Metro Nature in Neighborhoods: Community Stewardship and Restoration Grants

The Metro Nature in Neighborhoods Community Stewardship and Restoration Grants offer funding for projects aimed at enhancing local ecosystems and promoting community engagement in the Portland area. With a total funding pool of $750,000, grants support initiatives that restore fish and wildlife habitats, foster partnerships, and address environmental justice. Priority is given to projects led by historically marginalized communities, ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for sustainable environmental stewardship.

What is Metro?
Metro works with communities, businesses and residents in the Portland metropolitan area to chart a wise course for the future while protecting the things we love about this place.
Where is Metro?
Metro serves more than 1.7 million people in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. The agency's boundary encompasses Portland, Oregon and 23 other cities – from the Columbia River in the north to the bend of the Willamette River near Wilsonville, and from the foothills of the Coast Range near Forest Grove to the banks of the Sandy River at Troutdale.
Nature in Neighborhoods Grants
Nature in Neighborhoods grants support community projects and programs across the region, from local park improvements to stream restoration to hands-on nature education for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Grant programs under Nature in Neighborhoods include:

• Nature educationRestoration and community stewardshipCapitalCommunity choice
• Grants are designed to support communities of color and other communities who have experienced barriers to accessing Metro grant funding in the past.
• Community Stewardship and Restoration Grants

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.
Potential Projects
Funding is available for projects that:
preserve and restore local fish and wildlife habitatcreate, support and/or deepen partnerships in local communitiesaddress inequities in the conservation movementsupport larger conservation initiativesincrease people's awareness of the need for protecting and managing natural areasengage people in protecting and managing natural areas at the community levelincrease the expertise and capacity of organizations to lead habitat restoration and land management activitiesprovide environmental resources and economic opportunities to communities of color and other historically and continually marginalized groupsoffer direct access to protected natural areas and the positive impacts of clean land, air and water to communities of color and other historically and continually marginalized groups.
Funding
Funding for the community stewardship and restoration grants funding cycle is set at $750,000. The final slate of proposals recommended for funding will include a mix of small, medium, and large grants. Small grants have a maximum award of $50,000, medium grants have a maximum award of $75,000, and large grants have a maximum award of $100,000.
Program Purpose and Goals
Community stewardship and restoration grants support and create partnerships in local communities that improve water quality, fish and wildlife habitat and connect people with nature.
All applications must clearly meet the grant program’s overall purpose. Priority will be given to applications that meet each of the grant program’s three goals.
Goal 1: Improve water quality, fish and wildlife habitat
These grants will preserve and restore fish and wildlife habitat in local communities and support larger environmental justice and conservation initiatives.
Examples of project strategies and activities:
Increase the health of the overall urban landscape for native species and people.
Goal 2: Community partnerships, collaboration and accountability
These grants create, support and/or deepen partnerships in local communities. Strategies for community engagement fall on a spectrum from deep, personal engagement to outreach via mass media, but should aim for transformational partnerships rather than transactional information sharing.
Examples of project strategies and activities:
One-on-one personal connection (e.g. involve multiple community members in project design, implementation and/or outreach, community participation in hands-on restoration projects, organizing, workforce development, and mentoring).Outreach and/or marketing (e.g. social and mass media, group discussions, interpretive signs, mailings, project and/or site tours).Collaboration with communities of color and other historically and continually marginalized groups to develop shared learning about environmental justice priorities and practices, and follow their direction to restore, experience and connect with nature and the region’s natural areas.Provide information, advertising or other promotions so that residents can more easily learn where natural areas are located, how to access them, and what to do there.Increase the capacity of, and support for, organizations or businesses that are led by, organize with and/or employ people of color and other historically and continually marginalized communities in habitat restoration or local park and natural area land stewardship activities. Examples of capacity and support building activities include technical assistance, professional or leadership development, or stipends/compensation to participate in project design and/or implementation.Expanded partnerships with local and/or regional community-based organizations to support increased stewardship of local natural areas, fish and wildlife habitat.Intentional involvement of the community in restoration and stewardship efforts, contributing to community members’ sense of connection back to natural areas, providing opportunities to learn from and educate local users, residents and nearby school populations.Training on trauma informed care for natural and water resource professionals and community members who interact with people experiencing houselessness. Learn from houseless communities about their needs and desires to be in nature. Facilitate transformational, equity centered, trauma-informed approaches to address safety and provide resources for houseless communities to be in nature.
Goal 3: Economic and environmental equity
The community stewardship and restoration grants help address inequities in the conservation movement. The grants provide outdoor, environmental, and natural resources; economic opportunities; direct access to protected natural areas; and the positive impacts of clean land, air and water to Indigenous communities, Black communities, communities of color and other historically and continually marginalized groups in greater Portland.
Examples of project strategies and activities:
Provide social and economic benefits to Indigenous communities, Black communities, communities of color and other historically and continually marginalized communities beyond the specific project scope or original design.Increase the number and improve the experience of visitors, staff and programs at natural areas representing diverse racial, ethnic and cultural groups and other historically and continually marginalized groups. Provide opportunities to communities of color to learn about, guide, and have decision-making power in how agencies and communities manage and care for the land and create opportunities to care for trails, harvest seeds or plant native plants. Improve accessibility to and within natural areas for the elderly, people with disabilities and communities of color. Include workforce development goals for partner organizations or programs, including internships or career pathways programs. Shift power to create possibility for equity in career pathways, hiring, retention, and educational opportunities.Work with and shift power to Indigenous communities to protect, preserve and access culturally significant land; salmon, steelhead and lamprey habitats; and native plants. Include work with Black communities, Indigenous communities, and/or communities of color on anti-displacement and housing securityProvide economic opportunities for communities of color and other marginalized communities in the construction of natural area improvements, restoration or community stewardship projects by working with COBID-certified firms and hiring and training a local workforce.

Eligibility

Community groups, watershed councils, collectives, neighborhood associations, nonprofits, faith groups and service groups with nonprofit or other tax exempt status, or with a fiscal sponsor who has that status may apply. Grants may only be awarded to projects and programs that benefit Metro-area residents.Applicants may seek funding for “shovel ready” projects or for projects that are in earlier planning phases.Project requirementsProjects must address at least one of the program goals.Projects require at least three partners. Applicants may partner in multiple grant applications.After being awarded the grant, projects must be completed within 36 months (3 years) Metro allows the use of fiscal agents for groups that don’t have 501(c) (3) status

Ineligibility

Metro is not eligible to apply for or receive grant funds.