Founded in 2018, the Community Services Network (CSN) has grown to become a trusted convener, designed to strengthen the social service sector from the inside out. By supporting both organizational capacity and individual resilience of service providers, CSN is building a more sustainable, collaborative, and effective social service ecosystem, one where providers are empowered to thrive, and communities receive stronger, more coordinated care.

Our Story

Convening in the Greater Portland metro area since 2018

How We Got Here

    • 10 organizations joined as founding members

    • 1 Resource Fair | 164 community members served

    • Membership expanding

    • 4 Resource Fairs | 356 community members served

    • Launched weekly calls to support providers through COVID

    • 6 Resource Fairs | 643 community members served

    • Conference calls evolved into Monthly Learning Sessions

    • 16 Resource Fairs | 1,643 community members served

    • 106 organizations in the network

    • First Nonprofit Connect event hosted with 50 service providers

    • 14 Resource Fairs | 2,438 community members served

    • 320 organizations | 700 service providers

    • 15 Resource Fairs | 3,580 community members served

    • 700 organizations | 2,378 service providers

    • Expanded into Washington County – Took over Vision Action Network’s role

    • 4th Nonprofit Connect – 636 service providers attended

    • 20 Resource Fairs | 5,566 community members served

    • 800 organizations | 2,568 service providers

    • 11 Resource Fairs | 5,613 community members served

Volunteers standing under tent at Community Resource Fair
Volunteer distributing clothing
Group of socially distanced volunteers
Attendees at Community Resource Fair
Child playing at Community Resource Fair
Table with happy East County Bridges employees
Employee of Portland 311 doing community outreach
Urban League of Portland's tables at Community Resource Fair
Smiling DJ playing music
Volunteers at Community Resource Fair
Volunteer interacting with children at Community Resource Fair
Two clowns putting together balloons
Masked employees handing out food bags
Attendee at a table at Community Resource Fair

Mission & values

  • To empower our social service sector through education, networking and collaboration to improve the health and well-being of our community.

    • Creativity: Thinking outside the box to meet evolving community needs.

    • Curiosity: Exploring new opportunities for connection, collaboration and expansion.  

    • Inclusivity: Welcoming all to the table; all voices, all opinions, all identities.

    • Respect:Honoring all voices with kindness, empathy and love.

    • Courage: Challenging inequitable and inefficient systems with integrity, grounded in collaboration.

Our Reach

The CSN operates in Multnomah County and Washington County in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area.