Skidmore Prize

The inspiration for the name of this prize: The Skidmore Fountain in Portland’s Old Town, which bears this inscription: “Good citizens are the riches of a city.”


This fall, we celebrate four remarkable individuals doing exceptional work for Portland-area nonprofits. Each Skidmore Prize winner is the embodiment of community dedication, a testament to the power of passion and purpose.

Their stories of resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment to social causes leave us awestruck and motivated to do more. In recognizing their outstanding accomplishments, we honor not just their achievements but the potential in all of us to make meaningful differences.


Winners of the Skidmore Prize must be under the age of 36 and work full-time for a local nonprofit. Winners received their awards, including prizes of $4,000, at a special luncheon.

2018 Prize Winners
Madeline Kovacs
For some, the phrase “it’s complicated” conjures up a 2009 Meryl Streep film. For others, a relationship status. But for Madeline Kovacs, Program...
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Jenny Glass
On the corner of SE 162nd and Stark, the Rosewood Initiative community center’s doors swing open every few minutes. Nearby,...
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Chris Bailey
Chris Bailey wraps up his 11:00 a.m. business meeting — one of several for the day — on the patio at the Portland Mercado on SE Foster. It’s a sweltering...
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Isatou Barry
It’s 6:00 p.m. and Isatou Barry has stayed late — as she does each Monday — to oversee IRCO’s Africa House Youth Council meeting. Twelve high school...
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