$10 Million Hometown Fund Launches To Support Major Roseburg Projects

ROSEBURG, Ore. — A major new investment aimed at shaping the future of Roseburg was announced this week, as The Ford Family Foundation unveiled a $10 million “Hometown Fund” designed to support large, community-driven projects over the next decade.

In an interview with The Roseburg Receiver, Kara Inae Carlisle, president and CEO of The Ford Family Foundation, and Keavy Cook, vice president of programs, said the fund is intended to build on local momentum already underway in Roseburg.

The fund will focus on projects within Roseburg city limits and is intended to support efforts that bring partners together, create visible impact, and help build long-term opportunity for children, families, and the broader community.

“This is us following the community’s lead,” said Kara Inae Carlisle, president and CEO of The Ford Family Foundation. “There’s a lot of momentum in Roseburg right now, and this is an invitation to build together.”

More information about the Hometown Fund, including eligibility details and how to apply, is available at tfff.org/grants/hometown. The foundation’s announcement is also available at tfff.org/foundation-launches-hometown-fund.

A Fund Rooted In Community Momentum

Foundation leaders say the Hometown Fund is a direct response to what they are seeing across Roseburg, a growing level of collaboration and shared vision among community leaders.

“It’s one of the least self-interested groups of institutional leaders that I’ve ever worked with,” Carlisle said. “People are really trying to figure things out together.”

That collaboration spans education, business, healthcare, local government, tribal leadership, and nonprofit organizations, all increasingly working across sectors rather than independently.

Keavy Cook, vice president of programs, said that spirit of partnership is what made the fund possible.

“Leaders are doing incredible things in their own organizations, but they’re also asking, ‘What can we do together?’” Cook said. “That’s the kind of momentum we’re leaning into.”

One example highlighted during the interview was the partnership behind workforce development efforts at Umpqua Community College, particularly in forestry and manufacturing, a collaboration between education and industry designed to prepare students for local careers.

“There’s a desire from companies, from the education system, and from families to say, ‘We want to build a future here,’” Carlisle said.

The announcement also highlighted broader community alignment already taking place across Roseburg.

“There is momentum building here in Roseburg, and we are excited to be a part of it,” said Max Gimbel, director of rural community building. “We see residents volunteering their time and talents, as well as major organizations, institutions, city and tribal governments aligning their visions and investments.”

What “Catalytic” Projects Actually Look Like

The Hometown Fund is focused on what foundation leaders describe as “catalytic” projects, not small, isolated efforts, but initiatives that can create ripple effects across the community.

“People need to see something being built that they can touch and feel,” Carlisle said. “Something that shows this is an investable community.”

Cook described those types of projects as “hope builders,” efforts that spark additional ideas and investment.

“Something happens, and another group says, ‘We can do that too,’” Cook said.

Projects are expected to be collaborative and community-supported, often addressing multiple needs at once.

“We’re looking for ideas that people can get behind,” Carlisle said. “Not something narrow, but something that serves the broader community.”

Not Leading The Change, Supporting It

Foundation leaders emphasized that the Hometown Fund is intentionally designed to support community-driven ideas, not dictate them.

“It’s $10 million on purpose,” Carlisle said. “We don’t want it to look like we are driving the change. We’re part of it.”

That approach means the foundation is looking for ideas that emerge from within the community, particularly those that involve multiple partners working together.

“We’re not in charge,” Carlisle said. “We’re looking for collaborative ideas that people can rally around.”

The foundation also emphasized that the Hometown Fund will operate in addition to its existing grant programs, which continue to invest millions of dollars annually in Douglas County.

A Focus On The River And Downtown Corridor

While the fund is open to projects across Roseburg, there is a particular interest in the corridor connecting downtown to Stewart Parkway, including areas along the South Umpqua River.

Foundation leaders described the area as a natural civic hub and gathering space with significant potential.

“When I first came to town, I thought, ‘My gosh, this river walk is so beautiful,’” Carlisle said. “It feels like a place we’re all drawn to.”

The corridor includes parks, bike paths, public spaces, and connections to downtown, all of which leaders say could be further activated through community investment.

“What could we do if we dreamed a little bit more together from there?” Carlisle said.

Rebuilding Connection And Community

Beyond infrastructure, the Hometown Fund is also aimed at strengthening social connection, something leaders say has been challenged in recent years.

“We’re still dealing with post-pandemic isolation,” Carlisle said. “And isolation in rural communities is already hard.”

She said projects that bring people together, across generations and backgrounds, will be especially important.

“When you know your neighbors, when you know your community, that kind of connection allows you to dream better,” she said.

Efforts like community events, shared public spaces, and gathering opportunities are expected to align well with the fund’s goals.

What Types Of Projects Could Be Funded

While no specific projects have been selected, foundation leaders outlined several areas where ideas are already emerging:

• Childcare and family support
• Youth-focused initiatives
• Recreation and outdoor spaces
• Downtown development and small business growth
• Workforce and economic development

Cook said the strongest proposals will likely involve multiple partners and produce benefits across sectors.

“We’re seeing energy from schools, hospitals, tribes, businesses, city and county governments, everyone is at the table,” Cook said.

Planning Grants And Capital Funding

The Hometown Fund will provide two types of support:

• Capital grants of up to $1 million for construction and infrastructure
• Pre-development grants of up to $75,000 for early planning work

Pre-development funding is intended to help organizations complete essential steps like feasibility studies, engineering plans, and business modeling.

“Sometimes you need a little bit of money to do the things required before you can qualify for more money from lots of places,” Carlisle said.

Cook said those early investments can unlock much larger opportunities.

“Once you have that plan, you can bring in more partners and more funding,” she said.

“No Wrong Door” For Ideas

Foundation leaders emphasized that community members and organizations should not hesitate to bring forward ideas, even if they are not fully developed.

“There’s no wrong door,” Cook said. “Come to us with your idea, and we’ll help get you to the right place.”

Applicants can include nonprofits, government agencies, tribal nations, and collaborative partnerships. Even projects that don’t fit the Hometown Fund may still be supported through other foundation programs.

The Hometown Fund is focused on projects within Roseburg city limits. For projects outside Roseburg, but within Oregon or Siskiyou County, California, the foundation’s open grants program remains available at tfff.org/grants/open-grants.

A Long-Term Vision For Roseburg

Looking ahead, foundation leaders say success will be defined by what the community can point to in the future.

“I hope we have actual infrastructure we can touch and feel,” Carlisle said. “Something we can all look at and say, ‘We did that together.’”

They also hope the fund helps position Roseburg as a place where people want to live, invest, and build.

“We want people to say, ‘What’s going on in Roseburg? I want to be part of that,’” Carlisle said.

Cook added that while the fund is focused on Roseburg, its impact is expected to extend far beyond city limits.

“We know the ripple effects from Roseburg reach across the county and beyond,” she said.

A New Effort And A Learning Process

Carlisle acknowledged the initiative is new and will evolve over time.

“It will not be perfect,” she said. “We’re going to learn with the community, and we ask for grace as we roll this out.”

Foundation leaders say that openness to learning, alongside collaboration, will be key to the fund’s success.

Looking Ahead

The Hometown Fund officially launches April 28. The foundation is directing interested applicants and community members to the Hometown Fund page at tfff.org/grants/hometown, where eligibility details and application information are available.

The foundation’s full announcement is available at tfff.org/foundation-launches-hometown-fund.

For now, foundation leaders say the focus is simple: bring forward ideas, build partnerships, and continue the momentum already taking shape in Roseburg.

Because the next chapter of the community, they say, will be built together.