FAQ
About the Initiative
-
A collective giving initiative brings individuals together to pool their resources and make a greater impact by granting funds to nonprofit organizations working on critical community issues.
-
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.
-
“The Net” is the central initiative by Love, Portland. It creates a strong social safety net by supporting trusted nonprofits in five focus areas:
Supportive Housing Services
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Domestic & Family Violence Services
Foster Care Services
Youth Mentorship
How it works:
Multi-Year Support: Nonprofits in “The Net” receive multi-year, unrestricted funding, providing stability and flexibility.
Strengthening “The Net”: in addition to multi-year funding, Love, Portland will fund an additional grant to be used for the staff within these organizations
Expanding “The Net”: “The Net” will uplift mission aligned nonprofits by selecting service providers outside of The Net to receive rapid response grants.
In essence, “The Net” is a model for building a stronger, more interconnected community safety net that addresses complex social issues through empowered and sustained nonprofit partnerships.
-
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.
-
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:
Supportive Housing Services
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Domestic & Family Violence Services
Foster Care Services
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 focus on a collaborative approach combining collective giving and participatory grantmaking. We believe that solutions to our society's challenges will require participation and collaboration from all of us, at every income level. Another differentiating factor is that every donation gets funded within the granting cycle. Love, Portland believes resources are best utilized now, not later.
-
“Strengthening the Net” is an initiative by Love, Portland that provides funding specifically for nonprofit staff needs, including professional development, wellness programs, and bonuses.
This initiative addresses significant challenges in the nonprofit sector:
High Burnout Rates: Approximately 95% of nonprofit leaders express concern about staff burnout, with 76% indicating it impacts their organization's ability to achieve its mission. CEP
Financial Insecurity: Nearly a quarter of nonprofit workers live just above the federal poverty line, struggling to afford basic necessities. Business Insider
By investing in staff well-being and fair compensation, “Strengthening the Net” aims to reduce burnout and financial strain, enabling nonprofit employees to continue their vital work effectively.
-
Expanding the Net is Love, Portland's Rapid Response Grants program, providing quick, flexible funding to address urgent or unexpected needs faced by nonprofits.
Why it’s important: Rapid Response Grants provide Immediate Impact, enabling nonprofits to act swiftly, bypassing the delays common in traditional funding processes.
Love, Portland’s design in “Expanding the Net” utilizes Participatory Grantmaking: Members of The Net collectively decide the rapid response grant recipients each month, ensuring funding is directed where it’s most needed.
This approach ensures urgent needs are met while fostering collaboration and equity in decision-making.
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. As of now, a few generous donors are covering administrative costs, ensuring the initiative runs smoothly, while allowing all other donations go directly to nonprofit service providers.
-
At our initiative, we intentionally do not allow donors to direct where their donations go. This approach reflects a core commitment to equity, trust, and empowering those who are closest to the challenges we aim to address.
Historically, the philanthropic sector has often placed disproportionate power in the hands of donors, dictating how funds should be used. Service providers know their communities’ needs best. By shifting decision-making power to these experts, we ensure that resources are allocated where they will have the greatest impact.
This approach helps correct the imbalance of power that has long existed in philanthropy. It also demonstrates trust in the expertise and wisdom of nonprofit leaders, freeing them from constraints that might otherwise limit their ability to innovate and respond to pressing challenges.
We invite our donors to join us in this transformative approach to giving—one that centers collaboration, equity, and trust. By contributing to this model, you’re not just funding services; you’re helping to create a more just and effective philanthropic ecosystem.
-
Yes, we encourage recurring donations to sustain the initiative and provide consistent support to nonprofits.
Grantees & Application Process
-
We intentionally do not have an open application process to respect the time and resources of nonprofit organizations. In the current philanthropic landscape, nonprofits often spend countless hours crafting grant applications, only to face uncertain outcomes. This process diverts precious energy away from their mission-critical work of serving communities.
We have a core cohort of nonprofit service providers, called “The Net” who uplift and recommend other organizations for funding. These partners, who are deeply embedded in their communities, help us identify high-impact organizations that may not otherwise have access to traditional grant opportunities.
Our goal is to challenge the status quo and prioritize efficiency, equity, and trust in our funding relationships.
-
No. All funding is unrestricted, highest-need grants to give nonprofits the flexibility to allocate resources where they’re most needed.
-
Our intention is to offer multi-year grants to provide nonprofits with the stability and predictability they need to plan and grow their programs effectively. Multi-year funding allows organizations to focus on their mission rather than constantly seeking short-term resources.
However, the type of funding we can provide will depend on how much we are able to raise during our initial funding cycle. While we aim to prioritize multi-year commitments, the scope and structure of our grants will ultimately reflect the level of generosity from our donor community.
We are committed to being transparent with both our donors and nonprofit partners about the funding we can offer and will strive to create a model that maximizes impact for all involved.
Impact & Transparency
-
We believe in tracking the impacts of our grants in a way that respects the time and capacity of our grantees. Instead of requiring lengthy and arduous written reports, we use a streamlined process that combines qualitative and quantitative outcomes.
Grantees will share their progress and results during a recorded verbal meeting. This conversational approach allows us to capture meaningful insights and stories while reducing the administrative burden on nonprofit leaders.
Our goal is to foster open communication and trust with our grantees, ensuring that they can focus on their mission while we remain accountable for the impact of our funding.
-
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.
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.