Located in Portland’s historic Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood, The Center for Philanthropy is a 30,000 sq. ft. facility providing market-rate office space to nonprofits and meeting rooms to community groups in our region at no cost. The idea of a nonprofit center for community-based organizations was conceived in 2000 when Northwest Health Foundation (NWHF) recognized that many small nonprofits are isolated from one another and operate with hefty overhead costs. NWHF realized that co-locating these organizations under one roof would reduce their administrative costs and provide a space to learn, collaborate, and focus on their missions.
The Center for Philanthropy’s doors officially opened in 2007 after the foundation purchased and renovated the former Chamber of Commerce Building. Since then, the building has been home to dozens of nonprofits, foundations, and related organizations, including NWHF’s own offices. Our conference rooms have hosted hundreds of critical conversations, trainings, and relationship-building events.
What is one interesting fact about your space?
When NWHF purchased the building, we installed a 9,200 sq. ft. green roof with solar panels! The roof reduces stormwater runoff, serves as insulation, and provides habitat for species of sedums, ferns, flowers, birds, and insects. Several of the offices at the Center for Philanthropy also look out over the Lan Su Chinese Garden, and we’re just a couple blocks away from the waterfront. So even while we’re in the middle of downtown, there is lots of nature around us! .
What are your favorite resources that you would recommend to others?
Check out NWHF’s tool on how to incorporate principles of disability justice into your work or space.
Disability Justice: An Audit Tool: https://www.northwesthealth.org/djaudittool
Center Name: The Center for Philanthropy, Northwest Health Foundation
Center Member Type: Center in Operation
Location: Portland, Oregon
Center Website: https://www.thecenterforphilanthropy.org/
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