The Rosewood Initiative

The Rosewood Initiative is a nonprofit community-based organization that has been implementing neighbor-led strategies since 2009. Our community center, Rosewood, provides space for people to gather, connect to resources, celebrate, and work on projects that improve their lives and the community. As we grow our impact, we are making transformational change to the conditions in the community that make it possible for everyone to thrive.

Rosewood is a beautiful community and one of the most diverse places in the State of Oregon. It is home to more than 14,000 people from all over the world, people that are strong, resilient, talented, inspiring, and full of dreams and potential. We also know that Rosewood neighbors are struggling. The area has a high concentration of poverty, high crime, unsafe streets and inadequate public transit, parks, and other amenities. Schools in the Rosewood area are struggling with external factors they cannot control and early childhood services are lacking. Education and health outcomes fall below the regional averages. There are few local jobs and businesses to serve neighborhood needs. Many buildings, both commercial and residential, are neglected and in poor condition. Our neighbors generally have fewer opportunities to live a high quality of life compared with people in other areas of the Portland Metro region.