Disaster Relief/Hardship Assistance Program - Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce

Tillamook Chamber Community Foundation Disaster Relief / Hardship Assistance Program

The Tillamook Chamber Community Foundation Disaster Relief Program exists to provide timely, compassionate support to households and nonprofit organizations in Tillamook County that have been impacted by unexpected disasters. Through the generosity of a private donor working with the Oregon Community Foundation, the program currently has approximately $10,000 available to distribute to qualifying applicants that were adversely impacted by the storms and flooding in December 2025.

While these initial funds are modest and restricted to a specific event, the establishment of this program marks an important step forward. The Foundation now has the policies, procedures, and framework in place to responsibly administer disaster relief and recovery funds for our community. As future needs arise, this structure will allow the Foundation to quickly mobilize additional resources and provide meaningful assistance when our neighbors need it most.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Charitable Class – Individuals & Families

Applicants must:

Reside in Tillamook County, Oregon at the time of the qualifying disaster or hardship. Applicants must provide proof of residency (e.g., utility bill, lease agreement, or government-issued ID with Tillamook County address).
Be affected by a qualifying disaster or hardship including natural disaster (as defined by federal or state emergency declarations or as determined by the Foundation’s Board), public health emergency (as declared by federal, state, or local health authorities), or sudden personal hardship beyond their control (including but not limited to medical emergencies, loss of employment due to business closure, or loss of primary residence due to fire or other casualty).

2. Charitable Class – Nonprofit Organizations

Eligible nonprofit applicants must:

Be a 501(c)(3) public charity in good standing with the IRS and registered with the Oregon Department of Justice (if required under ORS 128.610 et seq.) OR be a project fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization that meets these requirements, with written fiscal sponsorship agreement on file.
Operate primarily within Tillamook County.
Demonstrate that the disaster or hardship has materially impacted their ability to serve a charitable class.
Use funds solely for charitable purposes aligned with their exempt mission and provide a written report to the Foundation within 60 days of receipt of funds documenting the use of grant proceeds, with supporting receipts or invoices.

3. Financial Need (Objective Standards)

For Individuals (Must meet one of the following):

Household income at or below 120% of Area Median Income (AMI) for Tillamook County as published annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), available as maintained by the Foundation”
Household income at or below 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines as published annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Demonstrated loss of income of at least 25% compared to the prior three-month average, or emergency expense exceeding $500 that is directly related to the qualifying disaster or hardship

For Nonprofits (Must meet one of the following):

Documented revenue loss, unexpected disaster-related expense, or interruption of services
Demonstrated financial gap that cannot be met through reserves, insurance, or other funding sources

4. Grant Limits

Grants are limited to amounts reasonably necessary to meet immediate needs directly resulting from the qualifying disaster or hardship, and shall not exceed the documented loss or expense.
Maximum grant amounts are determined annually by the Board and documented in Board minutes. Current maximum amounts are: $7,500 for individuals/families and $7,500 for nonprofit organizations. Grant amounts are determined soley by the Board.
Funds may be paid directly to vendors, service providers, or other third parties when appropriate to ensure charitable use. The Foundation retains sole discretion to determine the method of payment. Recipients who receive direct payments must provide receipts or other documentation of expenditures within 30 days.

5. Nondiscrimination

Assistance is awarded based on objective criteria without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age, disability, or any other protected class under federal law (including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) and Oregon law (including ORS 659A.403). The Foundation does not discriminate in violation of IRC Section 501(c)(3) requirements.

Disaster Relief/Hardship Grant Application

Applicant Type(Required)

Individual/Family

Nonprofit Organization

Section 1: Applicant Information

Individual Name OR Organization Name(Required)

Nonprofit: EIN(Required)

Nonprofit: IRS Determination Letter Date(Required)

Nonprofit: Contact Person(Required)

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Phone(Required)

Email(Required)

Section 2: Qualifying Event

Type of hardship(Required)

Other Emergency: Explain(Required)

Date of Event(Required)

Describe the situation and impact(Required)

Section 3: Financial Information

Total Monthly Household Income(Required)

Annual Operating Budget(Required)

Documentation of Income(Required)

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Max. file size: 512 MB.

Most recent tax return or two most recent paystubs, or if unemployed, documentation of unemployment benefits or income sources

Documentation of Budget(Required)

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Max. file size: 512 MB.

Please upload the most recent annual operating budget, most recent financial statements (balance sheet and income statement), and written explanation of financial gap that cannot be met through reserves or other funding sources, including documentation of reserve balances and efforts to secure alternative funding

Estimated disaster-related loss or expense(Required)

Documentation of Expenses(Required)

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Max. file size: 512 MB.

Please upload written estimates, invoices, receipts, insurance claim documentation, or other written summary of loss or expense with supporting documentation

Insurance Coverage (if applicable)

Section 4: Requested Assistance

Amount Requested(Required)

Purpose of Funds

Housing/Rent

Repairs

Program Continuity (Nonprofit Only)

Other

Section 5: Certifications

Upload any other documents here

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Max. file size: 512 MB.

Agreement(Required)

I certify that the information provided is true and accurate. Funds will be used solely for approved charitable purposes. The Foundation retains full discretion over grant decisions.