Application process
How the Portland metro area selection process works
Every year, many community members apply to join the OSU Extension Master Gardener™ Program in the Portland metro area (Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties). We’re grateful that so many people are excited to learn, grow and support gardening education in their communities.
Most applicants are strong and aligned with the mission—limited capacity, not lack of potential, determines most selection outcomes.
Because this is a public-service training program with hands-on instruction and post-training volunteer support, training group size is limited. In recent years, interest has exceeded available space.
Training demand in recent years
To help applicants understand the scale:
In most years, we receive significantly more applications than available training seats.
- Demand in the metro region is typically 150–200% of available openings.
- The highest concentration of applications consistently comes from the Portland area, resulting in a competitive selection process.
- Even after increasing training capacity in recent years, we continue to receive more applications than can be accommodated.
How applications are reviewed
Our process is designed to be thoughtful, consistent and fair.
Every eligible application goes through these steps:
- Initial Eligibility Confirmation
Applicants confirm their ability to complete required coursework and volunteer service and uphold program values. - Anonymous Review
Identifying information is removed, and each application is assigned a number. - Independent Evaluation
Three certified Master Gardener volunteers review each application independently. - Rubric-Based Scoring
- Reviewers use a standardized scoring rubric to evaluate responses based on:
- motivation to serve the community and alignment with the OSU Extension Master Gardener Program mission
- Motivation and interest in joining the Master Gardener Program
- commitment to inclusive, welcoming learning environments
- Final Ranking and Offers
Scores are averaged and ranked. Offers are extended based on available capacity.
A note about funding and capacity
County support helps sustain and grow local Extension programs, including the Master Gardener training cohort size.
If you live in Multnomah County, you may want to learn more about local efforts to support Extension programs and how funding affects volunteer capacity over time.
If you’re not selected
Most applicants are strong and aligned with the mission—limited capacity, not lack of potential, determines most selection outcomes.
Applicants are welcome to reapply in future years.
Staying connected
Whether or not someone is accepted in a given year, there are many ways to stay engaged:
- Attend Master Gardener public events and workshops
- Enroll in OSU continuing education courses
- Join statewide webinars
- Explore the large list of gardening education available to you from OSU.
We deeply appreciate community interest and support for sustainable gardening and public education.