Grant Programs
Our Primary Grant programs open every January and June for eligible organizations.
Sunflower
Small, flexible awards for grassroots and emerging organizations with budgets near or under $250K, supporting early-stage or core community programs.
Rose
Mid-sized grants for established nonprofits delivering proven programs or investing in organizational capacity, typically with budgets above $250K.
Daffodil
Larger multi-year investments supporting high-performing organizations with robust infrastructure and demonstrated local or regional impact.
Primary Programs Overview
Applications for our primary grant programs were open June 22 - July 10.
Our Primary Grant Programs are those from which more than 75% of our grant funding is issued. We issue more than 275 primary grant awards annually, typically in the form of unrestricted general operating dollars.
Secondary Programs Overview
Our Secondary Grant Programs require prior funding and each have a unique design. Eligible organizations can pursue a Secondary Program at any time and as many times as desired, without any impact on eligibility for other programs.
Learn more about our Secondary Programs below:
Secondary Program Details
ZINNIA
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Zinnia Grants are available only through a brief self-nomination process and require meaningful in-person engagement with foundation staff. Finalists are compensated in advance for their time. These unrestricted awards typically go to long-time partners demonstrating exceptional leadership, maturity, and durable community impact.
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The Zinnia Grant opens each January and closes in February. More details will be announced via our newsletter and posted here.
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The Zinnia Grant is our most competitive grant program, designed to make a transformative and lasting impact in an Oregon organization with whom we have partnered several — if not many — times before.
Our typical Zinnia Grant varies in size, depending on the finalist. Typically, annual awards range from $250,000 to $350,000 per year.
Award terms are typically three (3) years for Zinnia finalists unless the organization prefers an alternative distribution.
Applicants are required to have operating expenses in excess of $750K and must have at least two (2) or more grants on record with us, although ideally more.
This is our most competitive program and is conducted through a self-nomination process, such that organizations can forego the extensive application. We ask organizations to share updated information, complete a few brief questions, and otherwise leverage prior applications and funding history to inform our review.
This grant is typically awarded to organizations who are unquestionably aligned with our Mission and values, and who hold a deep and integral commitment to equity, especially racial equity.
The Zinnia Grant is a stand-alone program and can be pursued by any eligible organization at any time, including those who are actively in or pursuing another grant.
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You can learn more about the Zinnia Grant here.
CAPITAL
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Capital Grants open in January and remain open on a rolling basis through September. Once a proposal is submitted, it enters a review period which could last up to six-months during which funding could be awarded at any point. After six months the proposal is either approved or declined and an organization may reapply with a different project, if desired. These one-time investments support facility improvements, renovations, and essential equipment that enable long-term program delivery.
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The application for the 2026 Capital Grant program will be open January through September.
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The Capital Grant Program supports strategic investments in physical infrastructure that expand an organization’s capacity to serve its mission. Eligible projects include property acquisition, new construction, major renovations, and one-time purchases of essential equipment.
Operating costs—such as rent, mortgage payments, or ongoing facility expenses—are not eligible. While the program is typically competitive, the volume of applications may vary by cycle, and we anticipate that it will continue to evolve and improve over the coming year to best serve our partners.
Our typical capital campaign contribution is $10,000-$35,000, varying substantially and largely dependent on funding history, campaign size, and the extent to which the campaign is underway.
Award terms are for one (1) year.
Applicants are required to have received at least one (1) prior Primary grant (Rose, Daffodil, or Sunflower) before applying for a Capital grant. Priority will be given to applicants who have received two (2) or more MLCF grants.
Applicants must be headquartered in Oregon and the capital project must be located in this state.
Matching grants are commonly used in capital campaign funding; our matches are ‘true’ and only that amount which is raised by the organization will be matched.
Organizations who are actively in another grant with us may pursue a Capital grant award, with preference given to those who have submitted at least one grant report.
To apply, organizations will submit a preliminary application where they will have the opportunity to share briefly about their project, need, and report new updates since our last partnership as needed.
To ensure we can review and support a broad range of projects, if the same capital project has been declined in two separate funding cycles, that specific project will no longer be considered for future funding.
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You can read more about the Capital Grant program and apply through our grant portal in 2026.
WASHINGTON
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After several years of partnership in Washington, we are gradually phasing out our service to the state to focus more deeply on Oregon’s evolving needs. While we are sad to step back, this program remains available to prior grantees located in Southwest, Central, and Eastern Washington. Awards support continuity of core programming for organizations we have already come to know and trust.
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In May 2026, a select group of previously funded organizations will be invited to apply for this program, with the application opening in June. Please note that only organizations who receive this email invitation will be eligible to apply.
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While we focus more exclusively on Oregon state impact, we still value our partnerships with Washington state nonprofits, and value the incredible work being performed by our past and present partners there.
Our average Washington Fund award is between $10,000-$15,000.
Award terms are typically 1 year, with terms open to two (2) years for exceptional applicants.
As this program comes to a close and remains highly competitive, we will invite a select group of organizations to apply. Invitations will be sent by email in May 2026 to organizations we have partnered with successfully in recent years and that are headquartered in Southwest, Central, or Eastern Washington.
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Organizations that are invited to apply will receive additional program details and application instructions by email in May 2026.