Opportunity Centers

SHIFT scholarships

Project SHIFT logo

Through a grant from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF), the Bureau of Fleet and Facilities (BFF), Portland Community College (PCC), and Portland Community College Foundation (PCC Foundation) are partnering to expand regional access to trades education in fleet and facility maintenance and have launched a project called Sustainable HVAC, Infrastructure, and Fleet Technology or SHIFT.

The project connects individuals to PCC’s educational programs, offers insight into clean technology careers, and provides an academic and tools scholarship that covers tuition, class materials, tools, and an Emergency grant that provides assistance with childcare, transportation, housing, and medical expenses.

SHIFT scholarships are designed to support communities that have been historically under-resourced by sustainability, climate action, and clean energy programs.

Additionally, by helping reduce financial barriers for students, we hope to encourage more individuals to pursue careers in fleet and facilities maintenance – critical industries for a clean energy future.

Academic and Tools scholarship

To apply for the SHIFT Academic and Tools scholarship, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  1. Identify as one of the following:
    • Person with a disability
    • Someone who has faced discrimination in the workplace
    • Person with a history of incarceration
    • Low-income (individual income is less than $2,510 per month, regardless of household income or size)
  2. Accepted into or plan to enroll in one or more of the programs listed below:

Submit an interest form today if you’re ready to apply for the SHIFT Academic and Tools scholarship.
Note: Submission of this form does not guarantee that you will receive a scholarship.

Submit the scholarship interest form

If you are planning to enroll in a SHIFT-eligible academic program, please complete an interest form even if you haven’t yet been accepted into a program. This ensures you receive updates and are on the mailing list. Whether you are enrolled at the time of submission of this form or you are planning to enroll, you must send an email to confirm that you are registered for your classes.

Overview of scholarship awards
  • Tuition: $1,000 – $2,250
  • Tools: $150 – $6,300
  • Total: $1,000 – $6,300

Emergency Grant (Egrant)

The SHIFT Emergency Grant was created to offer another layer of support to traditionally underresourced students experiencing financial hardship.

Egrants are one-time support for unpredictable circumstances or for situations where you have to choose between paying your tuition or paying for another bill. Think of it like bridge funding to help you get through to the next term and stay in school. The funding can help cover childcare, transportation, housing, or medical expenses.

Funds are limited to $1,000 total per eligible student per academic year, and documentation of need must be submitted with the application. More information can be found in our frequently asked questions below.

Egrant eligibility requirements
  1. Meet the SHIFT scholarship eligibility requirements listed above.
  2. Demonstrate financial need in the following areas:
    • Childcare
    • Transportation
    • Housing
    • Medical expenses

Staff will review applications on a rolling basis and will reach out to you via email or phone to confirm acceptance. Allow a minimum of two weeks for funds to be applied to student accounts.

Egrant application and timeline

Applications are emailed to students directly once registration is open for the current term.

  • The priority application window, open only to past and current SHIFT Academic and Tools scholarship recipients, is Monday, March 30 – Sunday, April 5, 2026. SHIFT scholarship recipients must be actively enrolled in one of the supported academic programs listed above.
  • The general application window for eligible students is open Thursday, April 9 – Sunday, May 3, 2026, or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.

Please note that if there are any questions or concerns with your application, a SHIFT staff member may need to contact you for clarification. If they aren’t able to reach you, this may result in a delayed decision on your application. Please check your PCC email frequently after submitting an application.

Egrant frequently asked questions
What information do I need to provide?

You need to provide your name, PCC G number, contact information, and the program you’re currently enrolled in. No individual or household income information is required. Please know that to grant support funds, the college will need some documentation or proof of need.

Some examples of documented need may be a bill, a copy of rent, or a bill for car repair. All documents must be dated within the last 4 weeks or be due within the next 4 weeks. Credit card statements and/or late payment fees are not eligible.

All bills submitted must be itemized – showing the cost breakdown line by line.

Am I still eligible to apply if I have received the maximum financial aid distribution for the term?

As long as you meet all three criteria, you are eligible to apply. Our team is the first step in the process to request this funding. PCC’s Financial Aid office will also review requests once they are moved forward to determine if there are any eligibility concerns.

What can this emergency grant cover?

Emergency grants can be used for childcare, transportation, housing, and medical expenses. This funding is intended to provide one-time funds for unpredictable circumstances and can not be distributed for ongoing needs.

Can I apply for this grant more than once?

Yes, you can apply for this grant for different categories, but you have a maximum amount of $1,000 total per academic year. For example, you can submit an application for a childcare bill for $500, a hospital bill for $400, and a parking ticket charge for $100 within the same term.

You may also apply for other emergency grants from other college funds, such as PCC’s urgent student need funding.

What happens if I have an unused portion of my emergency grant award?

The amount awarded will match the amount displayed on the documented need you provided with your application, up to $1,000. There shouldn’t be funds left over.

Can I defer the grant if I’m able to find another source of funding?

No. The emergency grant generally cannot be deferred or held; it is prioritized for current, eligible students, but you can apply again if needed in the future.

Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible students up to $1,000 per academic year. We can not guarantee that funding will be available if you choose to apply again.

Will my personal information be kept private?

Yes, no personal identifying information will be shared outside of SHIFT personnel and the project funder. General demographic information is shared with the project funders, which are the Bureau of Fleet and Facilities and the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund.

What if I can’t access the application?

You must be signed into your PCC email account in order to fill out the email. The application is also closed outside of the window of time during which funds are available.

When will the money be in my account?

Approved funding requests can take about two weeks to process. Please note that funds can’t be processed between terms and during the first two weeks of a term.

Can I get my emergency grant in cash?

Not necessarily. The grant will be applied to your student account and returned to whatever form of payment is on file with the college. That could mean if a third party (like a parent) has their credit card on file with your account, then the grant will show up as a refund on that credit card statement. If you make payments to the college via a check, then a check will be mailed to the address you have on file.

 

This program is supported by a Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) grant in partnership with the Bureau of Fleet and Facilities (BFF). PCC is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Institution. Accessible Ed & Disability Resources: pcc.edu/disability.