The FRLF and its processes are designed to minimize burdens for both applicants and Funding Partners. Aligned applicants are invited to complete a single, brief application to be considered on a rolling basis by participating Funding Partners. 

The FRLF is a collaborative initiative, not a pooled fund. Funder Partners maintain autonomy over funds and opt to support all or part of requests at their discretion. 

The Fund’s Management & Liaison team oversees the application and review process and provides support and resources to grantees.

Note that Emergency Needs Requests are separate from standard FRLF requests and are open to all Oregon nonprofits/jurisdictions that have experienced federal funding cuts or disruptions. See Emergency Needs Requests for more details and to submit a request.

Funding Partners primarily review requests from aligned Oregon communities and organizations identified through Referral Partners. As the Fund evolves, applications are opening to a wider audience. We also have plans to expand FRLF to Washington and beyond. 

Please feel free to connect with us, as this helps us gauge interest and build partnerships. If your organization/jurisdiction and project are a strong fit for FRLF, we will refer you to submit a request.

Separately, if your organization has been impacted by recent federal funding cuts or disruptions, please see Emergency Needs Requests to submit an application.

Competitive applicants have a community- or organization-strengthening project but are experiencing a barrier to securing or managing federal/government funding. Preference is given to those with identified, near-term federal funding opportunities.

Projects that reach priority populations, serve a rural and/or disinvested area, and address one or more of the Fund’s four Focus Areas are more competitive for funding. 

The current allowable range is $10k to $200k. It is common to be awarded funds from more than one Funding Partner or to receive partial support.

These philanthropic dollars address one or more barriers for applicants seeking federal funding and/or increase the competitiveness of their federal requests.

In addition to project funding, grantees are eligible to receive curated Resource Navigation, including technical assistance recommendations to build their internal capacity, and a Federal Funding Readiness Assessment.

Federal grant funding introduces a range of management, compliance, and reporting obstacles, especially for entities with limited administrative capacity and/or experience with federal funding. This can cause organizations to forgo federal grant opportunities or to be deemed ineligible or ill-prepared during a review by federal agencies, resulting in missed awards.

To help address this, FRLF grantees receive a one-on-one Federal Funding Readiness Assessment and can request tailored compliance support (such as: help with tracking restricted grants; managing and tracking direct and indirect costs; complying with Uniform Administrative Requirements; and preparing for audit requirements).

Potential applicants are identified through a variety of avenues:

• Through participating Funding Partners, who can recommend potential applicants or pass along promising initiatives or entities for additional exploration.
• Through Referral Partners and Programs, such as via Business Oregon’s Rural Opportunities Initiative program, via a Thriving Community Technical Assistance Center, through Economic Development Districts, and other natural partners. Suggested applicant referrals or requests to apply can also be made through the contact form.
• The Fund’s Manager and Liaison Team proactively identifies potential applicants.

Federal funding is routinely left “on the table” in disinvested communities. This Fund aims to rectify that –helping ensure long-term impact by building capacity to secure both current and future federal funding.

While FRLF was developed to increase access to federal funds, due to recent shifts and uncertainties in the federal funding landscape, the FRLF now helps leverage other government funds. If you are preparing to apply for government funding but are experiencing a barrier, the FRLF may be a fit!

Absolutely! Funders can join at any time – please contact us to learn more.

Funders retain full autonomy over their funds and are not required to make awards if opportunities don’t align with their current priorities.

Referral Partners work with the Fund Manager to help identify potential grantees who would benefit from and align with the Fund’s Focus Areas – in particular, those with potential to leverage federal funding or help others do so.

Referral Partners should aim to identify 3-6 grantees per year. 

Contact us to learn more or to refer an Oregon-based organization or community.

This significantly benefits potential grantees, who have their requests viewed by multiple funders at once, allowing them to more quickly attain their funding goal. 

Benefits to funding partners include learning about new funding opportunities, building relationships with your peers, and advocating for opportunities you wish to support with your fellow funders. 

There are many additional benefits.

No. Funding Partners are encouraged to maintain or pursue whatever applicant communication or relationship is already in place. This program is not a substitute for that but instead helps leverage the full collective potential of all participating Funding Partners.