Social Service Providers Invited to Apply for City Grants
April 17, 2026 - The City of Corvallis has opened the application cycle for its annual social service grants program. Service providers are invited to review the grant parameters and apply for funding to support the City Council’s social services goals. A total of $480,000 is available in two broad categories. The deadline to apply is May 15, 2026.
The 2026 grant cycle includes a new process for proposals intended to directly address houselessness in Corvallis.
Category 1 – Unsheltered Community Support Fund
This category reflects new policy priorities established by the Council in 2025. To qualify for Category 1 funding, a proposal must directly reduce the number of individuals who are unsheltered and increase the number of individuals who are in shelter or housing.
Category 1 represents a concerted effort by the Council to direct social services funding toward efforts that expand the community’s houseless response.
Applications for Category 1 funding will be received and evaluated by the Benton County Coordinated Homeless Response Office (CHRO), a joint agency composed of staff from the City of Corvallis and Benton County. About half of the 2026 grant awards are expected to be distributed to Category 1 proposals.
Category 2 - General Social Service Fund
Category 2 funding will continue to fund the broad range of social service needs that have been traditionally supported by the City’s social services funding. These include existing homeless shelter operations, health
screenings and medical care for unhoused individuals, harm reduction outreach, food security assistance, child support services, and other important social services.
Applications for Category 2 funding will be received and evaluated by the United Way of Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties through a contract with the City of Corvallis.
City Council Approval
For both categories, grant recommendations will be presented to the City Council in June for consideration and final approval.
Social services grants have been distributed by the City of Corvallis annually since 1987. The $480,000 social services grant program, including administrative costs, is funded through the City's voter-approved local operating levy. The levy was renewed by voters in 2023. For more information on social services support in Corvallis, visit https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/cd/page/social-service-funding.
