Join the Nature in Neighborhoods capital grants Review Committee!

Do you love parks and natural areas? Are you committed to helping the people in our region experience nature? Do you want to support opportunities for communities of color and other historically marginalized communities to design and build access to nature for their communities? Do you want to see greater meaningful community engagement, racial equity and climate resiliency in the Portland area? You can help by joining Metro’s capital grants review committee.
For more information about the Nature Neighborhoods capital grants, please see oregonmetro.gov/grants.

INTERESTED IN REVIEWING GRANTS?
Metro is looking for people with backgrounds in Water quality and habitat restoration, Landscape architecture, Real estate, Community development, Workforce development, job training and apprenticeship programs, Climate adaptation and resilience policies and practices, Sustainable development techniques, such as green infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and carbon sequestration.
In selecting members for this committee, Metro seeks a mix of members that are committed to Metro’s parks and nature mission and to supporting opportunities for communities of color and other historically marginalized communities to design and build access to nature for their communities.
GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE DUTIES
· Serve a one-year term with an opportunity to be reappointed.
· Review approximately 10 pre-applications in February 2025, and 10 full applications in April 2025.
· Evaluate applications based on the information submitted; the purpose, goals and evaluation criteria; and the review committee’s professional and collective judgment.
· Attend one review committee meeting (4 hours) and site visits of proposed projects (10 hours).
· Develop funding recommendations together with other review committee members.
· Provide feedback to staff about ways to strengthen the grant program administration and outcomes.
TIMELINE
January 21, 2025 Pre-application due
February 2025 Review committee reads and scores pre-applications
Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Pre-application grant review meeting
March 2025 Successful pre-applications invited to submit full applications
April 2025 Full applications due to Metro
May 2025 Review committee reads and scores full applications
Friday, May 16, 2025 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Grant review site visits
Summer 2025 Grant awards announced
Summer 2025 Metro Council votes on grant awards

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