The Rebuilding Center will develop a mobile repair classroom to bring their home repair classes to communities throughout the region. Photo courtesy of Daniel Fickle/Rebuilding Center.
The Rebuilding Center classes empower home owners to use salvaged materials to repair their homes. Photo courtesy of Daniel Fickle/Rebuilding Center.
Repair PDX will develop and pilot a space where small appliances can be fixed and volunteers can increase their repair skills. Photo courtesy of Repair PDX.
Repair PDX has been hosting repair events successfully for years, and has seen a large number of small appliances that need just minor repairs to be fully functional. Photo courtesy of Repair PDX.
Birch Community Services works to stabilize families on the brink of financial crises. One of their programs connects families in need with rescued groceries that would otherwise be disposed. A new refrigerated truck will help the nonprofit redistribute 6.5 million pounds of high-quality food every year, helping struggling families and rescuing food that would otherwise go to a landfill.
The purchase of the truck is made possible by a Metro Investment and Innovation grant. These grants fund creative ways to reduce waste through prevention efforts, reuse, repair, recycling and composting.
This year, Metro will invest $2 million in Investment and Innovation grants, funding 22 projects throughout greater Portland. These grants also generated $598,400 in matching funds raised by six businesses who applied for funding.
“Despite the impacts of the continuing pandemic, local organizations and businesses are generating creative ways to reduce waste,” said Marta McGuire, director of waste prevention and environmental services at Metro. “The Investment and Innovation grants support small and emerging organizations with big ideas.”
All successful grantees incorporated racial equity into their proposals. This includes efforts to reach marginalized communities through expanded services, training and employment opportunities or reduced harms from garbage and recycling operations.
Grantees were selected from the recommendations of two review committees, ensuring that projects would reduce waste and were based on community and local government input. Metro received 63 applications, asking for a total of $6.6 million in funding this grant cycle.
The Investment and Innovation grant program has two types of grants: capital grants and program grants. Capital grants are intended for infrastructure upgrades and equipment. Program grants can be used to support staffing needs, operation costs and supplies.
Some of the highlights of this years’ grant cycle include:
Whether your roots in the region run generations deep or you moved to Oregon last week, you have your own reasons for loving this place – and Metro wants to keep it that way. Help shape the future of the greater Portland region and discover tools, services and places that make life better today.