Oregon — Spirit Mountain Community Fund 2027 Small Grants (Up to $7,500; December 4 LOI)

Open Letter of Inquiry opportunity: Spirit Mountain Community Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, is accepting proposals for its next 2027 Small Grants cycle. Qualifying organizations may request up to $7,500 per applicant for projects benefiting eligible northwest Oregon communities. The controlling Letter of Inquiry deadline is December 4, 2026; the funder’s official calendar does not specify a closing hour or time zone. Invited full applications are due January 29, 2027, with decisions scheduled for March 22 and the grant period starting April 30, 2027.

Eligibility and coverage: Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations must conduct qualifying work in one or more of Benton, Clackamas, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill counties, Oregon. The funder also identifies government agencies located in Lane, Polk, Tillamook and Yamhill counties, and the nine federally recognized Oregon Tribal nations, as eligible funding recipients under its general eligibility policy. An applicant using a fiscal sponsor must have the eligible fiscal sponsor apply and provide the appropriate agreement or MOU. Verify your organization’s precise category and project location under the official eligibility quiz.

Eligible programs: The fund supports community-benefit projects within six program areas: arts and culture, historic preservation, education, environmental preservation, health and public safety. Its priority areas particularly include education, health and environmental preservation, but legitimate proposals in the other categories may also qualify. Healthcare, youth, education, environmental and community-serving nonprofit projects should demonstrate concrete benefits in the covered geography; no telehealth or specific commercial technology is required.

Funding share: An individual Small Grant request cannot exceed $7,500 or 50% of the total project budget, whichever is less. For example, a $7,500 request requires a project budget of at least $15,000 and other project resources for the balance. The official materials do not establish a universal 1:1 cash-only match; applicants must explain and substantiate the remaining project funding as applicable. Only one active Spirit Mountain grant is ordinarily allowed at a time, subject to the funder’s published Small-to-Large exception.

Restrictions and project obligations: The foundation generally excludes debt repayment, fundraising events, conferences, concerts or sponsorships, individual scholarships/loans, election influence, sectarian projects mainly serving members, land purchases, speculative new construction, capital projects on land not owned by the applicant, replacement of formerly public-funded activities, animal shelters, inappropriate overhead and multi-year commitments. Projects already completed at the time of funding are ineligible. Grants run for 12 months, projects must start within 90 days of the grant period beginning, and a final outcome and expense report is due within the following month.

How to apply: Read the official general-purpose grant rules, eligibility guidance, and application calendar. Create or use an account in the funder’s online portal and complete its eligibility quiz and competitive Small Grant LOI by December 4. The Small Grant LOI does not require a project budget at this initial stage, although the full application will require the funder’s project-budget forms, current financial statements and a fiscal sponsor agreement where applicable. Invited applicants should follow the administrator’s separate full-application instructions and January 29 deadline.

Official-source verification: Atlas reviewed the funder’s current Small Grants guidelines, eligibility and ineligible-project policies, LOI instructions and full official grant calendar on October 27, 2026. This is an applicant-facing charitable financial-assistance program, not procurement, and is distinct from the earlier 2026 Small Grant LOI cycle or the separate Large Grants track.