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FAQ

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About the Initiative

  • A collaborative philanthropic fund is a way for individuals, families, and institutions to pool their resources, creating more impact than any one donor could alone.

  • Pooling money amplifies the collective impact, allowing us to provide larger, more effective grants to nonprofit organizations that address pressing needs. It also fosters community wide participation, trust and hope.

  • A social safety net refers to a collection of programs, services, and resources designed to support individuals and families in times of need. It helps prevent people from falling into extreme hardship by addressing basic needs such as housing, food, healthcare, and education. Our initiative contributes to the social safety net by funding nonprofits that provide critical services to vulnerable populations.

  • Participatory grantmaking means the people closest to the work hold the power to decide where funding goes. At Love, Portland, our Strategic Advisors—leaders with lived experience, nonprofit and philanthropic expertise, policy knowledge, and strong community networks—select the grantees. We use this approach because those most connected to the issues and communities bring the wisdom, relationships, and insight needed to make funding decisions that are equitable, grounded, and effective.

  • Participatory grantmaking involves engaging community members or stakeholders in the decision-making process for awarding grants. Love, Portland specifically uses a cohort of service providers to determine what other nonprofits receive rapid response grants, as well as determine what nonprofit will be the next grantee recipient in their funding focus area. Participatory grantmaking ensures that funding decisions are inclusive, equitable, and aligned with the needs of the community.

    1. We fund organizations that provide essential services for 5 main categories of root causes of homelessness, all aimed at strengthening the social safety net and providing resilience in response to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).  

    The 5 funding focus areas are: 

    1. Supportive Housing Services

    2. Substance Use Disorder Treatment

    3. Domestic & Family Violence Services

    4. Foster Care Services

    5. Youth Mentorship

  • ACEs, or Adverse Childhood Experiences, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. These experiences include abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction such as parental substance abuse, mental illness, or incarceration.

    Research shows that ACEs can have long-term effects on an individual’s health, well-being, and opportunities. People with higher numbers of ACEs are at increased risk for chronic illnesses, mental health issues, substance use disorders, and other challenges, including homelessness.

    By addressing the root causes and effects of ACEs, our initiative aims to support nonprofits that create safety nets, provide trauma-informed services, and break cycles of adversity for future generations to help prevent homelessness before it occurs.

  • Unlike traditional foundations, we combine collaborative giving, participatory grantmaking, and convening for systems change. We fund prevention work while also working to repair and transform the broader systems—so philanthropy doesn’t keep funneling money into the same broken structures that create and sustain homelessness in the first place.

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Donors & Contributors

  • Anyone who shares our vision for reimagining our community through collective participation is welcome to contribute, whether as an individual, family, business or foundation.

  • Yes, once we are accepting contributions, they are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

  • Contributions are pooled and granted to nonprofit organizations.

  • Donors help shape the vision by pooling resources and joining a collaborative effort, but they do not choose individual grantees. Funding decisions are made by our Strategic Advisors through participatory grantmaking—ensuring that resources are directed by people with lived experience, policy expertise, nonprofit insight, and strong community connections. This way, giving is rooted in wisdom and equity, not just wealth.

  • Yes, we encourage recurring donations to sustain the initiative and provide consistent support to nonprofits.

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Grantees & Application Process

  • Nonprofits will be selected through a participatory grantmaking process led by our Strategic Advisors. Rather than a traditional open application, Advisors—who bring lived experience, nonprofit and philanthropic expertise, policy knowledge, and strong community networks—will identify and invite organizations that align with Love, Portland’s mission of prevention. This approach reduces burdens on nonprofits and ensures funding decisions are guided by those closest to the work.

  • No. All funding is unrestricted, highest-need grants to give nonprofits the flexibility to allocate resources where they’re most needed.

  • We provide multi-year, unrestricted grants because lasting change takes time and stability. Love, Portland will not launch its first cohort of grantees until we’ve secured adequate funding for the initiative—ensuring nonprofits can count on consistent support, not just a one-time award.

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Impact & Transparency

  • We measure impact in a way that’s low-burden for grantees. Each organization will share how they used their multi-year grant, and we’ll aggregate those stories and outcomes into a collective impact report. Just as important, we’ll be tracking the progress of our convenings—bringing cross-sector leaders together to shape systems change. This type of impact takes time, and we’re committed to learning from what emerges along the way.

  • Reports and updates will be published on our website annually to keep donors and the community informed about our progress and impact.

  • We are committed to sharing detailed information about how funds are raised, allocated, and used. Our participatory process adds an extra layer of accountability.

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Get Involved

  • We aim to offer various opportunities for engagement. This includes participating in community events, rotating in-person service opportunities relating to grantee organizations, or helping spread the word about our mission.