: www.oregon.gov/energy/loans/selph.shtml
• Oregon Water Resources Department - Governor's Watershed Enhancement Board
  Provides technical assistance and grants for projects that improve riparian areas. Encourages volunteer and youth involvement in improvement projects. Contact: Oregon Water Resources Department, 3850 Portland Rd, NE, Salem OR 97310, 503-378-8455
• Portland Development Commission - Contractors Opportunity Loan Program
  Accounts receivable financing to established small contractors, particularly minority and women-owned businesses. Contact: Portland Development Commission, 1120 SW Fifth Ave, Suite 1100 Portland OR 97204, 503-823-3310
  • Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund
    Loan 50 percent of project cost to a maximum of $100,000. Designed to assist Portland businesses expand and to create new jobs. 503-823-3310
  • Industrial Site Development Revolving Loan Fund
    Loan up to 50 percent of project cost to a maximum of $100,000. Targeted at industrial sites and vacant buildings otherwise not likely to develop for manufacturing, assembly, or distribution of a wholesale product. 503-823-3328
  • North/Northeast Business Assistance Fund
    Loan for up to 75 percent of the project cost to a maximum of $100,000 or 50 percent guarantee to a bank for a conventional loan. Intended to create new employment opportunities, provide products or services to low and moderate income persons, and eliminate slum and blight. 503-823-3328
  • North/Northeast Enterprise Zone
    Loan for up to 75 percent of the project cost to a maximum of $100,000, or 50 percent guarantee to a bank for a conventional loan. Intended to create new employment opportunities, provide products or services to low and moderate income persons, and eliminate slum and blight. 503-823-3328
• SOLV Grants
  This conservation non-profit offers grants for schools and volunteer cleanup and enhancement projects. Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism, PO Box 1235, Hillsboro, OR 97123, 503-844-9571, 503-844-9575 fax, or visit their web site: www.solv.org.

National Programs

• Project Learning Tree "GreenWorks!"
  These community action and service learning grants range from $200 to $1,000 and are awarded to projects that involve partnerships between schools or youth groups and other community organizations, such as businesses, public agencies, and nonprofits. Contact: GreenWorks! Grants, 1111 19th Street, NW #780, Washington, DC 20036. Visit their web site: www.plt.org/cms/pages/21_22_18.html
• Environmental Grant-making Foundations
  This is a guide to nearly 800 independent, community, and company-sponsored foundations that fund environmental projects. To order resource (cd rom available) write: Resources for Global Sustainability, PO Box 22770, Rochester, NY 14692-2770, 800-724-1857.
• Overseas Private Investment Corporation - Environmental Enterprises Development Initiative
  Provides up $100,000 in matching funds for evaluations to determine commercial viability of proposed investments in eligible Asian Countries. Recycled products or recycling technologies that could be manufactured or replicated in Asian countries are examples of projects that would qualify for assistance under this program. Contact: Overseas Private Investment Corporation, 1100 New York Ave. NW, Washington D.C., 20527-0001, 202-336-8658
• US Environmental Protection Agency - EPA Region 10 Waste Reduction Division
  Provides grants for waste reduction and recycling research, development, demonstration and education projects. Contact: EPA Region 10 (HW-107), 1200 Sixth Ave, Seattle WA 98101, 206-553-6522
• US Small Business Administration-7(a)11 Loans
  Direct loans to business owned by low-income individuals or to businesses located in low-income areas. Contact: US Small Business Administration, 222 SW Columbia, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97201, 503-326-2682
  • Handicapped Assistance Loans
    Loans or loan guarantees for establishment, acquisition, or operation of a small business owned 100 percent by handicapped persons.
  • Vietnam and Disabled Veterans Loan Program
    Loans up to $150,000 to businesses owned and managed by eligible veterans. Applying veterans must own at least 51 percent of business.

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