CLACKAMAS COUNTY CULTURAL COALITION GRANT PROGRAM 

Application Deadline: April 17, 2025 

This application is for projects or operational support occurring between June 30, 2025 - May 31, 2026.

Before starting your grant application, please read the Cultural Plan for Arts, Heritage and Humanities. Your ability to write a competitive application will be improved by your familiarity with the Plan! Important information:

1. Please read the Guidelines carefully before proceeding with the application.
2. You can print this application web page or copy and paste the entire application into a Word document to review all sections of the application before starting.
3. We strongly encourage you to complete your responses in Word or another software to double-check word count, spelling and grammar. This will also give you a backup copy should anything disrupt your data entry into the online form.

If you have any challenges, please contact 503-655-0525 or email info@clackamasartsalliance.org. LINKS TO IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• Cultural Plan
• Guidelines
• Funding Priorities

Please note, if you have not used the Submittable application platform before, you will be prompted to create a username and password. There is no cost to do this. If you have applied through Submittable before, please have your login information available before applying. * Indicates a REQUIRED field

OPENING DATE: March 10, 2025

CLOSING DATE: April 7, 2025, 11:59 pm PST

Winners will be announced on or near May 15, 2025. 

Winners will be invited to read their entries at the Milwaukie Poetry Series, First Friday reading on June 6, 2025, at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, 2036 SE Jefferson St. Milwaukie, OR 97222, 6:30 - 8 PM.

Finalist Entries will be judged by Paulann Petersen, Oregon Poet Laureate Emerita,

GENRES

• Poetry - any style

2025 Poetry Contest Theme

This theme’s inspiration recognizes that Clackamas County has been home to diverse caretakers and inhabitants for millennia. As we look to the future, how might we celebrate those who came before and those who are taking us to what lies ahead. 

Consider in your poem submission how the geography of our diverse county has shaped our cities and their people. Consider the intersection of people of past and present between the rivers and the mountains and the trees.

ELIGIBILITY AND CONTEST RULES

• Entries must be original work, composed by the applicant.
• Entries must not have been published elsewhere in any form.
• Writers can submit multiple entries but each entry requires a separate application and fee.
• Entries in both English and Spanish will be accepted.
• Writers must work or live in Clackamas County, Oregon and be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission.
• Clackamas County Arts Alliance staff, board, and committee members may not enter.
• Entries will be judged anonymously.

DOCUMENT FORMAT

• Documents must be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format and names must include only the title of the piece (no identifying information).
• Documents must be formatted using Times New Roman font size 12 with 1 inch margins left/right and top/bottom.
• The title of the piece and page number must be shown at the top of each page.   Do not use any other headers or footers.
• Poems must use single line spacing.

ENTRY FEE: There will be a $25 entry fee per entry, payable at submission. Entry fees are

non-refundable.

AWARDS: There will be one First Place winner and one or more Runner Up winners

• First Place winners will receive a cash prize of $250 
• Runner Up winners will receive a cash prize of $100 

COPYRIGHT

By entering this contest, participants grant Clackamas County Arts Alliance (CCAA) the non-exclusive rights to post the submitted poems in CCAA publications. Participants understand this authorization will not affect their own rights to, and ownership of, their work. Participants further understand that CCAA may post an image of their work on the CCAA social media sites and website, and that CCAA may, with participants' consent, submit their work to newspapers, magazines and similar forums for publication.

QUESTIONS? Email Clackamas County Arts Alliance at info@clackamasartsalliance.org