Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative
A coordinated and collaborative funding approach to address immigration and refugee issues in Oregon.
The Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative is a coordinated and collaborative funding approach created to support the local nonprofits across our state that respond to the needs of immigrants and refugees. The partners include Oregon Community Foundation, The Collins Foundation and Meyer Memorial Trust.
Application Process - "No Wrong Door"
The grant process for this collaborative is open and ongoing. There is “no wrong door” for you to enter. We encourage nonprofit and community groups to reach out to any of the representatives from the participating funders by email. We communicate and share information and documents with each other. We will also coordinate our efforts when we communicate or request information from community groups to lessen the burden of answering similar questions for multiple people.
The funders in this collaborative share a common application form. The application form can be filled out via Word Doc or Fillable PDF.
Most funding from this program is made on a rolling basis, the OIRFC does not have an established grants cycle. The intent is to offer a nimble and responsive way that reduces the wait time for grantees. Once an application is received, you can generally expect to hear back from us within two months. If we have additional clarifying questions someone from the collaborative will contact you.
Funding Criteria
The Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative will consider applications from organizations that are 501(c)(3) public charities or have a qualified fiscal sponsor. We will consider and give priority to proposals for projects and programs that fall under the following three areas:
- Legal services
- Movement building and advocacy
- Basic and wraparound services
We anticipate that funding will be distributed in the following way: legal services (45%), movement building and advocacy (40%) and basic and wraparound services (15%). Organizations most successful in receiving a grant award should demonstrate that:
- Their work addresses barriers to equitable outcomes for immigrants and refugees
- Their work is designed by centering the voices and experiences of immigrants and refugees
An organization may submit only one application to the OIRFC within a 12-month period. A proposal of $100,000 or more to this collaborative is considered a large request. Any of the participating foundations may choose to fund an application individually or outside the process of this collaborative. In general, you are also welcome to apply to open opportunities from individual funder members of the collaborative. However we encourage you to contact the funder directly to confirm prior to applying
Payment and Reporting
If funding comes from a single funder, the grantee will receive one grant check or grant award letter. If multiple funders support a project, you will receive separate checks and grant award letters. Awardees will submit only one report as directed by The Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative.
Participating Funders and Contacts
- Carol Cheney at ccheney@collinsfoundation.org
- Sally Yee at sally@mmt.org
- Molly Gray at molly@mmt.org
- Michael McIntosh at mmcintosh@oregoncf.org
- Becca Perry at bperry@oregoncf.org
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a grant from the Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative does not make you ineligible for funding from any member of the funder collaborative. However we encourage you to contact the grant program contacts before applying to discuss.
- General operating support is available but only for organizations whose primary purpose is to serve immigrants and refugees in Oregon. General operating support is not available to fiscally sponsored organizations.
Project support and capacity building support are available to all eligible applicants.
Capital support is not available at this time.
Yes, please reach out to anyone on the contact list above.
No, we don’t focus on specific countries or populations of immigrants and refugees.
Yes. One 501c3 public charity must be the lead applicant, and memoranda of understanding must be in place between the collaborative applicants. Information about each collaborating organization and separate project budgets for each group must be included in the application.
We define movement building as justice work aimed at facilitating the development of shared strategy and joint action among people and organizations working together to build power and achieve lasting reforms for immigrant and refugee communities in Oregon.