Willamette Workforce Partnership
Willamette Workforce Partnership (WWP) is a Salem, Oregon-based public charity and Workforce Development Board. It functions as the local workforce development board for Linn, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties, facilitating programs and partnerships to develop a skilled workforce and connect people with employment opportunities.
Willamette Workforce Partnership at a glance
In short: Willamette Workforce Partnership gave $4.4M across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $208K), mostly in Oregon. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,372,709
- +12.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- -25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $208,224
- +49.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $3,484,571
- +9.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (7 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Oregon (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Willamette Workforce Partnership
- How to Apply
-
Submit an application for the Incumbent Worker Training Grant. The application is reviewed by a committee, which generally makes a decision within a week after submission.
- Contact
Mailing address: 626 High St Ne Ste 305, Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 581-1002
Website: https://willwp.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Willamette Workforce Partnership
Who Willamette Workforce Partnership funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Community Services Consortium ($2.5M). Together the top 10 received $4.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
394 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 363 grants of 394 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
WWP’s workforce area comprises Linn, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties in Oregon. In 2025, 96% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in Oregon, 3% to recipients in Kentucky, and a reported less than 1% to recipients in North Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Willamette Workforce Partnership open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 21 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $295K. How we count
Medians: $19K first-time, $51K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−20%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2021) to $5.5M (2022). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $4.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Services Consortium Albany, OR | Program Services | $2,502,591 |
| United Way Salem, OR | Program Services | $418,869 |
| Chehalem Youth and Family Services Newberg, OR | Program Services | $415,997 |
| Chemeketa Community College Salem, OR | General Support | $244,016 |
| Mid Willamette Valley Community Action Agency Salem, OR | Program Services | $236,047 |
| Hightower Workforce Initiatives LLC Lexington, KY | Program Services | $149,380 |
| Easter Seals Oregon Portland, OR | Program Services | $130,000 |
| Be-Blac Foundation Salem, OR | General Support | $75,953 |
| Crossroads Communities Lebanon, OR | Program Services | $28,974 |
| Medical Training Academy Newberg, OR | Program Services | $26,228 |
Ready to take the next step with Willamette Workforce Partnership?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,484,571 | $6,766,758 | $6,664,067 | $4,372,709 | 21 | $5,903 |
| 2024 | $3,192,367 | $6,084,497 | $5,975,141 | $3,896,701 | 28 | $6,702 |
| 2023 | $3,062,808 | $8,253,737 | $8,339,267 | $4,399,272 | 20 | $1,316 |
| 2022 | $3,867,306 | $8,306,018 | $8,121,873 | $5,452,414 | 241 | $12,664 |
| 2021 | $1,486,134 | $9,256,119 | $9,136,944 | $1,004,547 | 84 | $22,283 |
| 2020 | $1,012,919 | $5,175,861 | $5,205,064 | $3,523,144 | 21 | $4,077 |
| 2019 | $1,204,121 | $5,976,794 | $5,945,107 | $4,197,690 | 18 | $4,848 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
WWP’s stated mission is to drive results through collaboration, training, and outreach that lead to a skilled workforce, successful employers, and thriving communities. Its purpose is to build a skilled workforce by supporting businesses with the talent they need for sustainable growth and connecting individuals with employment opportunities.
Its 2024–2028 local plan identifies workforce needs and anticipated employment opportunities in healthcare, transportation, construction, hospitality, and manufacturing. WWP’s 2025 grants included program-services and general-support awards to organizations including Community Services Consortium, United Way, Chehalem Youth and Family Services, and Chemeketa Community College. Crossroads Communities describes its own mission as providing people facing hardship with a safe and stable environment, life-skills and education support, and options for learning marketable job skills; WWP awarded it $28,974 in 2025.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, WWP reported 21 grants totaling $4,372,709. The grants ranged from $5,316 to $2,502,591, with a median of $25,000. The largest awards included $2,502,591 to Community Services Consortium, $418,869 to United Way, $415,997 to Chehalem Youth and Family Services, and $244,016 to Chemeketa Community College. Most reported grant dollars went to recipients in Oregon.
WWP’s Incumbent Worker Training Grant supports training for existing employees when an employer is assessed as needing training to remain competitive or avert potential layoffs. Eligible applicants are private and private nonprofit companies. Training may be classroom-based or work-based, with an education provider chosen by the employer. The maximum is $25,000 per company per fiscal year and $5,000 per employee; applications may include no more than three training opportunities. The application states that a committee reviews submissions and generally makes a decision within a week. For partial wage-reimbursement grants, the recipient must submit supporting information with each payment request, including employee names, dates, and total hours worked.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kim Parker-Llerenas as Executive Director; Dean Craig as Services Director; Ami Maceira as Program Director; Amy Harrison as Finance Director; Melody Garcia as Chair; Aaron Ensign as Treasurer/Secretary; and Frances Alvarado, Erik Andersson, Frank Bermudez, and Ann Buchele as board directors.
