This year, one group completed the CommuniCare program during first semester! Twenty students from the IB Diploma program at Tualatin High School participated in CommuniCare and focused their grantmaking on nonprofits that support families experiencing food insecurity in the Portland Metro Area. Through can collections with BottleDrop Give and a profit-share event at Chipotle, the group met their fundraising goal and granted a total of $15,820 to four nonprofit organizations and one in-school program. Nonprofit recipients included Adelante Mujeres, Farmers Market Fund, Tualatin School House Pantry, and Lift Urban Portland. Packed with Pride was selected as an in-school grant recipient. [...]

Is your organization planning to apply for a CommuniCare grant this year? Be sure to check out these videos of Emily and Mary Grace, former CommuniCare participants from St. Mary's Academy and La Salle Prep, sharing their top three tips to make your application stand out!

We are now accepting applications for the 2021-2022 CommuniCare grant cycle! Please follow this link to download the application form and to submit your materials. Applications will be accepted from 11/15/21 - 12/31/21. Student mission statements are grouped into general categories to make them easier to review, and many mission statements appear in more than one category. Please read them carefully and pay special attention to the geographic areas they prioritize.Answers to common questions can be found on our FAQ page.

The 2021-2022 Public Submission Window is almost here! Check out this message from CommuniCare's Program Manager, Kristen, who shares the bird's eye view of this year, a refresher on how the PSW works, and some application tips.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of CommuniCare and we are celebrating in a BIG way. A record 60 grantmaking groups, composed of nearly 1,400 students, are participating in the program!  Everybody is working hard to get back in the swing of things and we are extremely proud of the progress grantmakers have already made this year. In just two months, groups have gotten up and running, selected their service areas, and drafted their mission statements. Mission statements will be available to view on our website when the public submission window opens on November 15th.  The focus for groups now turns to fundraising! From bake sales to busking, grantmakers are [...]

This reflection was submitted by Emily and Ella, former CommuniCare participants from St. Mary's Academy. Emily and Ella participated in CommuniCare for two years and served as leaders of their school’s groups. Everyone wants to make a difference. Service has always been a principal part of our lives, but it is often difficult to figure out how to take action. As juniors at St. Mary’s Academy (SMA), we became members of our school’s founding chapter of CommuniCare, a youth grantmaking program of The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. CommuniCare allowed us to utilize our [...]

This reflection was submitted by Mary Grace, a former CommuniCare participant from La Salle Catholic College Preparatory. Mary Grace participated in CommuniCare for three years and served in a leadership role during her senior year. Never would I have thought that in just three years, my understanding of not only the nonprofit world but of the entire world would expand so greatly. CommuniCare is more than just an opportunity for students to help nonprofits - it gives them the power to make change. I want to break my CommuniCare experience into three parts: Never Imaginable, [...]

We are thrilled to welcome Andrea Van Hagen to the CommuniCare team! Andrea grew up in Carbondale, Colorado, but has lived in the Pacific Northwest ever since coming here to attend college at Willamette University. Prior to CommuniCare, she spent fourteen years as a middle and high school English teacher and thinks reading, writing, and teenagers are an excellent combination. She also has experience in nonprofit work, raising funds for micro-credit programs and helping to compile and file legal briefs to protect Oregon's land-use planning system. Andrea enjoys gardening, camping, running, spending time with her family, and playing the [...]

Due to time constraints, we couldn't fit this compilation into the KGW Grant Awards Ceremony broadcast - but it's too good not to share! Hear from some of our grantmakers about their major takeaways from CommuniCare.

Oregon high school students to award $550,000 to 81 nonprofits through the CommuniCare grantmaking program Virtual grant award ceremony on KGW Channel 8 on June 17 June 14, 2021 – Portland, OR – The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation today announced $550,000 in grants to 81 nonprofits and school programs throughout Oregon. These grants were made possible through CommuniCare, a year-long leadership program that gives Oregon high school students an opportunity to learn about issues affecting their communities to facilitate a deeper commitment to social activism.  During the fall and winter months students are challenged to [...]