Philanthropy is at the Heart of CBD Culture 

Our commitment to supporting the arts, social change, and the economic growth of our community was central to our original vision of Coffee By Design as a “community coffee company.” Today that commitment is demonstrated through innumerable donations, sponsorships, and volunteer work.

 

Coffee As a Means to an End

For us, great coffee is incredibly important, but it is also a means to an end—a way for us to leave this world better than we found it. We annually sponsor dozens of organizations and events, donate coffee, and staff coffee stations at numerous events hosted by nonprofits we support. 

Collaboration and Connection

We believe that collaboration and connecting with others is key in developing long-term partnerships, which strengthen our state’s economy, too. For example, through our Community Coffee program, cause-related coffees are sold in our coffeehouses with a portion of the proceeds donated to a designated organization—raising awareness as well as funds. Recently, we have also worked to raise the minimum wage for all and to maintain General Assistance for asylum seekers and immigrants while they work towards becoming contributing members of our community.

Buy Local!

We are also actively involved in preserving the local flavor of our community and fostering an economic base based on local ownership. This is more important now than ever, as Portland appears on multiple top-ten lists, and local workers and businesses are displaced by spiraling real estate costs. We helped organize Portland Buy Local in 2006, which has been acknowledged as one of the most successful launches of a Buy Local program in the nation and is used for case studies in the U.S. and abroad. We work hard to raise awareness of the role local business plays in ensuring that Portland maintains its unique identity and to educate people about the economic impact of supporting locally owned business.

Looking for support for your community group, project, events, or organization?

Fill out our online "Request Community Support" form! We review inquiries every two weeks, and you can usually expect to hear back from us within one month.