To get ethnically and gender-diverse, underrepresented youth from the Portland metropolitan area excited about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through exposure and participation in STEM-related programs and activities.
Building Blocks 2 Success Inc centers its grantmaking on getting ethnically and gender-diverse, underrepresented youth in the Portland metropolitan area excited about STEM through exposure and participation in STEM-related programs and activities. In 2025, its largest reported grants were $25,000 awards, including support for the National Society Black Engineers in Alexandria, Virginia, Oregon State Univ Foundation in Corvallis, Oregon, Oregon Health & Sci Univ in Portland, and Portland Public Schools in Portland. That pattern points to a funder that backs both local institutions and organizations connected to STEM pathways and student access. The foundation also maintains a scholarship program, the Dr. Ernest Hartzog Scholarship, for former BB2S participants or affiliated program participants who are enrolled in community college, technical college, or a four-year college. STEM education is preferred, but not required. Across the profile, the emphasis stays on direct programmatic support, outreach, and experiential learning for youth development. Its active focus areas include LEGO robotics, Robotics (MATLAB/Simulink), engineering, 3D printing, ESports and game design, drones and VR, healthcare pathways, and college exposure programs.
STEM education is the clearest thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. Portland Public Schools received $25,000 in 2025, aligning with the organization’s youth-focused STEM exposure work in the Portland area. The foundation also supports college and career pathway institutions. Oregon State Univ Foundation received $25,000, and Oregon Health & Sci Univ received $25,000, reflecting attention to higher-education settings tied to STEM and healthcare pathways. Diversity and inclusion in STEM show up in another 2025 grant: the National Society Black Engineers received $25,000. That fits the funder’s stated aim of reaching ethnically and gender-diverse, underrepresented youth. Its scholarship program extends that pipeline approach beyond one-off grants by supporting former BB2S participants and affiliated students who continue into college.
Typical grant size is tightly clustered: the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are all $25,000. The recent grants list also shows a smaller $10,000 award, suggesting most giving is concentrated at a single standard level with some variation. Annual grants given are $110,000, and total assets are $1,287,336. The grant pattern includes both local and nonlocal recipients, but it is primarily Oregon-centered. The active scholarship program accepts unsolicited applications and is open to former BB2S or affiliated participants enrolled in college. That suggests a mix of institutional grants and a recurring participant-linked scholarship pipeline.
$110K
$1.3M
$1.1M
$849K
Most grants fall between $25K and $25K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 60% of grants go to recipients in OR.
ANTONIO JACKSON
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Grantmaking is regional and heavily Oregon-focused: 60% of grants go to recipients in Oregon, and Oregon is the top state by grant count. Portland appears repeatedly in the recent grants, with recipients such as Oregon Health & Sci Univ and Portland Public Schools. Corvallis is another Oregon location in the recent list. Outside the state, the foundation gave to organizations in Alexandria, Virginia, and Henderson, Nevada, but all recent grants were within the United States.
The foundation supports STEM education and enrichment for underrepresented youth, with active focus areas including LEGO robotics, Robotics (MATLAB/Simulink), engineering, 3D printing, ESports and game design, drones and VR, healthcare pathways, and college exposure programs. Its stated purpose is to build excitement about STEM through participation and exposure.
The grant size distribution is unusually tight: the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are all $25,000. The recent grants list also includes a $10,000 grant, but the main pattern is $25,000 awards.
Yes. It runs the Dr. Ernest Hartzog Scholarship, which awards $1,000 to multiple recipients. Eligible applicants are former BB2S or affiliated program participants who are enrolled in community college, technically focused college, or a four-year college.
Yes. The Dr. Ernest Hartzog Scholarship accepts unsolicited applications. It is open to former participants in BB2S or affiliated programs who are enrolled in college, with STEM education preferred but not required.
Oregon is the top state by grant count, and 60% of grants go to recipients in Oregon. Recent Oregon recipients include organizations in Portland and Corvallis.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATL SOCIETY BLACK ENGINEERS | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| OREGON STATE UNIV FOUNDATION | CORVALLIS, OR | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| OREGON HEALTH & SCI UNIV | PORTLAND, OR | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| Portland Public Schools | PORTLAND, OR | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| YORK ACADEMY NV | HENDERSON, NV | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
NATL SOCIETY BLACK ENGINEERS
$25,000CHARITABLE
OREGON STATE UNIV FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE
OREGON HEALTH & SCI UNIV
$25,000CHARITABLE
Portland Public Schools
$25,000CHARITABLE
YORK ACADEMY NV
$10,000CHARITABLE