Oregon Solutions
The mission of Oregon Solutions is to “develop sustainable solutions to community-based problems that support economic, environmental, and community objectives and are built through the collaborative efforts of businesses, government, and non-profit organizations.” This statewide non-profit organization prioritizes some projects based on Governor approval, which benefit from state agency support in implementation. Many projects chosen address climate adaptation - focusing on such topics as water supply and conservation, maintaining healthy forests and corridors, and urban greening.
All Oregon Solutions projects must meet a series of sustainability criteria that work towards a sustainable economy, community, and environment. Ideally, a designated project addresses all three objectives, but at the least two of the objectives must be thoroughly met. Over the last ten years projects have focused on many sectors across Oregon including literacy, public health, housing, transportation, and community development, among others. Some past and current projects support climate adaptation, for example:
Levee Ready Columbia - Flood Protection for the Portland Community: Along with striving to achieve FEMA accreditation, the project will identify, fund, and implement necessary improvements to the Peninsula 1 and Peninsula 2 levees, so that they are certified by a consulting engineer as being protective of a 1% chance flood.
Lloyd Green District: The Oregon Solutions team worked with local and regional government agencies, business associations, and nonprofit organizations to create an implementation plan for a premier sustainable multi-use development district within an urban center. The Lloyd Green District vision is to become a lifestyle community of choice for area residents and a showcase of Portland’s leadership in economically viable earth-friendly development.
Stream Restoration Partnership: The Oregon Solutions Stream Restoration Partnership Project, sponsored by The Freshwater Trust and the Department of State Lands (DSL), was designed with the goal of making private land restoration easier on a landscape scale and at an accelerated pace that promotes the quality conservation outcomes needed to attain watershed health in a meaningful time frame.
Oregon Solutions has supported nearly 100 community based projects, with over 60 projects receiving official Governors’ designation. If the governor approves the project, a formal letter of designation is written which outlines the support of the governor’s office and that of state agencies. The governor then appoints a convener to serve as a neutral chair of the project team. In turn, Oregon Solutions selects a staff member, often the person responsible for the assessment, to manage the project.
Phone: (503) 725-9092
Sectors:
