Welcome to the Bull Run Center.
Member Home | The Team Directory | Gatherings
The Bull Run Center is a member-led relationship, strategy, and action group. We built it with leaders like you, for you. We create space for cross-sector leaders to build trusting relationships, envision Portland’s brightest future, and align for action.
Member priorities for what we believe this space can contribute in Portland:
Connect leaders to align energy and strategies: 85%
Convene discussions to support solution-finding: 76%
Foster trust among civic leaders: 73%
Identify policy paths to support shared projects: 59%
Align resources for shared projects: 57%
What do we do?
Kitchen Cabinet Sessions: Monthly candid strategy meetings, co-created by civic leaders who work at the forefront of innovation and solutions-finding in Portland. We explore different perspectives, approach disagreements with curiosity, and inform strategies with the civic leaders most ready to take action. These evening gatherings are casual and spirited.
Free Lunch: Citywide small-table meetings to learn about district leadership and place-based visioning for Portland. Linger over lunch to deepen connections with fellow civic leaders at your table.
Skunkworks Projects: Small group projects to deepen understanding of a problem, and lift up solutions. Projects may seek member-wide endorsement.
Your City, Your Choice Survey: Advise on annual, benchmarked public opinion research to hear Portlanders’ views on local government, community and civic life.
Stumptown Stats: Advise and strategize a public-facing civic data dashboard to track Portland’s progress.
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Review the member guide!
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In support of the Bull Run Center, Metropolitan Group has generously offered work and meeting space for members at the Public Will Building (733 SW Oak Street, Portland, OR 97205).
Whether you need a quiet place to work between downtown meetings, or have a Zoom call right before the Kitchen Cabinet session, or need a space to convene your next coalition meeting — the Public Will Building offers a range of options.
We typically need a couple days to process a request, but in a pinch email Amelia to see if you can score a last minute spot.
Please allow up to two business days for us to respond and confirm your request for space. If you have a more timely request, please email Amelia at amelia@northstarcivic.org. -
If you’re new to the Bull Run Center (or want to update your responses), please take our Member Survey!
This is how we collect the information you want published in the member directory, and learn about your priorities and current areas of focus.
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You may nominate new members! Use this form.
Why are we growing through a nomination process? We’re building a space for civic leaders that prioritizes building trust across differences. To support this commitment, we have capped total membership and developed a process that evaluates new members to help balance the makeup of the group by sector, ideology, demographics, and geography.
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Flexible Membership Dues
We recognize that different people have different capacities to pay for memberships. Choose the price that is most appropriate for you – no questions asked.The Watershed Membership level covers the cost of participation. Rainfall and Reservoir Memberships are subsidized by North Star Civic Foundation.
Pay dues here if you prefer an annual contribution.
Pay dues here if you prefer a monthly contribution.
Current Skunkworks Projects
A ‘skunkworks’ is a smaller, member-led group who research and develop a project, often with great autonomy, for the sake of pragmatic innovation.
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Have an idea that would benefit from loosely structured team engagement? The North Star team can offer support with scoping your team's effort, an invitation to members to join, and meeting space at the Public Will Building.
Email us with your idea!
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Group under construction.
Goal: Researching holistic revenue and expense reforms in Portland’s city budget with an eye toward long term sustainability.
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Committee under construction.
Goal: In 2024, the City of Portland went through a transformation in its form of government, to a city administrator model, multimember legislative districts, proportional representation, and ranked choice voting. This group seeks to evaluate the transition and make recommendations for improving implementation of the new City charter.
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Chair: Susheela Jayapal
Goal: Develop recommendations for Multnomah County’s next charter review process — proposals for how to make the process as effective as possible, as well as recommendations about specific charter changes.
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Chair: Amaury Vogel
Goal: To steer the questions and dissemination of our annual survey of Portlanders.
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Chairs: Rob Bennett and Gil Kelly
Goal: Develop recommendations related to the risks and opportunities of Portland’s commercial real estate financial stress, for government, philanthropy, business and community leaders
Working Notes
We compile “action oriented” meeting notes after each meeting. We invite members to weigh in, connect the dots with other efforts in Portland, and explore next steps — even if you’re not part of the Skunkworks group!
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If Portland stays on its current path—taking modest action on climate compared to other forward-looking regions—what impacts do you anticipate between now and 2050? What might those consequences look like for Portlanders, especially those most vulnerable to climate disruption?
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A loose "SWOT" analysis of Portland's approach to supporting big projects (like the OMSi District and Albina Vision Trust) with Public-Private-Community Partnerships.
Discussion Notes
You may need to request access. We'll try to respond within 24 hours. -
Reviewing research about where Oregonians get their news, who they trust for civic information, and how civic trust and polarization are connected to the media industries struggles.
Meeting Notes
You may need to request access. We'll try to respond within 24 hours.