Fwd: Grant Rough Draft, hows it look?

[Kerns Neighborhood Association]

Hi Kerns NA Board,

I got a voice message today from Nanci Champlin  - Executive Director of SE Uplift - asking about the status of our Community Grant Project. I responded that I would check with the board and get back to her.

As we are approaching the end of the year SE Uplift needs to "use or lose" the grant money that hasn't been claimed yet.

So I started doing some research and I realized I didn't know much about this grant project that Morrissey put together - and was granted.

I found 3 documents about this project and 2 email threads that really illustrate the project itself and its brilliance and passion and the path this project has taken. I hope you will all look over these messages and documents as we think about this Small Grant we were awarded via Morrissey's excellent grant writing and the way it holds up a mirror to the ups and downs of 2025 so far. 

Per these documents it appears Morrissey was granted $1706.52 for this postcard project. (I'm not sure the exact amount - but between $1000 and $1700. As you may recall - at first it was denied - and later they found funds to award it)

It turns out that Morrissey sent this grant proposal draft back in January of 2025 to ker...@gmail.com only - not to the whole board - and only Rebecca saw it and responded to it. I am forwarding here the initial email from Morrissey on Jan 21, 2025. Rebecca handled a lot of our ker...@gmail.com email management and responses - and she corresponded with Morrissey directly from here - but didn't share the proposal with the board. So I am sharing it here - which will give us a lot more insight into the year 2025 for the Kerns Neighborhood Association.  In September 2025 Alex from the SEUL Community Grants program checked in with Morrissey and Rebecca and again in October and has been waiting to hear from us what is happening with this grant. Thus this long email from me - hoping to engage all of us in this important discussion and reflection.

This proposal gives us a lot more insight into Morrissey and the aims of this project. It is a wonderful project in my opinion and I'm very impressed that Morrissey put this thoughtful and multi-tiered grant proposal together and was awarded the grant for Kerns NA.

I also caught a glimpse of the cool postcard designs Morrissey shared at a previous meeting - and I would love to see them again and work with them. But now that Morrissey has taken a step back we as a group need to look into this situation and decide what to do.

A) Do we forge ahead with the project and try to get out the postcards soon? (KEEP)

B) Do we say "Let's try again next year" - and give back  the funds to SE Uplift in order to use on other priorities - such as Hunger Relief, or other Community Grants? (GIVE BACK)

C) Do we use some of the funds for a small publicity project and give back the rest - and try again in the future? (KEEP SOME - GIVE SOME BACK)

Please share your thoughts here in this Google Group.

A reminder: This Kerns NA 2025-26 Google group is viewable to the public on Google Groups here  https://groups.google.com/g/kernsna-2025-26-board  - linked from our website board page: https://kernspdx.org/board-members-2025-26/ - but only board members can participate. We aim to be transparent and public and adhere to Open Meetings rules which Portland and Oregon have adopted and are in force.

This forum is primarily for informational purposes and is not intended to replace the public monthly meetings. But sometimes between meetings it is necessary to iron out some items in order to meet time constraints. Our next board meeting is too late for SEUL to know if these funds are available for other purposes - or if we will fulfil the project. So we are using our Google Group to discuss this.

Related resources: 

https://www.portland.gov/civic/standards-and-city-code  

https://www.portland.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/adm-4-03-ex-96452.pdf 

Thank you for your time and care you give to this issue - both as a board member and also as a neighbor thinking about this project and how we can support it and Morrissey and Rebecca and each other and our community.

Thank you.💖

-Dave Weaver, Kerns NA Vice Chair

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Miles Morrissey <miles.j....@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Subject: Grant Rough Draft, hows it look?
To: Kerns Neighborhood Association <ker...@gmail.com>

Hello all,

I've revised the grant application for SEUL. You'll notice I have narrowed the scope to just postcards. Design the postcards, print the postcards, send the postcards. I think this is very doable and I hope it will make for a very strong application. I'm really excited about the postcards so I hope it works. Let me know what you think or if I have included any glaring errors.

Thanks so much, all.

Best,

Morrissey

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On Wed, Oct 8, 2025 at 2:03 PM Alex Cherin <al...@seuplift.org> wrote:

Hi all,

Checking in about your Community Small Grant project. I noticed the timeline on the project has passed, and you still have funds ($1,587) to spend. Has your NA discussed what to do with them before December 31st? I included your application and budget documents outlining the project for your reference. Let me know if you want to discuss it.

If you all decide you do not have the time to complete the project, could you let me know after your next NA meeting? 

Warmly,

 

Alex Cherin | he/him

Grantmaking Programs Manager

SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition

3534 SE Main St | Portland, OR 97214

al...@seuplift.org | (503) 232-0010 ext. 2

Schedule a meeting with me!

 

Collaborating with Portland’s District 3 community to build informed, engaged, and participatory neighborhoods that support our social and ecological well-being.

 

During COVID-19 SE Uplift staff are working remotely some days of the week. I am usually in the office Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 am – 5 pm. I am available via email other weekdays.

 

Access Statement: SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition values meaningful access to all programs, services, and activities. Please contact me at least 48 hours prior to attending an event to request accommodations. You are welcome to reach out at any time to request any of our materials in alternative formats or for any other access needs. SE Uplift is on the 14, 15, and 75 TriMet bus lines and our space has parking on-site. We have an accessible entrance on one floor.

 

From: Alex Cherin <al...@seuplift.org>
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 1:44 PM
To: Morrissey <miles.j....@gmail.com>, Rebecca Boenke <rabo...@gmail.com>
Cc: Jay Harris <rhyt...@mindspring.com>
Subject: Community Small Grant 1:1

Hi all,

I wanted to check in to see how the postcard project is going along for the Community Small Grant. I noticed you haven’t used your funds yet. Do you have plans to spend it before December 31st? 

Warmly,

 

Alex Cherin | he/him

Grantmaking Programs Manager

SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition

3534 SE Main St | Portland, OR 97214

al...@seuplift.org | (503) 232-0010 ext. 2

Schedule a meeting with me!

 

Collaborating with Portland’s District 3 community to build informed, engaged, and participatory neighborhoods that support our social and ecological well-being.

 

During COVID-19 SE Uplift staff are working remotely some days of the week. I am usually in the office Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 am – 5 pm. I am available via email other weekdays.

 

Access Statement: SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition values meaningful access to all programs, services, and activities. Please contact me at least 48 hours prior to attending an event to request accommodations. You are welcome to reach out at any time to request any of our materials in alternative formats or for any other access needs. SE Uplift is on the 14, 15, and 75 TriMet bus lines and our space has parking on-site. We have an accessible entrance on one floor.

--

Kerns Neighborhood Association

www.kernspdx.org

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[Jay Harris]

Hi all,

Thanks for all this , Dave!

I don’t know if we can spend any of that money on something else related to publicity?

That should get checked out right away.

IF that proves to be the case, I propose giving it back to be used as Dave suggests for pressing needs like Hunger Relief and tabling the postcard work for now….unless someone else on the Board has the band width to take it on at this late date.

In Support,

Jay 

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