Neighborhood Partnerships

Mission

Neighborhood Partnerships works to create an equitable economy across Oregon that meets everyone’s basic needs. Rather than provide direct services, we bring together diverse coalitions and cross-sector partnerships to develop policy solutions to inequity statewide.

This involves bringing together impacted communities, advocates, policymakers, businesses, community groups, and other stakeholders to build consensus around an agenda for change. Our role is to provide backbone support to shape a shared platform, conduct research, and drive strategies.

Bottom Line for Portland

It’s no big secret that addressing housing and houselessness are important priorities for the Portland Metro Area. Neighborhood Partnerships runs the largest affordable housing and homelessness prevention coalition in the state, the Oregon Housing Alliance, and last year alone the Alliance successfully advocated for $41 million for emergency rent assistance (including 30% set aside for culturally responsive organizations), $65 million for shelter operations (preventing 86+ shelters from closing statewide), and $1 million for tenant outreach to residents of affordable housing (for helping with education and resource navigation).

What’s even more important for the region and the entire state is the role that NP plays in convening, catalyzing, inspiring, and energizing a wide range of people, groups, and institutions to work together for greater racial, economic, and housing justice. 

Quote

“RE:Conference [a bi-annual gathering NP hosts] was an incredible experience with a wealth of interconnected resources. It brought to light the intersection between so many aspects of racial justice, housing, economic justice, and ways to help our communities at large. Using the tools taught to me at RE:Conference I was able to better equip the members of my community to face the difficulties that poverty puts before them. Not only this, but it gave me insight to advocate on their behalf when working with organizations that maybe aren’t trained to walk alongside those in greatest need. RE:Conference is not just a place to learn and connect, but it is a network of compassion and hope for the future of Oregon.” – Dylan Bessey, SNAP Navigator at Oregon Department of Human Services

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

57% of our staff, including the majority of our Leadership Council, and 50% of our board identify as BIPOC. Our partnership with Asset Funders Network, the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable, is explicitly focused on the intersection of racial and economic justice. The Housing Alliance has endorsed and helped pass many of the priorities of the Joint Task Force on Addressing Racial Disparities in Home Ownership. We maintain an Equity Team and a staff position that is 50% dedicated to focusing on DEI within our organization.

Incentives

The first 20 donors to give $100+ will receive $50 off of an hour-long headshot/portrait session from Celina Flores Photography.

Partner(s)

Celina Flores Photography.