A Productive History

The PGE Foundation's permanent endowment ensures support to Oregonians in perpetuity. It's mission is improving the quality of life for Oregonians by awarding grants in the areas of education, healthy families and arts and culture. Since its inception in 1997, the Foundation has awarded millions of dollars in grants, ranging from programs that give children a healthier life, to efforts that bring the arts to rural communities, to educational projects for students from pre-school through college. In 2002 the name was changed to the PGE Foundation (also known as the Portland General Electric Foundation).

In May 2008, the PGE Foundation and The Oregon Community Foundation joined forces to expand Community 101SM, a youth leadership program created by the PGE Foundation in 1997. Community 101SM is a philanthropy education program in which high school students distribute foundation funds to agencies of their choice. See the Community 101SM section for more information.

PGE Foundation board and officers

PGE Foundation Board
(Back, left to right) Jim Piro, Treasurer; Carol Dillin; Jerry Hudson; Gwyneth Gamble Booth, Chair; Rosy Duron, Secretary; Dave Carboneau; Peggy Fowler. (Seated) Randy Miller; Carole Morse, President. Not shown: Board member Steve Hawke.

Foundation Staff

  • Carole Morse, president
  • Carol Reed, program officer
Areas of Giving

The PGE Foundation makes immediate and long-term investments in programs that support the following primary areas of Oregon life:

Climber at Smith Rock
Campfire Adventure Leadership program climb at Smith Rock.
Education

Healthy Families
Volunteers at a Transition Projects shelter.
Volunteers serving a meal at one of Transition Projects’ shelters

Portland Japananese Garden
The Japanese Garden.
Photo courtesy the Japanese Garden. Photographer, Kristi Johansen.
Arts and Culture
PGE Foundation Day at the Japanese Garden benefited the Oregon Food Bank.