Oregon Community Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $220 million (2024)
Success Rate: 22.5% (approximate for Community Grants Program)
Decision Time: 4 months (from application deadline to notification)
Grant Range: $15,000 - $40,000 (Community Grants Program)
Geographic Focus: Statewide Oregon, all 36 counties

Contact Details

Main Office (Portland)

Address: 1221 SW Yamhill St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97205
Phone: (503) 227-6846
Email: info@oregoncf.org
Grants Support: grants@oregoncf.org
Website: https://oregoncf.org

Regional Offices

Bend: 15 SW Colorado Ave., Suite 220, Bend, OR 97702 | (541) 382-1170
Salem: 530 Center Street NE, Suite 620, Salem, OR 97301 | (503) 779-1927
Eugene: 44 W Broadway, Suite 426, Eugene, OR 97401 | (541) 431-7099
Medford: 818 W Eighth St., Medford, OR 97501 | (541) 773-8987

Overview

Established in 1973, the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) is the sixth-largest community foundation in the United States by asset size, with approximately $3.7 billion in assets as of 2021. OCF distributed more than $220 million in grants and scholarships across all 36 Oregon counties in 2024, supporting nearly 3,000 funds in partnership with donors and over 1,600 local volunteers. Led by President and CEO Lisa Mensah since 2022, OCF prioritizes funding with the most promise for impact, focusing on the arts, education, environment, and health. In 2024, OCF announced a historic $52 million investment in Oregon arts and culture, demonstrating its commitment to addressing critical community needs. The foundation employs 134 staff members across five regional offices and has earned a 4/4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Grants Program (Twice Yearly: Spring and Fall Cycles)

Grant Range: $15,000 - $20,000 average; up to $40,000 for exceptional alignment
Application Method: Fixed deadlines through online portal (MyOCF)
Next Cycle: Spring 2026 - Application window December 2, 2025 - January 13, 2026 at 5 PM PST
2024 Distribution: $5.27 million awarded to 281 nonprofits in Spring 2024 cycle
Purpose: General operating support for organizations serving communities' most pressing needs

Black Student Success

Application Window: July 14 - August 25, 2025
Purpose: Capacity-building grants for Black-led, Black-serving organizations across Oregon

Small Arts & Culture Grants

Annual Investment: $350,000
Purpose: Support for small community-driven arts and culture organizations

Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant Program

Application Opens: May 19, 2025 (Due July 1, 2025)
Decision Timeline: Early December notification
Purpose: Flexible funding prioritizing organizations serving women entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs of color, those in under-resourced rural communities, or working in under-resourced sectors

Additional Programs: Specialized county-specific funds, environmental education grants, workforce training support, and designated funds for nursing home care and community development

Priority Areas

Emphasis on Historically Under-Resourced Communities

Small rural organizations (population 35,000 or fewer, not adjacent to metro areas; operating budget under $250,000)
Culturally specific organizations (primarily serving and led by one or more cultural communities)
Culturally responsive organizations
Organizations serving communities that have experienced historical underinvestment

Focus Areas

Arts and culture (significant 2024 emphasis with $52 million investment)
Education
Environment and environmental stewardship
Health and healthcare
Food insecurity and food access
Housing affordability
Community development
Workforce training and entrepreneurship

What They Don't Fund

Individual schools
Re-granting programs
Lobbyists
Government-funded public entities
Religious organizations (for religious purposes)
Scientific research organizations
Animal-focused organizations
Organizations that received a Community Grant in the previous cycle (two-cycle sit-out period required)

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Lisa Mensah, President and CEO

Fourth CEO in OCF's nearly 50-year history (appointed 2022)
Quote: "I am excited to return to my roots here in Oregon; to leverage my expertise and the sum of my experiences"
On arts funding: "We believe in the 'radical joy' you bring Oregon through creativity and expression... Oregon legislators took a major step toward building back the vibrancy of the arts in Oregon. They're not settling for merely 'keeping the lights on' and neither are we."

