January News

Exciting opportunities in 2026

Happy New Year to Portland Parks Foundation park friends, allies, partners, and appreciators! We are feeling immensely grateful for all of you after ending a fruitful, if also challenging, year for parks in our city.

A new year always carries a hint of excitement for us here at PPF as this time of year focuses on celebrating the beauty and strength of our parks network: passionate leaders, collaborative visionaries, and devoted stewards of Portland’s parks and natural spaces. It is through your dedicated volunteer work, committed leadership, lifted voices at Council meetings, and enthusiastic collaboration that our parks system becomes a parks community.

Winter months for our parks community often mean preparing for springtime and finding ways to enjoy the outdoors while still embracing the shorter, darker days. We at PPF believe that this is also a perfect time to reflect and to uplift each other through celebrations of volunteerism, leadership, impact, and vision.

We’re excited to support these celebrations through our upcoming Friends & Allies programs. It’s a new year. Join us in honoring those who make our parks so special.

In partnership,
The PPF Team

Spring 2026 Programs & Partnership Opportunities

PGE Parks Champion and Joey Pope Parks Leader nominees and awardees at Spring Summit 2025.

PGE Parks Champions: Nominations are Open!

It’s time to celebrate the volunteers who helped make our parks vibrant in 2025! Every year, we celebrate the volunteers who go the extra mile in our parks and natural spaces by putting in the extra hours, supporting the community with their talents and knowledge, and committing again and again to show up, dig in, and do good. They deserve to be celebrated.

Do you know someone like this from your favorite greenspace? Nominate them for a PGE Parks Champion Award! Nominees will be celebrated and two awardees will be announced at our Friends & Allies Spring Summit. Plus, the two awardees get $1,500 to donate to the parks organization of their choice.

Submit your Nominee by February 15!

Joey Pope Award Nominations Open February 1st

The Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership celebrates those who are committed to making parks and outdoor programming more equitable, accessible, and responsive to Portland’s diverse communities. Two awardees receive a $10,000 grant plus customized partnership with the PPF team.
Leadership criteria include:

Innovating in programming in parks, recreation, and arts or in connecting such parks-oriented programs to those without access
Developing new approaches to horticulture and habitat creation to advance beauty and nature in a changing climate
Advancing equity, accessibility and cultural understanding of parks and parks programs for historically marginalized groups*
Building coalitions and partnerships to expand Portland’s system of parks, trails, open spaces, and playgrounds

All nominees will be celebrated at our Spring Friends & Allies Summit and two awardees will be announced. Nominations open February 1.

Learn more here

Friends & Allies 2026 Survey

To help this work along, we need to hear from you. If you are a parks or community group in Portland, please take 5 minutes to fill out our 2026 Friends & Allies Survey. Your answers will help us build programs to better suit your needs. Plus, you’ll be entered to win a Pendleton x PPF picnic blanket if you complete the survey by February 1.

Take the survey today!

Reminder: PPF Small Grants Committee Seeking Reviewers

We are looking for a few new members to join our small grants review committee. Get an inside look at our grant program, evaluate grant applications with other community members, and make new organization connections. Apply by March 6!

Learn more about our small grants program

Community News

Get involved with the City’s upcoming Waterfront Redevelopment Projects:
- Project Advisory Committee Application: Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park Bowl Project is recruiting for Project Advisory Committee members. Apply by 1/19.
- Urban Design Study Questionnaire: Share your ideas on how to improve connections between downtown and the river to create a more vibrant waterfront. Fill out the questionnaire by 1/16.
- Learn more about waterfront projects here.
City Parks Alliance Greater and Greener Conference, Austin TX, June 12-16: Registration opens February 9 for this conference focused on professionals in the urban parks and recreation realm – executive leadership, managers, practitioners – from city agencies, landscape firms, not-for-profits and foundations. Learn more at the Conference Essentials Webinar on 1/20.
Free Fruit Trees from PDX Food Forest Initiative: Interested in getting a fruit tree in the median between your sidewalk and street? PDX Food Forest Initiative is giving away free fruit trees to those who agree to plant, prune, and care for a fruit tree on your parking strip and to openly welcome neighbors to share in the harvest. Learn more here.
Intertwine Connect on January 29: The Intertwine Alliance continues its Intertwine Connect series with a January event featuring coalition partner Confluence Environmental Center. Join for an evening of networking and learning. Learn more and RSVP here.
Tryon Creek Green Leaders Workforce Development: This internship is an opportunity for early-career youth to hone their environmental education, restoration, and professional skills. Each cohort has the opportunity to explore their passions and interests while contributing to Friends of Tryon Creek’s mission to encourage all communities to reclaim their relationship with the forest. Learn more and apply here. Deadline to apply is 1/23.