About

While there is often agreement about what a problem is, there is often uncertainty about how to solve it. Just like any state, Oregon’s economy and way of life remain dynamic and evolving, creating new, multifaceted challenges that affect the state’s health. Whether addressing food security, flooding, or high unemployment, each Oregon community faces unique issues that require creativity and collaboration to overcome. Oregon Solutions provides a system and process for problem solving, using what is called community governance.

Collaborative governance is a process whereby community leaders join forces to define a problem, agree on a solution, and collaborate towards a resolution. We bring the business, nonprofit, and civic sector to the table to make commitments, take on specific roles and responsibilities, leverage and pool resources, and ultimately, solve the problem. Learn more about the Oregon Solutions process.

History and Structure

Oregon Solutions began with the passage of the state of Oregon’s Sustainability Act in 2001. First located in the Governor’s office, Oregon Solutions migrated to the National Policy Consensus Center, in the College of Urban and Public Affairs’ Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University in 2002. True to its mission of collaboration, Oregon Solutions operates through partnerships with other organizations.

By partnering with the National Policy Consensus Center, Oregon Solutions accesses cutting-edge dispute resolution programs and practices to assist civic leaders in resolving difficult public policy issues. Oregon Solutions also partners with the Governor’s Regional Solutions Centers to assist with priority projects where state agency assistance and funding is available and needed. When an issue seems intractable, Oregon Solutions calls on Oregon Consensus to mediate and resolve conflict.

Over 100 Projects Statewide

In just over a decade, Oregon Solutions has played a vital role in almost 100 community based projects, with over 100 projects receiving official Governors’ designation. With many projects underway, Oregon Solutions continually strives to meet the state’s Sustainable Community Objectives and bring solutions to bear on vexing topics from watershed degradation to a shortage of safe classroom space.

Oregon Solutions continually assesses new projects. Check out our current and completed projects.

Have a project idea? Review our project criteria and contact us.