Welcome to The Collins Foundation

 2023 Grantmaking Timeline Update

April 11, 2023

The Collins Foundation’s Responsive Grant Program will open on April 13th! Please review the schedule below. The final cycle timeline for 2023 has not been decided, but we plan to provide an update by June 30, 2023. Please check back after this date for additional information.

If you are new to applying to Collins and have never applied for a grant before, you will need to register in our grants portal by May 31, 2023. If your organization is not registered by this date, you may not be able to apply by the June 9 deadline. 

Please review our Grant Submission Guidelines for questions regarding the application process. In addition, please ensure that your organization meets the following eligibility requirements:

1. Organizations with staff and leadership in Oregon and a proposed project or scope of work that directly benefits the residents of Oregon.

2. Organizations committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. 

3. Organizations that either (a) have established their tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not "private foundations" as defined under Section 509(a) of the Code; or (b) have tax exemption as a governmental, Tribal, or other publicly-funded entity; or (c) have a qualified, tax-exempt fiscal sponsor.

4. Organizations with current registration with the Oregon State Attorney General and Secretary of State offices, as required by law.

5. Organizations with at least four independent board members.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership. We appreciate your understanding as we continue to focus on our processes to support the critical work of Oregon's community-based organizations. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns about our grantmaking timelines. Our Program Assistant, Kweli Jaoko (kjaoko@collinsfoundation.org), can answer questions or connect you with a Program Officer. 

Warmest Regards,

The Collins Foundation

In Solidarity 

March 25, 2021 

Standing Against Hate

We are sickened by the Anti-Asian violence, aggression, and intimidation that has escalated in our country over the past year, recently claiming the lives of eight people in Atlanta, Georgia, six of them Asian American women. Our hearts ache for the families, friends, neighbors, and communities of Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Hyun Jung Grant, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Suncha Kim, Xiaojie Tan, and Yong Ae Yue. We cannot be silent. The anti-Asian violence, rhetoric, and intimidation we are witnessing today are connected to a long tradition of exclusion, racism, misogyny, bigotry, and xenophobia in our country--hate-filled ideas that are rooted in White Supremacy and borne of fear and ignorance. 

We stand in solidarity with our Asian American staff members, family members, partners, and communities. We mourn the loss of life in Atlanta and live with the knowledge that Oregon is not immune to the unacceptable trend we are witnessing. Incidents of hate and intimidation against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community are increasing here too, and these hate-based incidents continue to occur in many of our communities of color across the state. Oregon’s own history of racism and exclusion has brought us to where we are today.

Our shared commitment to center racial equity in our grantmaking and organization continues. By lifting up the work of Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Indigenous, immigrant and refugee, and other communities of color across the state, including those working to address gender bias that affects women, gender non-comforming people, and our trans community members, we seek an end to racism and gender violence. We work toward a more just and equitable society that is free from the pernicious effects of hate and discrimination in all its forms.

Please click here for the full letter of solidarity.

June 5, 2020

Black Lives Matter.

We at The Collins Foundation are devastated by the callous murder of George Floyd. We also call to mind Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Stephon Clark, Tanisha Anderson, Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, and countless others who have been killed at the hands of the police and others in the recent past and throughout our country’s history. We deeply oppose the systemic racism that pervades Oregon and our country at large. It has resulted in violence against, and lack of justice and opportunity for so many in the Black community. We are all morally diminished and ethically complicit when we allow people to be dehumanized and treated with disregard and cruelty. 

Progress towards racial equity has been far too slow. Looking back 50 years to the Civil Rights era, our society is still confronting the same problems of structural racisim, discrimination, and police brutality. It is imperative that we change the systems of oppression that advance some at the expense of others. We must work with determination to achieve a truly just society. Not only is it our moral responsibility, but a truly free and just society is the ultimate aspiration of our democracy. 

To all who march, both recently and throughout our history, we are grateful. Our First Amendment guarantees the “right of the people peaceably to assemble” and we stand with those protesting for equity, justice, and systemic change. It has always been those with the bravery and conviction to stand up and put themselves in harm’s way who lead us toward a just and peaceful society. 

Please click here for the full letter of solidarity.

Our Mission toward an Equitable Future

Formed in 1947 by Truman W. Collins Sr. and other members of the family of E.S. Collins, The Collins Foundation invests in Oregon nonprofit organizations, both rural and urban, that are dedicated to improving quality of life and well-being for the people in their communities.  As a funder and partner, we are committed to the pursuit of equity, both in how we allocate resources across Oregon’s diverse communities and how we shape our internal structures.

Our Vision for Oregon

We want the state of Oregon to be a place where all people have access to high quality, culturally responsible services in sectors such as health, social services, education, housing, and employment. We also envision vibrant neighborhoods and communities where residents enjoy access to healthy food; a rich variety of artistic and cultural expression; and the benefits of Oregon’s natural environment. 

How we Understand Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• We welcome, and work to include, the multiple perspectives that diversity brings.
• We know that diversity and inclusion are essential to equity.
• We define equity as the practice and promotion of justice and the fostering of conditions necessary for all people to achieve their full potential.