Portland’s billion-dollar climate action program is set to invest more than $64 million over the next five years in community-led projects that will help the city reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and advance the renewable energy transition.

The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability announced Tuesday that City Administrator Michael Jordan approved $64.4 million in funding for 60 nonprofit-led projects.

Those projects range from building more affordable and energy-efficient homes to workforce training in the energy sector to helping residents access electric vehicles.

“We are grateful to the Portlanders who shared their ideas and to the organizations leading this work across the city,” PCEF Program Manager Sam Baraso said in a statement. “Together, these community-led projects demonstrate the power of collective action to advance the City’s climate goals while creating lasting benefits for Portland’s communities.”

The Portland Clean Energy Fund is a voter-approved climate action program that imposes a 1% tax on sales by large retail businesses in the city. It’s a first-of-its-kind environmental justice and climate program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions while advancing racial and social justice. The money is used to fund a range of climate-related projects, including energy-efficient retrofits, renewable energy development and job training in the construction and energy fields.

Portland has so far allocated $1.71 billion in PCEF funding, according to the fund’s progress dashboard. More than 220 nonprofits are supported through the community grants, with a total of 381 community grants awarded.

Last year, PCEF awarded nearly $92 million in grants to be paid over five years to 71 recipients. The fund received 230 applications requesting about $309 million in 2024.

This year marks the fourth time PCEF has funded community grants. It received 216 proposals — 60 of which were approved.

According to PCEF, those 60 grants fall into five categories — energy efficiency and renewable energy, transportation decarbonization, regenerative agriculture and green infrastructure, workforce and contractor development and other community climate initiatives.

This is the first round of grants awarded under the new City Council, which is divided into four districts with 12 councilors and a mayor. Under the previous city council structure, the four elected city councilors and mayor approved the projects. This year, the city administrator approves the grants.

District 2, which includes North Portland and part of Northeast, will receive roughly $28 million, nearly 50% of the awarded funding. District 1, which covers outer East Portland, is estimated to receive $17 million. District 3, mostly Southeast and part of Northeast Portland, was awarded about $7 million. District 4, which covers the city’s west side and the Sellwood area, was awarded about $5 million.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/11/26/portland-clean-energy-fund-64-million-grants/