For Nonprofits
For Nonprofits
How it works
Schnitzer Cares is a youth-led program. All decisions are made by students who work together in independent groups to identify funding priorities and evaluate nonprofit applicants. This program is designed to maximize student learning while providing a responsive source of funding to Oregon communities.
Steps & Timeline
STEP 1
MISSION STATEMENTS
STEP 2
APPLICATIONS
STEP 3
INTERVIEWS
STEP 4
DECISIONS
STEP 5
CELEBRATIONS
Eligibility
All 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations whose work directly benefits the residents of the State of Oregon are eligible to apply. If your organization is located outside of Oregon, you may only apply for program funding that would be used in Oregon. Please keep in mind that the student mission statements will often identify specific geographic areas they would like to serve.
If your organization is located in Oregon but your programming only benefits people outside of Oregon, you are not eligible for a Schnitzer Cares grant.
Yes, you can apply for a Schnitzer Cares grant. When final grants are awarded, the funds will go directly to your fiscal sponsor and will be earmarked for your program/group. Please keep us updated if there are any changes to your fiscal sponsorship.
Yes. Organizations can apply every year.
Applications
Groups will have anywhere from $7,500 - $15,000 for grantmaking, depending on the success of their fundraisers. We recommend asking for $3,000 - $7,000 because students almost always divide up their funds between organizations. A smaller ask will make students feel more confident they can meet your needs.
The average Schnitzer Cares grant is around $4,700. Students may choose to award more or less than the dollar amount requested on your application, but the minimum grant amount is $2,000.
The Public Submission Window is open from November 15th until 11:59pm on December 31st.
Please send all materials through our web portal.
If you need to make changes to your submission before the Public Submission Window closes on December 31, please re-submit the entire application through the web portal and indicate in the message box that you will be replacing your earlier submission.
After you download the Grant Application Form, open it up using an application from your desktop. If you complete the PDF in a web browser, it may not save your information.
Mission Statements
Yes. You can apply to any mission statement that aligns with your work. However, please choose mission statements thoughtfully. This ensures we can offer a rich student experience without overwhelming the grantmakers.
No. Organizations are allowed one submission per mission statement.
If an organization makes multiple submissions to a single mission statement, we will only show one set of materials to the group.
Yes.
You have several options. Choose whichever is the best fit for your organization's capacity:
Option 1: Create a general cover letter that speaks to all the mission statements you are applying to. Submit a single Grant Application Form and check all the mission statement boxes you are applying to.
Option 2: Create highly tailored cover letters that highlight specific aspects of your organization to meet the unique concerns of different mission statements. Groups will receive the cover letter specifically designed for them. Submit a single Grant Application Form and check all the boxes that align.
Please do not choose this option if you are only making minor changes to the letter (such as including a mission statement # or customizing the salutation). This makes the admin on the back-end much more difficult, and it does not increase your chances of getting a grant.
Option 3: Create tailored cover letters and tailored Grant Application Forms. Orgs that choose this option usually have a variety of different programs and want to match a request for program support to a specific cover letter. This option requires multiple uploads.
To make it easier for applicants to identify which mission statements align with their work, we have numbered the statements and divided them into general service areas. Please note: mission statements will appear in multiple categories if students have more than one focus or their issue is intersectional.
High school students are your primary audience. You can address them directly as “Dear Students” or “Schnitzer Cares Grantmakers.” Please use a standard greeting, unless you are heavily tailoring your cover letter to a specific mission statement.
You are welcome to use The Schnitzer CARE Foundation address in lieu of a school address:
1121 SW Salmon St.
Portland, OR 97205
Requirements
Grantees are required to attend the Grant Awards Ceremony in May and to stay for the entire event. If you receive more than one grant, you may need to attend more than one ceremony. Recipients who do not send a representative, or whose representative leaves early, will be ineligible for Schnitzer Cares grants in the future, without exception.
The CARE Foundation does not require any follow-up reporting from Schnitzer Cares recipients.
Communication
All application materials are made available to students in mid-January. Each group completes the evaluation steps at their own pace. You may hear directly from a group as early as January about an interview, but this is the exception. Most groups have their interview short lists by mid to late-February.
You will receive an email from our Program Director in late February or early March, detailing the status of your application(s).
Submission materials will be made available to students in mid-January. You will hear directly from the students or The CARE Foundation in February or early March. Once a student group has contacted you, you can engage with them directly.
We are strongly encouraging all groups to schedule and conduct their interviews before Spring Break, which takes place at the end of March. Many groups will likely need the first two weeks of April to complete interviews, as well. Their final decisions are due April 9th.
If you have not heard from a group by the end of March, please contact the Program Director at kristen@schnitzercare.org for more information. They may need additional support from our team in order to complete our process.
Congratulations on your interview! Students are still developing their professional communication skills and sometimes they leave out important details. Don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions and to ‘cc a Schnitzer Cares staff member.
If you have received communication from a student but need additional support, please email the Program Director at kristen@schnitzercare.org. You will be connected to the Schnitzer Cares team member who works directly with that student group.
Grant Awards Ceremonies
These celebrations are students' opportunity to share their hard work with the larger community. We want students to see a room full of clapping and cheering adults who are proud of them. It builds their self-esteem and confidence. It reinforces the belief that community is important.
Your attendance is extremely meaningful! Thank you in advance for finding a staff member or trusted friend of your organization to attend.
The Grant Awards Ceremonies are held in May. The PDX schedule is set in the spring, based on group availability. You should know your exact PDX date(s) by late April. All events take place during evening hours from 6:00-8:00pm.
North Coast - May 4, 2027 at the Astoria Golf & Country Club
Eastern Oregon - May 6, 2027 at The Tamástslikt Cultural Institute
Portland Metro - May 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 at Irving Street Studio
If your organization is awarded a grant, you must send a representative to attend the Grant Awards Ceremony in May and that person must stay for the entire event (6:00-8:00pm). Make sure you have an alternate guest in case of emergency. Failure to attend or to stay for the duration will disqualify your organization from the Schnitzer Cares program for all future grant cycles, without exception.
Ideally, your organization's representative would be connected to your work in some meaningful way. This can be a great opportunity to engage a board member or valued volunteer, if staff are not available.
Ultimately, we are flexible. Your guest can be any trusted adult who can leave with your check and will stay the entire time (6:00-8:00pm).