The Collins Foundation

Tomorrow is the day! Our Partnership Alignment Screener, the first step to applying for a GO Grant from The Collins Foundation, opens tomorrow at 9 AM on our website! https://lnkd.in/g_dZ859z

You've heard us talk about why we reimagined our grantmaking and how the process works. But what's powering it all behind the scenes? We're glad you asked. Since our website launched in June 2025, we've been sharing the purpose and intention driving our changes. Today, we want to introduce you to the infrastructure that holds it together. https://lnkd.in/gC-eUktZ

Black history is really about the future … for all of us! https://lnkd.in/gvgQKFMr

Every January, I get lots of emails and see a lot of blog posts about making new plans or setting new intentions for the year. Believe me, I am excited to say “Good Riddance!” to 2025 and start afresh. Yet after a year like 2025, it’s hard to think about a reset or diverging from the work we started. I recognize philanthropy has been accused of having an attention deficit problem. Many are eager to pivot when a bright, new shiny initiative comes along, leaving promising projects already in development high and dry. As we begin a new trip around the sun, I keep in mind that the work we’ve been doing for the last five years (and even well before that) has laid the groundwork for Collins to be a responsive philanthropic partner in tough moments like these and the year ahead we’re likely to experience. This is what we’ve been up to- *Establishing strategic priorities that demonstrate our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.  *Embedding trust into our grantmaking and removing the hoops organizations must jump through to receive funding.  *Eliminating long application forms that tell us things about organizations we already know or can find out by building deep relationships.  *Examining our own internal practices, from compensation to shared leadership, our investment allocations, and mapping out plans and policies to address the inequities we find. I believe this approach is incredibly responsive to the actual needs of our partner organizations right now. We also did something new for this year. The Collins Foundation Board of Trustees made the decision to increase our spending rate to 10 percent in 2026. The decision was made in response to the harms our state is experiencing due to federal actions and the risks we’re facing as a country. Trustees heard real stories of terror, threats, and decreased capacity to meet increased needs directly from the communities we serve. Our long held values directed the Foundation to step up when Oregonians are in need. This decision is unprecedented for us. We don’t know what the future holds for the spending rate beyond 2026. We do know that the long-term systemic problems we experience as a country require long-term systemic solutions. Internally, Collins won’t be creating any new programs or strategic plans; we’re putting more resources toward proven strategies built by our community partners. Our commitment remains to a just and equitable Oregon for all of us.

The Collins Foundation's Black Equity Movement Program awarded more than $2 million in grant funds to organizations across Oregon. Learn more about our work on our blog. https://lnkd.in/gvvHRHFH

Dear Friends, The Collins Foundation was created by the wealth that was generated by the freedom to play out a certain American Dream. Recognizing that others in our state faced significant barriers to achieving their dreams, the Collins family established the foundation in 1947 and even more recently, grappled with the persistence of inequity and shifted our resources to create a more fair playing field for everyone. The freedom of the family to start a business, to build and pass on wealth to the next generations, to have what is needed to thrive, and to trust the institutions we count on to safeguard our dreams are protections we deeply value. We know how fragile these freedoms are and how quickly we can lose them. But we also know that a better future is possible. At The Collins Foundation, we have been preparing for this future utilizing all the tools we are afforded by our unique position. After a thoughtful strategic planning process, we launched a new approach to grantmaking that centers the communities that have faced the brunt of systemic injustice. In 2025, we awarded $14,778,614 to 275 organizations across the Black Equity Movement Committee (BEM), GO Grants, Emergency Response, The Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative (OIRFC), and Matching Grants. Our new grantmaking tool, the Partnership Alignment Screener, is easier to complete than traditional grant applications, focuses more deeply on the work of grantees, and creates real opportunities for partnership. We look forward to hearing from grantseekers as we continue to make our emerging grantmaking process more responsive to the needs of community. The Collins Foundation remains strong in our commitment to all of Oregon’s diverse communities. The continual process of learning and growing has helped us understand deeply how we have benefited from systemic injustice. The Foundation uses grant funding as a tool to right systemic wrongs by supporting community changemakers to improve or strengthen their services. A future American democracy that truly lives into the principles of freedom, liberty, equality, and justice can only become reality when we work together. Philanthropy plays a role in this effort as part of the vast network of civil society - the organizations, institutions, and individuals in community, in business, and in government dedicated to the public interest and the public good. The work to safeguard freedoms will take all of us. We’re looking for partners who want to work across differences in social identities, geography, faiths, and ideologies to ensure the future we create is one where we can all fulfill our dreams, whatever they may be. In gratitude, Carol Cheney

Mark Your Calendar! Our Partnership Alignment Screener—the first step in our grantmaking process—will be open for submissions from November 20 through December 10, 2025. We've also refreshed our website to give you greater clarity on what to expect at each stage of the process, making it easier to navigate your partnership journey with us. Ready to explore if we're a good fit? Visit our website to learn more and get started. https://lnkd.in/g_dZ859z

Willamette Falls Trust, an organization dedicated to reclaiming 40+ acres of historic and sacred Tribal land and waters, is seeking a Senior Vice President of Philanthropy. To work with this Tribally-led and outstanding team, find out more here! https://lnkd.in/gSDNZVBv

Has your nonprofit been impacted by recent funding cuts at the federal, state, or local levels? Nonprofit Association of Oregon and Coalition of Communities of Color gathering critical data to understand the scope of these challenges across the sector. Your experience matters—complete a brief survey to help advocate for the resources nonprofits need. #NonprofitLeadership #FundingChallenges #NonprofitSector

Remember when we said we were putting the finishing touches on our new website? Well, the wait is OVER! The Collins Foundation's brand new website is officially live with: ✅ Enhanced navigation that makes sense ✅ Updated resources you can find without a treasure map ✅ User experience so smooth, you'll forget you're on a foundation website Ready to take it for a spin? https://lnkd.in/gRXptqby P.S. Yes, we tested it on mobile. Yes, it works. 😉