
GO Kids Program
All Children in Oregon Deserve the Opportunity to Succeed
We are excited to announce the 2021-2023 GO Kids grantees! Over the next two years, we will be partnering with these grantees to share their stories, highlight their communities and bring awareness to the opportunity gap in Oregon.
2022 GO Kids Updates
- December 1, 2022: Oregon Community Foundation helps in closing the 'opportunity gap' granting $2M to 30 Oregon-based nonprofits
- November 30, 2022: Oregon Community Foundation's ‘Go Kids’ Initiative Surpasses $2M in Funding for Oregon’s Underserved Children and Families
- August 9, 2022: With GO Kids, OCF Works With Communities to Expand Opportunities for Oregon Children
- OCF 2022 GO Kids Grants List - Central OR
- OCF 2022 GO Kids Grants List - Eastern OR
- OCF 2022 GO Kids Grants List - Metropolitan OR
- OCF 2022 GO Kids Grants List - North Coast OR
- OCF 2022 GO Kids Grants List - Northern Willamette Valley OR
- OCF 2022 GO Kids Grants List - South Coast OR
- OCF 2022 GO Kids Grants List - Southern OR
- OCF 2022 GO Kids Grants List - Southern Willamette Valley OR
2021 GO Kids Updates
- November 18, 2021: Oregon Community Foundation Deploys Nearly $1M in Funding to Close Opportunity Gap for Underserved Oregon Children and Families
- OCF 2021 GO Kids Grants List - Statewide
The GO Kids initiative aims to overcome Oregon’s opportunity gap – disparities experienced by children because of where they live, their race or family circumstance – by working with volunteers throughout Oregon.
Goals
- Spotlight the toxic effects of the opportunity gap on children, families and the prosperity of our communities, state and country.
- Trigger ideas for local solutions, and motivate and catalyze action.
- Engage volunteers, partners and civic leaders in innovative and effective place-based efforts to close the opportunity gap.
Principles
- Kids who experience systemic racism and marginalization, lack of resources in low-income families, and an underinvestment in rural and isolated communities are disproportionately deprived of opportunities to learn and thrive.
- Impactful, creative and sustainable solutions for kids come from local community members with lived experience of opportunity gaps and are implemented by organizations trusted by the community.
- Resources for education and the arts create possibilities for kids and families’ futures.
- We value Oregon’s diverse regions and populations, and we seek to advance equity, diversity and inclusion through our funding.
- We are committed to funding across Oregon with grant dollars reaching every region of our state.
- Raising local awareness of opportunity gaps with community leaders and members is an important step toward change.
- Social capital, defined as community relationships and networks, is a powerful resource to complement funding.
- All children in Oregon deserve the opportunity to succeed regardless of their economic status, race, region or other circumstances of birth.
Investment
OCF is investing $3 million from 2019 to 2022, mainly from the Fred Fields Fund. In addition to project management and administration, this investment includes:
- Roughly $480,000 in small grants for research, education, convening and promotion.
- Up to $2 million for larger competitive grants.
Interested in learning more?
GO Kids Steering Committees
Counties: Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler counties and the Warm Springs Reservation
Romy Mortensen, Co-chair
Carlos Salcedo, Co-chair
Counties: Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Umatilla, Union and Wallowa
Kelly Poe, Co-chair
Robert Kleng, Co-Chair
Counties: Clackamas, Hood River, Multnomah and Washington
Karis Stoudamire-Philips, Co-chair
Paul Brown, Co-chair
Counties: Clatsop, Columbia, Lincoln and Tillamook
Dan Stein, Co-chair
Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney, Co-chair
Sonja McKenzie, Regional GO Kids Coordinator
Counties: Marion, Polk and Yamhill
Chris D’Arcy, Co-chair
Amy Houghtaling, Co-chair
Sonja McKenzie, Regional GO Kids Coordinator
Counties: Coos and Curry
Penny Allen, Co-chair
Marie Simonds, Co-chair
Carly Brown, Regional GO Kids Coordinator
Counties: Jackson, Josephine, Klamath and Lake
Steve Roe, Co-chair
Liz Crossman, Co-chair
Carly Brown, Regional GO Kids Coordinator
Counties: Benton, Douglas, Lane and Linn
Kelly Leonard, Co-chair
Sabrina Parsons, Co-chair