Bend advisory committee backs $150,000 in community-climate grants, sends recommendations to city manager

The City of Bend Environmental and Climate Committee recommended funding six projects from a $150,000 city general‑fund climate grants pool and voted to forward the committee’s funding slate to the city manager for final approval.

The committee — meeting in person and online — approved a motion to recommend awards for six organizations after staff presented a competitive review. The grants process drew 17 eligible applications from 13 organizations requesting a total of about $830,000, organizers said; council allocated $150,000 for the program in this fiscal year’s budget.

Committee members and staff described the program as a “community partner” grant designed to support nonprofit and community organizations that deliver outreach, education, workforce development and programmatic services that the city does not directly provide. Michael Seltner, of the city attorney’s office, reminded committee members of an extra recusal requirement in the program rules: applicants’ affiliates must “recuse…