Climate change has a disproportionate impact on our most vulnerable community members. PCEF prioritizes projects serving Portland’s frontline communities and neighborhoods, including communities of color, people with low incomes, and people with disabilities. These communities, identified as priority populations for PCEF, have historically been left out of conversations and solutions for climate justice and resilience. 

PCEF invests in projects and programs that meet the following priorities:  

• Clean energy projects, including renewable energy and energy efficiency; 
• Transportation decarbonization projects;
• Regenerative agriculture and green infrastructure projects; and
• Climate action-related workforce development and contractor support programs. 

PCEF is a consistent, long-term funding source and oversight structure to ensure that our community's climate action efforts are implemented to support social, economic and environmental benefits for all Portlanders, especially priority populations.

PCEF was voted on by Portlanders in 2018, so the program is fairly new and has been ramping up in recent years. The data reflects this because in FY2020-21, only 24 lifetime metric tons of CO2 equivalent (lifetime MT CO2e) were mitigated from PCEF projects. Whereas in FY2023-24, PCEF projects and programs reduced 6,103 lifetime MT CO2e, over 250 times as in the first year. 

This increase shows that as PCEF continues to fund more and more projects, lifetime MT CO2e will continue to decrease in greater quantities.

Emissions reduction estimates were developed for implemented and completed projects with energy efficiency, renewable energy, green infrastructure, or transportation decarbonization activities. Emissions reduction estimates were calculated over an assumed lifetime of the measure or mix of measures for programs that implement projects that include physical infrastructure or technologies.

More detailed information can be found on the Portland Clean Energy and Community Benefits Fund webpage and on the PCEF Program Dashboard. Go directly to the dashboard here.