Mission, OR (Febraury 17, 2026) – The Wildhorse Foundation, a community fund managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in partnership with Wildhorse Resort & Casino, announced their grant awards for the fourth quarter of 2025.
A total of 25 organizations were awarded grants this period, in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $30,000, for projects in the areas of Public Health, Public Safety, Arts, Education, Environmental Protection, Cultural Activities, and Salmon Restoration. The total amount awarded this quarter was $353,606.
These awards bring the total for Wildhorse Foundation’s 2025 quarterly grants to $1,832,179.
In addition to the quarterly grants, three Oregon-based organizations recently received Rapid Response Grants (RRGs), which are designed for small and immediate needs that surface throughout the year. These three grants of $1,500 or less were made to Blue Mountain Humane Association in La Grande, Milton-Freewater Breadbasket in Milton-Freewater, and Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival in Newport.
Each year, the Wildhorse Foundation makes grants to eligible nonprofit, government, and Tribal organizations within the homeland area of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla people. Also eligible for funding are Tribal government agencies or Native American charitable organizations with their base of operations within Oregon, as well as National or Regional Indian Organizations.
The Wildhorse Foundation has awarded a total of over $20 million in grant funding since its establishment in 2001. Grants are awarded on a quarterly basis with the deadlines being January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.
The formation of the Wildhorse Foundation was for the purpose of formalizing the charitable giving on behalf of the CTUIR and Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Every step of the Foundation’s review and decision-making process is geared towards building strong communities and healthy families in the region.
Below is the list of organizations and the grant amount awarded to each for the fourth quarter of 2025:
| Organization | Org. Location | Project Name | Awarded |
| American Heart Association | Portland, OR | Growing a Community of Lifesavers | $20,000.00 |
| Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo | Pasco, WA | Youth Arena Upgrade | $12,500.00 |
| Blue Mountain Community College | Pendleton, OR | 2026 BMCC Spring Celebration Powwow | $5,500.00 |
| Boardman Fire Rescue District | Boardman, OR | BFRD Helicopter Landing Pad | $30,000.00 |
| Cat Utopia | Pendleton, OR | Spay/Neuter & Rescue Transport Van | $12,000.00 |
| College Possible | Portland, OR | College Possible: Navigate College Access Program for Rural High School Students | $5,000.00 |
| Compost Casa | Lexington, OR | Waste Isn’t Waste: School-to-Soil Shredding + Compost Handling Equipment | $9,500.00 |
| Confluence Project | Vancouver, WA | Threads of Heritage Consistency Project | $21,000.00 |
| Eastern Washington Wind Symphony | Kennewick, WA | Eastern Washington Community Concert & Education Series | $5,000.00 |
| Echo Heritage Association | Echo, OR | Protecting Echo’s Treasured Resources Involving Cultural Heritage or Research – PETRICHOR – An EHA Cultural History Program | $7,876.00 |
| Historic Rivoli Theater Performing Arts Center Restoration Coalition | Pendleton, OR | Rivoli Theater Phase 2 Construction | $30,000.00 |
| InterMountain Education Service District | Pendleton, OR | Playworks, the Power of Play | $11,600.00 |
| Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center | Enterprise, OR | MHIC Historic Building Renovation | $30,000.00 |
| Milton Freewater Valley Ambulance District | Milton-Freewater, OR | Updated Radios | $15,000.00 |
| Northwest Youth Corps (NYC) | Eugene, OR | Northwest Youth Corps-The Nature Conservancy Eastern Oregon Conservation Corps | $7,940.00 |
| Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation | Portland, OR | OLSHF School Vision Screening Program | $8,000.00 |
| Oregon TRIO Association | Astoria, OR | OTA: Tech Resources for Low-Income Students in Need | $7,000.00 |
| Pacific Northwest Veterans Alliance | Hermiston, OR | Eastern Oregon Veterans Emergency Assistance Project – Rapid Response & Stabilization | $20,000.00 |
| Pendleton Cultural Foundation | Pendleton, OR | 2026 Sister City Cultural Exchange | $2,000.00 |
| Special Olympics Oregon Union County | Elgin, OR | Special Olympics Oregon – Union County | $4,000.00 |
| St. Mary’s Outreach | Pendleton, OR | Outreach Vehicle Replacement | $10,000.00 |
| Umatilla Tribal Police Department | Pendleton, OR | Umatilla Tribal Police Canine | $15,750.00 |
| Walla Walla Public Library | Walla Walla, WA | The Next Chapter: A Campaign to Revitalize the Walla Walla Public Library | $30,000.00 |
| Washington DECA | Tukwila, WA | Richland & Kennewick DECA Program | $5,000.00 |
| Washington Water Trust | Seattle, WA | Streamflow Restoration and Decision Support Tool Expansion to Benefit Salmon and Steelhead in the Walla Walla Basin | $28,940.00 |
| Total | $353,606.00 |