Foundations & Grantmakers in Oregon
1,990 grantmakers in Oregon reported grants on their latest 990s. The 716 that made at least 5 grants gave $1.6B. The largest by giving are Knight Foundation, The Oregon Community Foundation and Oregon Health & Science University. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Oregon grants
Foundation giving in Oregon at a glance
Active grantmakers
1,990
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$1.6B
from the 716 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$20K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$73K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Oregon by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Knight Foundation | Beaverton | $226.5M | 9 |
| 2 | The Oregon Community Foundation | Portland | $171.4M | 2,149 |
| 3 | Oregon Health & Science University | Portland | $165.0M | 10 |
| 4 | City Fund | Beaverton | $109.3M | 121 |
| 5 | Meyer Memorial Trust | Portland | $45.2M | 388 |
| 6 | The Ford Family Foundation | Roseburg | $37.4M | 1,992 |
| 7 | Careoregon Inc | Portland | $34.0M | 135 |
| 8 | OCF Joseph E Weston Public Foundation | Portland | $23.3M | 531 |
| 9 | Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation | Wilsonville | $20.5M | 663 |
| 10 | The Lemelson Foundation | Portland | $19.7M | 71 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 7 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 104 · 20%
- Human Services 66 · 13%
- Health 64 · 12%
- Environment & Animals 44 · 9%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 40 · 8%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 34 · 7%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (45% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Oregon
- The Oregon Community Foundation $171.4M · 2,149 grants
- Oregon Jewish Community Foundation $7.1M · 121 grants
- Benton Community Foundation $1.5M · 60 grants
- Four Way Community Foundation $489K · 36 grants
- Good Shepherd Community Health $149K · 10 grants
- Tillamook County Farm Bureau Marketing $21K · 10 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Oregon
Foundations based in Oregon whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franz Bakery Foundation | 91% (43) | 47 in 2025 | $3K |
| 2 | Cambia Health Foundation | 90% (27) | 30 in 2024 | $65K |
| 3 | Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon | 84% (32) | 38 in 2025 | $353K |
| 4 | Provider Services Fund | 76% (22) | 29 in 2025 | $46K |
| 5 | Charis Fund | 75% (54) | 72 in 2025 | $6K |
| 6 | Barbara Emily Knudson Foundation | 74% (39) | 53 in 2024 | $3K |
| 7 | Stoller Family Foundation | 69% (27) | 39 in 2024 | $7K |
| 8 | Bernard Daly Educational Fund | 65% (15) | 23 in 2025 | $10K |
| 9 | Braemar Charitable Trust | 65% (77) | 119 in 2025 | $11K |
| 10 | The Robert D and Marcia H Randall | 63% (50) | 79 in 2024 | $10K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 716 grantmakers in Oregon with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Knight Foundation
Beaverton, OR
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
9
Total Given
$226.5M
The Oregon Community Foundation
Portland, OR
Assets
$3.3B
Grants
2,149
Total Given
$171.4M
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, OR
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
10
Total Given
$165.0M
City Fund
Beaverton, OR
Assets
$59.7M
Grants
121
Total Given
$109.3M
Meyer Memorial Trust
Portland, OR
Assets
$901.2M
Grants
388
Total Given
$45.2M
The Ford Family Foundation
Roseburg, OR
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,992
Total Given
$37.4M
Careoregon Inc
Portland, OR
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
135
Total Given
$34.0M
OCF Joseph E Weston Public Foundation
Portland, OR
Assets
$637.5M
Grants
531
Total Given
$23.3M
Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation
Wilsonville, OR
Assets
$374.9M
Grants
663
Total Given
$20.5M
The Lemelson Foundation
Portland, OR
Assets
$414.4M
Grants
71
Total Given
$19.7M
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Portland, OR
Assets
$68.8M
Grants
42
Total Given
$19.3M
Intel Foundation
Hillsboro, OR
Assets
$20.0M
Grants
6
Total Given
$19.2M
National Network of Abortion Funds Inc
Beaverton, OR
Assets
$44.8M
Grants
97
Total Given
$18.3M
Worksystems Inc
Portland, OR
Assets
$14.5M
Grants
24
Total Given
$17.5M
Nike Foundation
Beaverton, OR
Assets
$47.5M
Grants
11
Total Given
$16.7M
Campaign for Great Public Schools
Beaverton, OR
Assets
$13.7M
Grants
74
Total Given
$15.9M
United Way of the Columbia-Willamette
Portland, OR
Assets
$43.1M
Grants
133
Total Given
$15.6M
The Roundhouse Foundation
Sisters, OR
Assets
$344.5M
Grants
621
Total Given
$15.6M
1803 Fund
Portland, OR
Assets
$49.6M
Grants
32
Total Given
$14.9M
Lane Community Health Council
Eugene, OR
Assets
$8.2M
Grants
84
Total Given
$13.3M
Northwest Portland Area Indian
Portland, OR
Assets
$290.8M
Grants
68
Total Given
$13.3M
Onpoint Community Credit Union
Portland, OR
Assets
$9.5B
Grants
180
Total Given
$13.2M
Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon
Portland, OR
Assets
$17.4M
Grants
38
Total Given
$12.4M
Heatherington Foundation for Innovation
Portland, OR
Assets
$19.6M
Grants
38
Total Given
$12.2M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Oregon
What are the largest foundations in Oregon?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Knight Foundation ($226.5M across 9 grants), The Oregon Community Foundation ($171.4M) and Oregon Health & Science University ($165.0M). Together the top 10 account for 53% of the $1.6B given by the 716 grantmakers in Oregon that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Oregon?
The typical grant is about $20K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $73K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Oregon?
Yes. We found 6 community foundations in Oregon with grant activity. The largest by giving are The Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Jewish Community Foundation and Benton Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Oregon foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Oregon from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.