Regional Refresh Fund

Regional Refresh Fund is sponsored by Metro. Provides flexible funding for community-led cleanup projects in the greater Portland area, aiming to support underserved communities by addressing immediate cleanup needs.

Regional Refresh Fund | Metro Use the left and right arrow keys to move between sections. The Regional Refresh Fund advances cleanup efforts in greater Portland through community powered events. By centering underserved communities and focusing on areas in need of support, the fund furthers garbage and recycling service equity and enhances community partnerships.

Metro’s Regional Refresh Fund supports community-led cleanup efforts by providing flexible, low-barrier funding for immediate cleanup needs in underserved communities. Funds are intended to be flexible to meet the needs of those providing services. Most costs associated with a trash-related cleanup or collection event, waste reduction project or preventative effort may qualify.

Applicants can request up to $5,000 in funding per cleanup project or event. Contact Metro to see if your project expenses qualify for funding. Some examples of what funds may be spent on include, but are not limited to: Buying trash cleanup supplies for volunteers.

Promotional or garbage and recycling related educational materials for a project or event. Transportation costs to dispose of bulky waste. Labor or volunteer stipends not already budgeted.

Administrative expenses, including salaries, but these cannot make up more than 30% of total project budget. Limited graffiti cleanup and removal efforts, limited to 25% of total project budget. Gardening and landscaping projects, yard waste removal, interior rehabilitation efforts or interior paint projects are not eligible for Regional Refresh funds.

Funds also cannot be used to support political committees or campaigns, lobbying or activities that promote a religious viewpoint. Nonprofit organizations, public agencies, schools or businesses district associations can apply for Regional Refresh funds. The project to be funded must be an effort that serves an equity focus area, environmentally sensitive area or another underserved group.

Eligible projects must be scheduled for a future date and take place on publicly accessible property within the Metro boundary . Project proposals must present a clear plan for the requested funds with informed estimates for all expenses. Contact the sponsorships program coordinator to see if your project takes place in an environmentally sensitive area.

Review the frequently asked questions and complete the Regional Refresh Fund application. If the application is approved, Metro will issue a check directly to the agency or organization upon receipt of an invoice. All payments will be processed 30 days from the date the invoice is received.

Regional refresh funds support community-led cleanup efforts in greater Portland. Temporary funding for mural and graffiti abatement projects The Regional Refresh Fund will temporarily allow funding for mural installations and graffiti abatement projects. Funding will be available until July 2027, or until funds are exhausted.

Graffiti-abatement-only projects are allowed with specific guidelines to ensure high-quality, lasting results. These guidelines apply only to projects that are entirely focused on graffiti abatement. Trash cleanup projects that include 25% or less funding for graffiti abatement are not affected.

Read the graffiti abatement guide Frequently asked questions Learn the answers to many commonly asked questions about Metro's Regional Refresh Fund. What is the goal of the Regional Refresh fund? The fund supports community-led cleanup efforts by providing flexible, low-barrier funding for cleanup needs in underserved communities.

Any nonprofits, public agencies, schools and business district associations within the Metro regional boundary can apply. Funded project should take place in an equity focus area, environmentally sensitive area, or should benefit an underserved community. What can Regional Refresh Funds pay for?

All expenses should be directly related to supporting the proposed cleanup or collection activity.

Some examples of eligible expenses include: Buying trash cleanup supplies for volunteers Promotional or garbage and recycling related educational materials for a project or event Transportation costs to dispose of waste Labor or volunteer stipends not already budgeted Administrative expenses, including salaries, but these cannot make up more than 30% of total project budget Graffiti cleanup and removal efforts, limited to 25% of total project budget What expenses are ineligible?

Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to: Anything related to interior rehabilitation or indoor paint projects.

Cleaning or sanitizing costs Gifts for event participants Any residential services already built into an existing service agreement Landscaping or gardening expenses Event entertainment or community building activities unrelated to the approved cleanup activity Contact Metro to see if your project expenses qualify for funding. What are equity focus areas?

Equity focus areas are communities with a higher-than-average density of people of color, people with limited English proficiency, or people with incomes equal to or less than 200% of the federal poverty level. Use this equity focus area search tool to see if your event or project takes place in an equity focus area. What are environmentally sensitive areas?

Environmentally sensitive areas are places where human impacts on soil and water can cause significant disruption to ecological diversity. In the Metro region, these places include parks or green spaces, bodies of water and wetlands. Contact Metro to see if your project takes place in an environmentally sensitive area.

Who are underserved communities? Your event may take place outside an equity focus area but still support underserved communities. For this fund, underserved communities are defined as people who have been most affected by historic injustices and inequities such as people of color, immigrants and refugees, people with low incomes, residents of multifamily housing communities and people with limited proficiency in English.

What is the amount available? Funding varies depending on the size and scope of the proposed project. Applicants should request the funds needed, up to $5,000 per activity.

How often can I request funding support? Applicants may request funding for multiple projects, up to $15,000 in a fiscal year, with a limit of $5,000 per project. Additional projects will be considered for funding after completion of the previously approved project and submission of the required post-project survey.

Can community groups without 501(c)3 status apply? Any 501c charitable organization registered with the federal Internal Revenue Service and state of Oregon may apply. Unincorporated community groups may apply with a registered nonprofit as a fiscal sponsor for their project.

Complete the Regional Refresh Fund application . What are the reporting requirements for the funds? Following your project or event, you will be asked to fill out a brief survey and to provide pictures of the completed project.

This helps Metro track the impact of this program and to keep funding sources like this available in the future. Mural and graffiti abatement documents Regional Refresh Fund graffiti abatement guidelines Regional Refresh Fund graffiti abatement authorization form Regional Refresh Fund 2024 annual report Regional Refresh Fund 2023 annual report Regional Refresh Fund 2022 pilot overview report