Congratulations Scale Up Event Grant Awardees January – June 2025
In partnership with Travel Portland, the Events & Film Office at Prosper Portland is proud to announce two awardees for the Scale Up Grant, a competitive grant program providing funding and technical assistance for local Portland events that are positioned to grow and attract attendance beyond the Portland metro region. The awardees are Portland Track Festival and HOLI – Portland Color Festival.
Portland Track Festival – June 14-15, 2025
Subject: Yared Nuguse, photo credit: Ryo Gokita
The Portland Track Festival is a world class professional track meet viewed around the world that also includes races for high schoolers, masters runners, middle schoolers, special needs athletes, and sub elite runners from around the country. There is music, acts between races (Unipiper, drum line), food trucks and a vendor village. Olympic champions race at PTF, athletes from dozens of countries and the best runners in the local scene. The broadcast from 2024 PTF was viewed in over 30 countries. It is a track meet unique to Portland that showcases the culture of the city. Keep Portland Running!
Portland Track is incredibly honored to receive the Scale Up Grant. The generous support will allow us to level up the status of the event, bringing the world's best athletes to Portland to compete, while keeping the event accessible to Portlanders. It will also help us double down on showcasing the culture, beauty and uniqueness of Portland through the event to an international audience.
-Jeff Merrill, President, Portland Track
HOLI – Portland Color Festival – March 22-23, 2025
We will celebrate the coming of Spring at Holi - Festival of Colors, one of India’s biggest festivals that also takes place under different names within the South Asian diaspora across the globe such as Phagwah in Trinidad. People come dressed in white and cover each other in colorful powder. There will be a variety of vendors and performers showcasing local goods and talents with a strong focus on South Asian culture sharing. It will be a multi day festival where people will connect with each other, and experience the culture in our community in a joyful and inclusive way.
Winning this grant is more than an exciting moment for me, it’s an achievement in representation for all of the South Asian community in Portland and surrounding areas. It means a lot to have support in showcasing the culture here, this grant is key in helping produce India’s Festival of Colors, HOLI at an iconic downtown Portland location while keeping it free/accessible for all. I’m so looking forward to celebrating this most joyous South Asian spring-time celebration with the greater Portland community & visitors.
– Prashant Kakad, Festival Producer
Scale Up Grants are intended to advance the city’s economic and cultural revitalization, with an emphasis on supporting areas of Portland that have experienced a significant impact from COVID, including high losses in number of businesses and employment, high increase in office vacancies, and significant change in visitor and employee foot traffic.
Award packages are comprehensive programs consisting of up to $25,000 in direct financial support plus custom technical, marketing, administrative, and logistical assistance provided by Travel Portland and Prosper Portland. Packages are customized for each recipient depending on needs requested during the application process. Awardees can also connect with other grant recipients as a part of a cohort model. Applications are slated to open in spring 2025 for the next round of Scale Up Grants to support eligible 2025 events.
Prosper Portland and Travel Portland support and fund this program.