In 1999, the Oregon Legislature established a Regional Investment Program to identify and coordinate regional economic and community development priorities. Regional investment boards and partnerships were created to develop a regional investment plan that would guide investments in particular regions.
Once a regional investment plan was completed and approved by the Oregon Economic and Community Development Commission, investment boards and partnerships became eligible to distribute funding from the Regional and Rural Investment Funds.
This program provided multi-county regions in the state of Oregon with the opportunity to grant funds to projects that would in particular:
-- create and retain family wage jobs
-- leverage and attract capital investment.
Funding decisions were made according to a regional investment strategy that used the funds to encourage current and future economic growth.
From 2001through 2003, the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies provided staff support to the Multnomah-Washington Regional Investment Board, which was convened distribute funding in Multnomah and Washington counties.
For the 2003-05 biennium, the Oregon Legislature made changes to the Regional and Rural Investment Program.
The Institute no longer provides administrative services to the Multnomah-Washington Regional Investment Board. Funding for the 2003-2005 biennium was reduced dramatically. For information about the 2003-2005 program please contact either Duke Shepard at Multnomah County (503-988-3308) or Gerald Kubiak at Washington County (503-846-8685). Questions related to ongoing or completed grants by the Board should be directed to Lisa Seidman at the Portland Development Commission (503-823-3200).
