Sustainability at PSU

Placemaking Spark Award

picture of a mural painted on a street

Placemaking SPARK AWARD

Ignite your impact!

The Portland State University Planning & Sustainability Office is awarding $2,500 to the boldest, most creative, and community-centered placemaking ideas on campus.

The Spark Award is designed to bypass the traditional "red tape" and empower students and faculty to lead high-impact, "non-precious" interventions that make PSU a place where people want to stay, show up, and belong.
 

What We Are Looking For?

We aren't looking for "perfect" renderings; we are looking for grounded storytelling and radical creativity.

Suggested Project Focus Areas:

The 18-Hour Neighborhood: Making campus feel like a destination after dark

Breezeways & Plazas: Fresh takes on activating our urban nodes (like Montgomery or Urban Plaza)

District Building: Projects that honor indigenous storytelling or cultural heritage

Student-Led Activations: DIY interventions, "messy" art, or pop-up hubs that build identity

What Can You Create?

Whether it’s a temporary installation, a performance series, a sculptural bench, or a new mural; if it sparks joy and fosters a sense of pride in our urban environment, we want to fund it.

Why Apply?

Funding: Receive up to $2,500 to bring your project to life

Experience: Gain tangible project management and experience design skills

Exposure: Showcase your work at the 2027 Placemakers Exchange in front of The PSU Community, Alumni, and City leaders

picture of a wand with a green start and the words "spark awards"

GUIDELINES & APPLICATION
Review more details surrounding the process and complete the application.

GUIDELINES & APPLICATION

Not sure if your project fits?

We value progress over polish. If you have a raw idea but aren't sure how to navigate the logistics, come talk to us. We’re here to help you "cut the tape."

Email: planpsu@pdx.edu
Phone: 503-725-9851
Physical address: 
Portland State University
1600 SW 4th, Suite 122
Portland, OR 97201

AWARD Recipients

Indigenous Traditional Ecological & Cultural Knowledge (ITECK)

The ITECK Program partnered with United Indigenous Students in Higher Education (UISHE) to host their Annual Salmon Bake that served as both a cultural celebration and a mentorship opportunity guided by the Bruno family.

This collaborative event brought together Native and non-Native students, staff, and community members to the Oak Savanna for a traditional salmon bake. 

Centered around the roasting of tribally caught salmon over an open flame, this gathering honored the salmon as a vital animal relative that sustains the culture, ceremony, and continuance of local Indigenous Peoples.

Salmon Bake at Oak Savanna was celebrated on April 30th, 2026

The Bruno family are longtime partners who bring this event to life with their traditional salmon keeper knowledge.

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Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Association/Neuroscience Club

This collaborative five-day project transformed the ceiling of the 3rd floor Skybridge outside Cramer Hall into a hand-painted mural inspired by the neurological drawings of Santiago Ramón y Cajal. 

The club hosted an event with NW Noggin celebrating the mural. The event featured activities where participants could hold a human brain. 

The mural now serves as a unifying campus landmark that celebrates interdisciplinary exchange and collaborative discovery.

Neural Mural event was celebrated on April 19 2026

Hosted by the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Association and NW Noggin

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