An aerial view of Bend in September 2022 from the north end of downtown.

Now through Sept. 21, local organizations and government entities are invited to apply for funding through the city of Bend’s new Climate Action Partner Grant Program. In its first year of operation, the program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen the community’s resilience to climate change.

One of the primary goals of the grant program is to support projects that align with the goals of the Community Climate Action Plan, which was approved in 2019, and is overseen by the city’s Environment and Climate Committee. It serves as a community-driven roadmap to reduce fossil fuel use and achieve the city’s climate goals, including reducing community-wide fossil fuel usage by 70% by 2050.

“The Community Climate Action Plan was just updated in 2025, and we can’t achieve the climate goals alone,” Megan Lee, management analyst for the city of Bend, said. “The city has work to do and we want to encourage and amplify local nonprofits and government entities that are also doing this work.”

To be eligible for the grant, the requestor must be a local nonprofit or government entity, the project must take place in Bend or directly impact the residents of Bend and the project must directly support one of the specific actions laid out in the Community Climate Action Plan, including energy in buildings, energy supply, materials and waste and transportation. A total of $150,000 is available in the grant fund, and there is no restriction on how much eligible organizations may apply for.

“These sectors are where the majority of emissions are coming from, so we are really making an effort to impact those climate sectors,” Lee said.

Examples of projects include community outreach and education, workforce development, planning and early-stage projects and general programs or technical assistance programs. Funding can help pay for staffing, program materials and translation services, supplies and equipment, cost for events and payments for participants.

Once applications are confirmed as eligible, city staff will review and score the applications based on project impact, organizational experience, feasibility, connection to climate goals and equity and accessibility. These scores help guide the Environment and Climate Committee as they discuss which projects to recommend for funding. The final decision will be made by the city manager.

“It’s really important that community and city come together to further our climate action,” Lee said. “The city can’t do it alone and there are a bunch of actions that need to happen to make our community more resilient to climate change … We want to amplify and uplift these community members that are already doing such great work.”

The city will host two virtual information sessions on July 28 at 3 p.m. and August 26 at 10 a.m. Applications are due September 21 at 5 p.m., and the awards will be announced on October 23.