How the Avenue Foundation Builds Community From the Inside Out
TL;DR: The Avenue Foundation is how our team turns values into action. Each cycle, the Avenue team selects awardees and supports those organizations long after the grants are awarded. This people-first approach strengthens our internal community while amplifying local changemakers. Know a purpose-driven, BIPOC-owned business making an impact? Share this post and encourage them to apply for our next grant cycle.
At Avenue, community isn’t just something we support. It’s something we pour into.
We’re a woman- and minority-owned Certified B Corp and 1% for the Planet agency, which means doing good is built into how we do business. Every ad we optimize, every SEO strategy we build, and every social campaign we launch adds up to something bigger. Through the Avenue Foundation, a portion of our agency’s revenue goes right back into the community, funding grants for local purpose-driven BIPOC-owned businesses.
Our team helps decide where that impact goes, and that’s what makes it special. Knowing that the work we do each day helps lift up organizations we believe in keeps us motivated, inspired, and deeply connected to our community.
Avenues of Impact: How Our Team Helps Drive Change
The Avenue Foundation’s Avenues of Impact Mentorship and Marketing Grant Program was created to bridge the gap for small businesses making social, environmental, or community impacts but lacking the marketing support to amplify their message.
Our mission at Avenue has always been to empower transformational change on an individual, community, and global scale. In that spirit, this program was designed to support purpose-driven, BIPOC-owned small businesses with both financial and strategic resources to help move their missions forward.
Each grant package includes:
A $1,000 Grant funded by 1% of Avenue Agency’s revenue, helping organizations invest in tools, expand their reach, or deepen their impact.
Up to two hours of complimentary digital marketing support from Avenue’s team in areas such as SEO, paid media, and social media.
Three one-on-one coaching sessions with Nicole Carey, Associate Certified Coach and founder of River Path Coaching & Consulting, focused on clarifying direction, navigating challenges, and taking aligned, meaningful action.
But what makes this program truly special is how it’s powered from within.
How We Evaluate Applications
We believe that transparency builds trust, so we want to share a bit about how we evaluate applicants for the Avenues of Impact Mentorship and Marketing Grant Program.
Our internal team plays a hands-on role in shaping the Avenues of Impact Grant and Mentorship Program. Every cycle, the Avenue team, made up of people who care deeply about community impact and who bring diverse perspectives to the table, reviews applications using an equitable scoring rubric. While we use a structured scoring system to stay consistent, what matters most is how well an organization’s story, mission, and goals align with the heart of this program.
Here’s a quick look at what we consider:
Mission Alignment: We start by looking at how clearly an organization’s mission connects to social, environmental, or community impact. We love to see real-world examples of how that purpose shows up in action.
Marketing Readiness: Because this is a mentorship and marketing grant, we pay attention to how applicants plan to use the funds. We look for realistic, creative ways to stretch their marketing reach, whether that’s social media, SEO, or digital advertising.
Need and Potential Impact: We want to understand the "why." What challenges are they facing, and how could this grant help move the needle? The more specific the story, the easier it is for us to see the potential ripple effect.
Engagement and Growth Mindset: Finally, we value applicants who are excited to engage beyond the grant itself. Whether it’s through follow-up conversations, data sharing, or mentorship sessions, that continued connection helps the impact last long after the funds are used.
Our goal is to make the process meaningful and intentional. Each application reflects someone creating change, and our team approaches that work with care, curiosity, and equity.
Celebrating Our Awardees
We’re always amazed by the creativity, resilience, and heart of our awardees. These are the purpose-driven changemakers who make Portland (and beyond) such a special place to live and work.
Highlighting their work isn’t just about recognition. It’s about amplification. When we share their stories across our channels, we’re using our expertise in marketing for what it was always meant for: helping their message and stories reach more people.
Purpose That Starts With People
For us, “values-driven” is more than a tagline, it’s our operating system. The Avenue Foundation exists because we wanted to do more than talk about impact; we wanted to create it.
The best part is seeing it in action. The Avenue Foundation is supporting inspiring organizations and, in the process, strengthened our own sense of connection and purpose. It’s proof that real change starts within and grows outward.
Do you know a purpose-driven, BIPOC-owned business making an impact in our community? Share this blog with them and encourage them to apply for our next grant cycle.
Want more marketing insights for purpose-driven brands?
Subscribe to our Conscious Marketer Newsletter
Listen to The Conscious Marketer Podcast
Follow us on Instagram