Willamette Workforce Partnership is led by Melody Garcia, Chair since 2021 (on filings since 2019); 4 of 31 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Melody Garcia
Chair
Board Director → Chair, 2021
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Harrison
Finance Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$76K (2024) → $97K (2025)
Ami Maceira
Program Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$102K (2025)
Dean Craig
Services Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2025)
Alvin Elbert
Board Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Buchele
Board Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erik Andersson
Board Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frances Alvarado
Board Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Callihan-Bowman
Board Director
Chair → Board Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rhonda Meidinger
Board Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Drew Lindsey
Board Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shane Nehls
Board Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carrie Norris
Board Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank Bermudez
Board Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Howard
Board Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Curry
Board Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ricque Smith
Board Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ron Gutierrez
Board Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Howard
Board Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Luke Glaze
Board Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ricardo Contreras
Board Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angie Villery
Board Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carolin Vanorden
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gabino Gispert
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kris Latimer
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leigh Jensen
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Ellison
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patty Herzog
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Saphira Groves
Board Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kim Parker-Llerenas
Executive Di
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$128K (2019) → $180K (2025)
Aaron Ensign
Treasurer & Secretary
Board Director → Treasurer & Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Gary Mueller (2019–2024) — Past Finance
- Former: John Pascone (2019–2024) — Board Director
- Former: Amanda Countryman (2019–2023) — Board Director
- Former: Bruce Christensen (2019–2023) — Board Director
- Former: Seth Christensen (2019–2023) — Board Director
- Former: Jacqueline Osborne (2022–2023) — Board Director
- Former: Michael Vargo (2022–2023) — Board Director
- Former: Sam Rodgers (2022–2023) — Board Director
- Former: Jim Eustrom (2019–2021) — Board Director
- Former: Rick Palmer (2019–2021) — Board Director
- Former: Tom Erhardt (2019–2021) — Board Director
- Former: Gayle Gilham (2020–2021) — Board Director
- Former: Mark Hester (2020–2021) — Board Director
- Former: Matt Rice (2021) — Board Director
- Former: Samantha Mumby (2021) — Board Director
- Former: Erin Frenzel (2019–2020) — Board Director
- Former: Kevin Billman (2019–2020) — Board Director
- Former: Scott Oldham (2019–2020) — Board Director
- Former: Tim Davis (2019–2020) — Board Director
- Former: Gayle Klampe (2019) — Board Director
- Former: Michael Fowler (2019) — Board Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $180K, to Kim Parker-Llerenas (Executive Di). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Willamette Workforce Partnership
How much does Willamette Workforce Partnership give each year?
Willamette Workforce Partnership gave $4.4M across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.9M across 28 grants.
What is Willamette Workforce Partnership's typical grant size?
Willamette Workforce Partnership's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $208,224, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Willamette Workforce Partnership that year got $35K on average.
Where does Willamette Workforce Partnership give grants?
Willamette Workforce Partnership gives mostly in Oregon: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Salem, OR (7 grants), Newberg, OR (2 grants), Portland, OR (2 grants) and McMinnville, OR (2 grants).
Does Willamette Workforce Partnership give general operating support?
Yes: 10% of Willamette Workforce Partnership's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Program Services" (19 grants).
Who are Willamette Workforce Partnership's largest grantees?
Willamette Workforce Partnership's largest 2025 grantees include Community Services Consortium ($2,502,591), United Way ($418,869) and Chehalem Youth and Family Services ($415,997), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 76% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Willamette Workforce Partnership?
Willamette Workforce Partnership reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.8M.
What does Willamette Workforce Partnership fund?
WWP’s stated mission is to drive results through collaboration, training, and outreach that lead to a skilled workforce, successful employers, and thriving communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Willamette Workforce Partnership?
Submit an application for the Incumbent Worker Training Grant. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Willamette Workforce Partnership's EIN?
Willamette Workforce Partnership's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0172758. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 23, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Willamette Workforce Partnership funds
Employment Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Willamette Workforce Partnership's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Willamette Workforce Partnership funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/willamette-workforce-partnership-morg_31c407aef5fe4707bc2269162a5d186f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_260172758_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Willamette Workforce Partnership funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/willamette-workforce-partnership-morg_31c407aef5fe4707bc2269162a5d186f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Willamette Workforce Partnership's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Willamette Workforce Partnership down — hundreds of funders to go?