Discretionary Grant Program

Each of the three Deschutes County Commissioners is authorized to recommend approval of discretionary grants to qualified non-profit agencies for projects or activities that benefit the community. Discretionary grants are made available through the Video Lottery Fund, which is supported by state lottery proceeds.

Purpose

Discretionary grants are intended to assist eligible organizations with specific, short-term projects or activities which positively impact either a specific community within Deschutes County or the County at large. A wide range of pursuits may be eligible for funding, including, but not limited to, job creation, education and training, social and human services, cultural tourism, and natural resource management. Deschutes County discourages requests for ongoing operational funding that cannot be sustained beyond the grant period.

Eligibility

Applicants for Discretionary Grants must be non-profit organizations or publicly funded agencies that serve populations within Deschutes County. Although a 501(c)(3) classification is not required, applicants must be able to document their non-profit status. Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible to apply.

Funding

While there are no established minimum or maximum amounts for grant requests, applicants are encouraged to request up to $1,000 for single-source grants or up to $2,500 for matching grants.

Application

Applicants must complete and submit one copy of the Deschutes County Discretionary Grant application form and attach proof of non-profit status. The most competitive applications will contribute some resources toward the project budget, either in goods and services or cash funding; however, a match is not required. Grant applications are accepted at any time throughout the year but are reviewed on a quarterly basis.

Completed application packets should be mailed or sent via email to the following:

Judith Ure
Deschutes County Department of Administrative Services
PO Box 6005
Bend, OR 97708-6005
judithu@deschutes.org

Evaluation

Upon receipt, Deschutes County staff will initially screen applications for completeness. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant for additional information. Copies of all current applications will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners in September, December, March, and June of each year for review. Factors that will be considered during the review process include, but are not limited to, the merit of the proposed project or program, benefit to the community, and organizational capacity. Awards will be dependent on the available balance remaining in the Video Lottery Fund at the time the application is reviewed.

Awards

All applicants will be notified by mail of the Board of Commissioners decisions. At that time, successful applicants will receive further instructions describing how to receive their grant award.

Post-Award Requirements

Acknowledgement of Funding: If any public recognition is made related to the purpose for which the grant was received, such as in media announcements, marketing materials, advertising, or information campaigns, grant recipients must acknowledge support from the Deschutes County Discretionary Grant program.

Final Report: Recipients will be required to submit a brief written report upon completion of the grant-funded project or activity that summarizes results and certifies that grant funds were used as intended.

Subject to Audit: To comply with restrictions on the use of public funds, recipients may be asked to furnish financial and accounting information for audit purposes.

Grant recipients who do not comply with award requirements established by Deschutes County may be subject to repaying funds received and may be ineligible for future funding consideration.

Additional Information

For additional information about the Deschutes County Discretionary Grant program, please contact Judith Ure, Management Analyst, by telephone at (541) 330-4627 or by e-mail at judithu@deschutes.org.