Guest Trustee Program

Every month, a shadowy group gathers in a top secret bunker, pools their ill-gotten gains, and engages in arcane, wine-fueled rituals to determine the fates of dozens of creative applicants for Awesome Portland grants.

Does that sound like fun? Then join us as a guest trustee! If you’ve ever thought that being an Awesome trustee would be fun, but you’re not sure you have the time or cash to keep it up, being a guest trustee is a great way to have fun without the commitment.

How it works

1. Let us know you want to be a guest trustee here so we can keep you in the loop.

2. Join our finalist selection meeting (6:30pm, 3rd Tuesday of the month). Location varies, but we stay in central Portland. Bring your $100 guest trustee check!

3. Come to the grant party (7pm, 4th Tuesday of the month), listen to the pitches, and vote for your favorite!

Questions we think you might ask

If I like being a guest trustee, can I become a full trustee? Yes! We’re always on the lookout for new trustees.

What if I don’t want to be a trustee? No problem! We think being an Awesome Portland trustee is fun and fulfilling, and we want other people to have the chance – including people who don’t have the time or cash to join us beyond the month.

Where does my money go? Trustees self-fund the grants and the People’s Choice award. Occasionally we even have enough for two grants! We have next to no overhead, so your money goes to grant winners.

How are projects selected? You can get an idea of the types of projects we fund by perusing the Portland chapter page. Loosely, we look for small, interesting projects driven by a few passionate contributors that have the possibility of a big impact. These projects could be art, tech, whimsey, community service or some combination. The group discusses the merits of each application and votes democratically.

Sound interesting? Sign up for the guest trustees list, already.