Pacific Power Grants Support Education Programs  

“The foundation is delighted to support local organizations that uplift the next generation of STEM professionals,” said Ryan Flynn, director of the Pacific Power Foundation and president of Pacific Power. “We are truly inspired by the communities’ efforts in opening doors for the next generation of innovators, problem-solver and leaders.”

These education and STEM grants are made through one of four grant cycles offered by the Pacific Power Foundation each year. The foundation supports a wide range of organizations within the communities served by Pacific Power.

The following are some of the community organizations that were awarded grants, totaling $313,000:

Oregon:

Benton County:

Corvallis Youth Symphony Association to support the Elementary Strings program, which provides students with the opportunity to learn how to play violin, viola or cello in a group orchestra setting.

Muddy Creek Charter School to support library and literacy programs for kindergarten through fifth grade students for the 2025-2026 school year.

Oregon State University Foundation to offer scholarships through the Pacific Power Foundation Scholars program, connecting engineering students with potential career opportunities.

Clatsop County:

Oregon Women in Timber to build an outdoor shelter and classroom space to use for the Sixth Grade Forestry Tour. Each year, 500 sixth grade students spend the day outside with instructors learning about different natural resource-related topics.

Seaside AAUW Scholarship Foundation for the First-Generation Scholarship that benefits senior girls at Seaside and Warrenton High Schools who are the first in their family to attend or graduate from college.

Coos County:

Myrtle Crest Elementary School to improve the safety of students and staff by purchasing a portable Automated External Defibrillator for a school bus. Students will be trained on how to use the AED properly in the event of a cardiac emergency.

The Lighthouse School to help develop a band program by purchasing instruments, supplies and music books.

Crook County:

Prineville Lions Foundation to provide eyeglasses and hearing aids for students. The organization also provides vocational scholarships to graduating students preparing to go directly into the workforce.

Deschutes County:

Bend-La Pine Education Foundation to support STEM and Career Technical Education classroom activities in low-income and rural schools where the average graduation rate is lower than state and district averages.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend to support the Academic Success program, which nurtures kids through mentorship, hands-on learning and personalized tutoring.

Children’s Forest of Central Oregon to support the Green Jobs Internship, which connects BIPOC youth to career training and development opportunities that introduce them to outdoor and environmental jobs in the community.

Douglas County:

Glide Revitalization to support the School Supply program, which ensures all K-12 students have the school supplies they need at no cost.

Hood River County:

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum to support the well-established SECRETS program, which serves every fifth-grade classroom in the Hood River School District. Students learn abstract ecological concepts in the Mount Hood National Forest as part of a field trip.

Jackson County:

71Five to provide materials for pre-apprenticeship, electrical and solar training, focusing on marginalized youth in Jackson County.

Beyond the Fence to help with uniforms, equipment or travel expenses to low-income households and teams so kids can participate in sports activities regardless of their family’s financial situation.

Medford School District 549C to help North High School rebuild their gym after the school’s roof collapsed under 700,000 pounds of snow in February 2025.

YMCA of Medford to create a STEM Mini-Maker Space in the YMCA Youth Center that sees 1,500 youth every year.

Jefferson County:

PIRS (Prevention, Intervention, & Recovery Services) to support their education program, which provides one-on-one help with youth ages 13-16 who are struggling with online schooling.

Josephine County:

Applegate Partnership & Watershed Council to support their Grow Youth Program, an environmental education program that hopes to nurture scientific curiosity and environmental stewardship for K-12 students at no cost to schools or families.

Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center, an education camp centered around wildlife and conservation for youth ages six through 11 that runs for 10 weeks in the summer.

Klamath County:

Friends of the Children of the Klamath Basin to support their ongoing work mentoring at-risk children in Klamath Falls and Chiloquin.

Klamath County Rotary Club to help purchase books for the Klamath Cares Klamath Reads early literacy program for first graders.

Oregon Tech Foundation (Oregon Institute of Technology) to provide scholarships to Oregon Tech, Oregon’s Polytechnic University, for students focusing on Renewable Energy or Electrical Engineering.

Lake County:

Friends of the Mentor Program to support four youth programs: one-on-one mentoring, team mentoring, Girl Talk and Boy Club.

Lane County:

Ophelia’s Place to support the organization’s goal of providing a safe space for girls ages 10-18. Staff and supervised interns build a foundation of positive identity and social skills.

Lincoln County:

BB360 to support their efforts in preventing a backward slide in learning when school is not in session. BB Camp provides an array of fun activities like archery, ziplining and crafts.

Linn County:

Albany Parks & Recreation Foundation to support their hands-on gardening program at Maple Lawn. This funding will help purchase soil, seeds and tools.

FRC Team 1359, part of the FIRST Robotics Competition. This funding will provide the team with a dedicated workspace where members can work together on STEM projects for competitions.

Marion County:

Stayton Public Library Foundation to fund upgrades to the library’s physical spaces so the community can continue to enjoy its services.

Multnomah County

Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest to support the costs of 15-20 match activities throughout the year.

College Possible to support the College Access program at McDaniel High School, with funding going toward student support costs and staff time. The programming will touch on topics such as college and career exploration, financial planning and college enrollment.

Friends of Explorer Post 58 to support their outreach program and connect marginalized teens with character-building outdoor activities. With supervision, teens from Post 58 will lead hikes, rock climbing adventures and backpack trips.

Girls Inc. to support the Eureka program, a five-year mentorship program for grade 8-12 girls in Portland that provides engaging sessions, activities, field trips, paid internships, job shadows, guest lectures, STEM workshops and post-secondary education preparation.

Make-A-Wish Oregon to support the Kids for Wish Kids program. This program introduces K-12 students to philanthropy by teaching kids how to plan, promote and fundraise campaigns from start to finish.

Portland Rose Festival Foundation to support the 2026 Intern Education program that offers college students valuable professional work experience at a non-profit organization. Interns will gain hands-on skills in event production, project management, volunteer recruitment and management, communications and event promotions, preparing them for future career success.

Portland Urban Debate League to support the debate team at Parkrose High School.

Reading Results to support their reading intervention program aimed at improving outcomes for struggling readers and addressing disparities among systemically excluded students.

Renewable Energy Scholarship Foundation to support a scholarship for a student studying renewable energy.

SMART Reading to purchase books and support training for 400 volunteers who will read with kids each week to encourage them to be lifelong readers.

Polk County:

Acres of Hope Youth Ranch to support their mentoring program, which provides free equine therapy sessions for youth impacted by trauma.

United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley-WiseMind Education Services to support the training of 13 school-based mental health providers who provide one-on-one support to 800 students annually.

Sherman County:

My Sister’s Community Closet to purchase audio-visual equipment that will create a more helpful and welcoming experience for customers, volunteers and partners.

Umatilla County

Pendleton Children’s Center to fund the construction of a roof canopy on the south side of their childcare building.

Pendleton Little League to repair the netting at two batting cages and help upgrade existing scoreboards.