| Nature in Neighborhoods grants available Capital Grants Across greater Portland, Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants help fund projects to improve water and air quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and access to nature by all residents. The Nature in Neighborhoods Capital Grants metro-wide program will provide up to $7 million for capital projects throughout the Metro region for the 2025-2026 fourth round of competitive funding. Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants fund a wide variety of projects in land acquisition, restoration, urban transformation, and neighborhood livability. The program provides three-year grants to projects led by community organizations, park providers, local governments and other organizations. The grants are for publicly owned capital projects. Eligibility requirements: -The total project award must be at least $100,000 – Be on property owned by a state or local government – Be within Metro’s jurisdictional boundary – Demonstrate public and private partners (e.g. nonprofit or community-based organization) – Have minimal feasibility challenges and able to be constructed within three years. Pre-applications are due by Jan. 27. Apply on the capital grants webpage. For more information on how to apply, read the 2026 Nature in Neighborhoods Capital Grants pre-application handbook. More details at oregonmetro.gov/grants on the capital grants webpage. Community Stewardship and Restoration Grants Make habitat healthier in your community with help from a Metro community stewardship and restoration grant. Metro’s Nature in Neighborhoods grants provide opportunities to support and create partnerships in local communities that improve water quality, fish and wildlife habitat and connect people with nature. Click here to learn more about the program on the Metro website. Who is eligible? Community groups, watershed councils, neighborhood associations, nonprofits, faith groups and service groups with nonprofit or other tax-exempt status may apply. Grants may only be awarded to projects and programs that benefit Metro-area residents. When do I apply? The pre-application for the 2025-2026 round of nature education and outdoor experiences grants is now open. For more information please see the pre-application handbook which is available in the Related Documents section of this page, below. Pre-Applications are due February 10, 2026. More details – Apply on Temelio here. – Make an appointment to talk with the grant program manager to discuss your idea on Sign Up Genius here. – Sign up for the Nature in Neighborhoods newsletter: communityinvestments@oregonmetro.gov More details at oregonmetro.gov/grants on the community stewardship and restoration webpage. Large Scale Community Visions Grants Metro’s large-scale community visions grant program, part of the 2019 Parks and Nature bond, supports innovative capital projects that bring together nature, job opportunities, affordable housing and safe transportation. The third funding cycle is now open, as of December 1, 2025, with up to $10 million in funding available. Eligible projects must: • Be a capital project (this include real estate acquisitions) • Invest at least $2 million in habitat preservation, restoration and access to nature • Be part of a larger vision that advances affordable housing, transportation, and/or workforce development • Meaningfully engage with communities of color, Indigenous communities, people with low incomes and other across the region including historically marginalized communities in planning and development • Be publicly owned or result in a publicly owned asset The application process begins with a letter of interest, accepted through February 28, 2026. More details can be found in the handbook on the website. Update Community Choice Grants Almost 1,500 Clackamas County residents voted for their favorite parks and nature projects in the first round of Metro’s Nature in Neighborhoods Community Choice Grants program. A final vote next spring will give community members the chance to pick which projects receive a grant. In total, $2 million to $3 million in grants will be awarded. The enthusiastic response from community members demonstrated a key goal of the program: giving community members a direct say in how tax dollars are spent on parks and nature projects. During voting, anyone 11 years old or older who lived in Clackamas County could vote for their 10 favorite projects from of a list of 83. All of these projects had been submitted by community members earlier this year. Now 50 projects are moving onto a second round of design workshops in February 2026. During the workshops, community members will work with park planners and park staff from the city or park district in which the project is located. Visit oregonmetro.gov/communitychoice to learn more about the program. The Community Choice Grants is funded by Metro’s parks and nature bond measure, passed by voters in 2019. About Metro Parks and Nature Metro Parks and Nature protects clean water, restores fish and wildlife habitat, and creates opportunities for people to enjoy nature close to home. Its unique park system – one with nature at its heart – comprises more than 19,000 acres of parks, trails and natural areas across every community in the region. The system stretches from Chehalem Ridge on the west to the Sandy River Gorge on the east, and from Blue Lake and Smith and Bybee Wetlands on the north to Graham Oaks on the south. Learn more at www.oregonmetro.gov/parks. |
