Economic Development Grant Program
Columbia River PUD offers its Economic Development Grant to local not-for-profit entities that are engaged in promoting economic development activities. The PUD’s Economic Development Grant was established in accordance with ORS 261.305(12).
Apply online now or download the PDF to complete your application. See past grant award winners.
Goal
The goal for the Economic Development Grant program is to create economic opportunities for our communities and our various organizations to prosper.
Criteria
Applicants are encouraged to provide as much information as possible on each of the following criteria:
- Identify how your project promotes sustainable economic growth or activities
- Identify how your project creates jobs
- Identify how your project supports an activity that attracts local spending
- Identify how your project helps develop or improve an attraction that will create economic opportunities for the community
- Identify how your project helps an organization survive or grow
- Identify how your project will help develop marketing material to attract new community investment
- Identify how your project will lead to added energy load in the future
- Identify what type of match is being proposed to support this project
- Identify how Columbia River PUD will be recognized for its contribution to this project
Evaluation & Award Process
The CRPUD Key Accounts Team will review your application to determine whether it complies with our program requirements. The committee may reach out to you if additional information is needed. After review, the committee will only forward qualified applications to the CRPUD Board of Directors (the Board) for consideration.
Only the Board can award funds under this program. Please understand that even if your project identifies the requested information for each criteria listed, the Board, in its sole discretion, decides whether to award funds, and the Board can deny applications for any reason. Applicants should not rely on any expectation that funding will be awarded.
This program has an approved budget of $50,000. Historically, CRPUD has appropriated up to $5,000 for economic development projects. The Key Accounts Team has the discretion to offer a higher amount if deemed appropriate. This is a voluntary program, and there is no right to funding, even if a program qualifies. Grants will be awarded as funding is available and at the discretion of the Board.
Applicants will be notified within 8 – 12 weeks if the funding is approved by the Board. Applicants should be aware that Economic Development Grant applications will be public records and that the details of the project may be discussed in a public board meeting. At its discretion, CRPUD may request changes to the terms of a fund request at any time before funds are awarded.
Grant Specifications
Grant recipients must agree that funds will be used only for the purposes and activities described in the application, and that all unused or excess funds will be returned to CRPUD.
Verification Process
Economic Development Grant recipients must agree to submit regular progress reports to CRPUD and must agree that CRPUD personnel may perform intermittent reviews and onsite project inspections.
Upon project completion, verification of costs and a final report must be submitted to CRPUD.
For More Information
Heidi Ralls
Administration & Public Relations Manager
(503) 366-6500
hralls@crpud.org
Kyle Boggs
Community & Public Relations Specialist
(503) 366-3243
kbo@crpud.org
Grant Application
Fill out the form below, or download and complete this application in PDF format.
Grants Awarded
2023
- Friends of Columbia County Fair for installation of light poles at the rodeo arena.
- The City of Scappoose for its Scappoose Adventure Festival.
- The Scappoose Public Library for Movies in the Park.
- Columbia County HUB for its youth entrepreneurship contest.
- The Scappoose Historical Society for its Who-Ville project.
2022
- Columbia County Habitat for Humanity for its new Home Ownership Resource Center.
- The City of Scappoose for its Scappoose Adventure Festival.
- Riverside Community Outreach for renovation of its new building in St. Helens.
- The Scappoose Public Library for Movies in the Park.
2021
- The City of Scappoose for the Scappoose Centennial Celebration.
- The Rainier Oregon Historical Museum for a museum in Rainier.
- Keep It Local Columbia County for its website supporting local businesses.
- The Port of Columbia County for its inventory of available industrial land in our area.
2020
- Northwest Oregon Works for its Industrial Sewing Education for the Arts and Manufacturing (INSEAM) program.
- Scappoose Drainage Improvement Company for the recertification of its levee according to FEMA requirements.
2019
- Rainier Drainage Improvement Co. for the Rainier Levee Re-Certification Program.
- Friends of Columbia County Fair to replace poles and lights around the rodeo arena.
- LEAD of Columbia County for the South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s Visitors Center.
- Columbia County Habitat for Humanity for its ReStore warehouse.
- Columbia County Economic Team for its planning efforts for the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation District.
2018
- St. Helens Economic Development Corporation (SHEDCO) for its Business Development Competition.
- St. Helens Senior Center for expansion of Top Notch Thrift Store.