Cycle Oregon Signature Grant

In 2005 the Cycle Oregon Fund initiated a $50,000 Signature Grant to help the community of Halfway complete a long-term funding project to repurchase the land for its county fairgrounds, which had been foreclosed upon. With Cycle Oregon providing the last boost to get to their overall fundraising goal, Halfway was able to reacquire their fairgrounds. And the concept of the Cycle Oregon Signature Grant was born.

In 2007 our Signature Grant helped restock Diamond Lake with trout. An invasive non-native fish species was ruining the lake’s ecosystem, and so the lake was intentionally poisoned to kill off the invaders. Afterward, an ambitious program set out to re-stock the renowned fishing lake with new trout, and Cycle Oregon contributed $50,000 toward the effort. Six months after stocking the lake, people were pulling trophy trout out of Diamond Lake

In 2008 our Signature Grant was dedicated to helping protect Wallowa Lake’s glacial moraines from development pressure. These rare geological features, carved by ancient glaciers, rise above the east and west shores of pristine Wallowa Lake. They’re considered both naturally and culturally precious by Native Americans and lovers of the land. Cycle Oregon contributed $50,000 toward the ambitious effort to preserve this land from further development.

In 2009, Cycle Oregon’s Signature Grant went to Oregon’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Cycle O has partnered with State Parks to champion a shared vision for an official network of State Scenic Bikeways. These mapped, marketed and maintained routes will connect communities and highlight the scenery, history and culture of the state, showcasing the essence of Oregon to residents and visitors alike. The Cycle Oregon Fund contributed $50,000 to help that vision become reality.