The Blueprint Foundation

This Earth Month, The Blueprint Foundation is excited to share with you our 2025 Impact Report 🌟

Since 2015, we’ve strived to bridge opportunity gaps in education, mentorship, and the green economy — recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and BIPOC communities were the most negatively affected by environmental impacts.

In the beginning, Blueprint started with small experiential learning programs to foster reconnection to land and community through native plantings and restoration efforts. And 10 years later, we’re proud to say those early experiences grew into a movement. 🌱

Today, our programs help youth and adults explore environmental education, workforce development, and green career pathways.

More importantly, each of our programs plants seeds of belonging, identity, and purpose.

This Earth Month, support our mission to cultivate the next generation of Black and BIPOC environmental leaders by connecting youth and young adults to nature, mentorship, and meaningful green careers. 🌳

🔗 Donate today and take part in the Blueprint to a sustainable future by visiting:
https://the-blueprint-foundation.monkeypod.io/give/online-giving

Do you have what it takes to be a Grounding Waters mentor? 🤔 Now is your chance!

We are seeking mentors to join our legacy program, Grounding Waters, which is a hands-on, nature-based mentorship program for Black and BIPOC youth (grades 6-12). Through multi-generational mentoring, civic engagement, and environmental restoration, youth explore sustainability, green building, and STEM pathways while building leadership skills and confidence.

As a Grounding Waters mentor, you have the opportunity to serve Portland’s Black-identified youth, support their aspirations, cultural enrichment, and success through environmental education and stewardship. The mentor-mentee relationship is founded on trust and respect to leave a lasting impact! 💚

Mentors are encouraged to:
🏞️ Attend our weekly Saturday outings (weekday during the summer months)
🚗 Transport students to and from activity sites to bridge accessibility barriers
🛝 Facilitate quarterly micro-outings

🔗 If this sounds like something you’re interested in, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSergbIC-9i6e_wS9xAP96AmRHr0Gpd6Dn0eogAOwQNnmXRBfg/viewform

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

📣 OUR FIRST PLANT SALE IS LIVE! 📣

If you're looking for a way to green-ify your space with pollinator and bird-friendly plants while supporting community organizations, Sparrowhawk Native Plants' Native Plant Pop-Up is the perfect way to do so!

Starting TODAY, March 1st at 9 AM until March 29th at 12 PM, you can choose from over 115+ species of plants to get your garden spring-ready.

Proceeds support The Blueprint Foundation and Columbia Slough Watershed Council's Columbia Slough-based projects, including our annual Vanport Stewardship Event, which connects students to the watershed’s history while addressing the disenfranchisement of Black communities following the 1948 floods through environmental restoration.

All you have to do is place an order online and set your pick-up to Level Beer in NE Portland on May 8th or May 9th.

🔗 Visit www.sparrowhawknativeplants.com to browse this year's plant collection!

Grounding Waters is back out in the field! 🎉

On Saturday, February 7th, Blueprint youth went to Dharma Rain Zen Center in NE Portland, where we've stewarded the lands for the last 8 years. During this year's annual stewardship day, students took a trip down memory lane, visiting sites of past restoration efforts and seeing how well they've kept up over the years. We're proud to say the trail signs we put up years ago are still standing strong! 💪🏿

After the walk, students split up into two groups. In one group, the youth focused on composting and got to learn how to operate a tractor for the first time! In the other, students broke down mulch, laying a tarp down in three different areas near the orchard, where we carefully rolled—and tossed—tree stumps. After a day of maintaining a quarter acre of the Center's trails, we found time to wind down with the chickens and offer them some snacks.

We'd like to give a special shout-out to Roshiyah, who was nervous around the chickens at first, but was able to step outside of her comfort zone and feed them from her hand. 🐣

🚨 If you're looking for a reason to donate during this FINAL day of Give!Guide — don't worry, we got TEN 👉🏾 Swipe through to learn more!

With the support of over 100 donors, Blueprint is 44% of the way towards our $15,000 goal. Each gift pours right back into our programs, so we can continue doing what we do best: empowering the next generation of Black environmental leaders.

Help us reach our goal by visiting:

🔗 https://giveguide.org/nonprofits/blueprint