Responsive Grant Programs- Fast-Track Grants

The Reser Family Foundation offers Fast-Track Grants to established 501(c)(3) organizations in Oregon, focusing on Education, Health, Arts, and Environment. The grants aim to support innovative and inclusive projects that enhance community welfare. Eligible organizations must have a history of operations in Oregon, with funding requests capped at $12,499. The foundation seeks to empower nonprofits addressing local needs through streamlined application processes, ensuring that resources are effectively allocated to vital community initiatives.

NOTE: Find the page for the Midsize Grants here.
Reser Family Foundation
The Reser Family Foundation continues Al and Pat Reser’s decades-long commitment to giving back to Oregon communities. The Reser Family is passionate about strengthening Oregonians through charitable grants made to organizations doing broad-based, innovative, inclusive work across our state.
Our Cornerstones
To help create the broadest possible benefit to Oregonians, The Reser Family Foundation focuses on four Cornerstones—Education, Health, Arts, and Environment—to guide giving through our Fast Track and Mid Size grant programs.
Grants supporting student success and engagement
Education Funding Priorities:
Support school-day academic and transitional programs that encourage student success.Provide after-school enrichment and support for extracurricular activities in middle schools.Support the basic needs of students with limited economic means on their path to a high school diploma or GED.
A closer look at our current funding priorities in Education:
In-school programs in public schools or independent schools that serve children with special needsPrograms that support Career Technical Education (CTE) initiatives, first-generation college students, and schools serving low-income youth
We accept grant requests that have clear letters of support, signed by the school administrator (e.g., superintendent) if applicable.
If your request is for capital construction and replacement of equipment, please see our Built Environment funding priority.
Grants serving Oregonians affected by life-altering events
Health Funding Priorities:
Serve children affected by a severe health diagnosis or life-altering event.Support the basic needs of children with limited economic means.Help underserved adults to achieve independence or improve quality of life after a severe health diagnosis or life-altering event.
A closer look at our current funding priorities in Health:

• We are not currently reviewing new requests for medical research funding, animal-assisted therapies, caregiver support programs, or child advocacy programs.
• If your request is for capital construction and replacement of equipment, please see our Built Environment funding priority.
• The Arts
• Grants to engage communities with the arts and increase access
• Arts Funding Priorities
• Engage youth through creative visual and performing arts programs.Support broad-based community arts programs that increase access and enrich communities.
• A closer look at our current funding priorities in The Arts:
• If your request is for capital construction and replacement of equipment, please see our Built Environment funding priority.
• If your organization is a school, please apply under the Education Cornerstone.
• Environment
• Grants supporting either the natural environment or the built environment
• Environment Funding Priorities

A closer look at our current funding priorities in Environment:
Funding for land acquisition, preliminary studies or preliminary research is outside of our current funding priorities. We are not currently reviewing requests from organizations with ongoing or pending litigation.
The foundation will consider capital fundraising requests when more than 80% of the funds needed to complete the project have been raised/pledged
The Fast Track Grant Program is for requests $12,499 and under. The Fast Track application process is designed to provide eligible organizations with streamlined access and support for projects or programs.

Eligibility

Eligible organizations need to be established 501(c)(3) organizations for more than 3 years.The organization, operations, services and staff should be based in Oregon, conducting Oregon activities.Applicants who have applied to the foundation or been funded by the foundation for 3 consecutive years in a row must take a one-year hiatus before applying again.Public schools, Oregon municipalities, and Tribal entities are also eligible to apply.Programming needs to be established & ongoing, with an implemented measurement tool or process.Before applying, other funding partners must be committed and listed on the application.A letter of support(s) from a partner or collaborator is required on the application. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) or contract can also be uploaded in lieu of a letter of support.Applications are accepted once per 12-month period, on February 1st and August 1st each year in our grant portal.Grant funding is expected to be spent within one year of disbursement to support ongoing programming.Organizations with operating budgets under $1,200,000 are eligible to apply and larger organizations are welcome to apply if they prefer this opportunity.

Ineligibility

Organizations affiliated with active litigation are not eligible for funding.
New programs, pilot programs, or research projects are not eligible for funding (except in the case of Small Community Initiative projects).
One-time events or short annual events are not eligible for funding.