Board of Directors (16 Members)

Leadership

Peter Bragdon, Chair (Metro Portland)
Caddy McKeown, Vice Chair (South Coast)
Monica Enand, Treasurer (Metro Portland)
Vanessa Wilkins, Secretary (Central Oregon)

Board Members

Al Barkouli (Metro Portland, At-Large)
Bobbie Conner (Eastern Oregon)
Dee Anne Everson (Southern Oregon)
Ernesto Fonseca, PhD (Metro Portland)
Deana Freres (Northern Willamette Valley)
Julie Manning (Southern Willamette Valley)
Chris Nemlowill (North Coast)
Peter Nickerson (Metro Portland)
Joth Ricci (Metro Portland)
Chuck Sams (Eastern Oregon)
Penny H. Serrurier (Metro Portland)
Karis Stoudamire-Phillips (Metro Portland)

The board consists of local leaders with diverse interests, skills, and backgrounds representing all regions of Oregon.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Registration

Create an account in MyOCF, OCF's online grants portal
Organizations applying for the first time should apply early to allow additional setup time (plan for an extra week of response time)

Step 2: Review Resources

OCF provides curated resources to support competitive applications including:
- Sample answers
- Scoring rubric
- FAQs
- Information sessions
Review eligibility criteria and grant program details carefully

Step 3: Submit Application

Applications must be submitted through the MyOCF online portal
All applications must be submitted by the stated deadline (no late submissions accepted)
For technical assistance with the online system, email grants@oregoncf.org

Eligibility Requirements

501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
Tribal entities
Government entities (state-supported educational institutions)
Organizations with fiscal sponsors (must provide signed fiscal sponsorship agreement)
All organizations must be based in Oregon or primarily serve Oregon communities

Decision Timeline

Community Grants Program - Spring 2026 Cycle

Application Window Opens: December 2, 2025
Application Deadline: January 13, 2026 at 5 PM PST
Award Notification: Mid-May 2026
Funding Distribution: Same day as notification (via check or ACH)
Total Timeline: Approximately 4 months from deadline to decision

Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant Program

Application Deadline: July 1, 2025 at 3 PM
Decision Notification: Early December
Total Timeline: Approximately 5 months

Success Rates

Community Grants Program Statistics

2023 Spring Cycle: Received $44.1 million in requests with $9.9 million available budget
Approximate success rate: 22.5% based on funding ratio
2024 Spring Cycle: 281 nonprofits awarded grants totaling $5.27 million
Competition is significant: funding requests historically far exceed available resources

Recent Award Data

2024: 2,000+ organizations received grants and scholarships
2023: 2,049 awards made
2022: 1,848 awards made
2021: 2,092 awards made

Reapplication Policy

For Unsuccessful Applicants

Organizations that applied but did not receive funding may reapply in the next cycle
OCF advises: "It is not advisable to submit the same project unless new circumstances — such as additional funding partners, or strengthened leadership — have made the project more competitive"
Strengthen your application with evidence of new partnerships, improved organizational capacity, or enhanced project design

For Successful Applicants

Community Grants Program requires a two-cycle sit-out period
Organizations that received a 2025 grant are NOT eligible for the Spring 2026 cycle
Successful Spring 2026 awardees cannot reapply until Fall 2027
This policy maintains funding opportunities for a broad array of organizations

Application Success Factors

What OCF Explicitly Values

Clear Demonstration of Impact "A competitive Community Grants application clearly articulates the impact an organization's programs and services have on the population served, and demonstrates opportunities for community members to provide input on the direction of the organizations and the services they offer."

Meaningful Community Engagement Applications must show how the community served is meaningfully engaged in the work. Common reasons for decline include applications that "do not adequately demonstrate how the community served is meaningfully engaged in the work."

Priority Organization Types

OCF gives priority consideration to:

Small rural organizations: Located in communities with population of 35,000 or fewer (not adjacent to metropolitan areas of 50,000+) with operating expenses under $250,000
Culturally specific organizations: Primarily serve and are led by one or more cultural communities
Culturally responsive organizations: Serve communities that have experienced historical underinvestment

Recent Funded Projects (2024 Examples)

Food Security

Madras Community Food Pantry: $20,000 for USDA/Oregon Food Bank shopping-style pantry serving Jefferson County

Arts & Culture

Condon Arts Council: Support for creative and cultural engagement in a frontier community of 716 people with "big goals for 2024"

Community Development

Fortaleza Atravez Barreras: $30,000 for peer support, trainings, support groups, and advocacy to underserved populations in Marion and Polk Counties
Siletz Tribal Arts and Heritage Society: $20,000

Accessibility & Inclusion

High-quality outdoor recreation programs for people with disabilities (Central Oregon)
Accessibility upgrades to libraries in Joseph
Expanded legal advice for immigrants in Woodburn
Culinary training for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities in Portland

Strategic Planning Advice

OCF states: "A solid, strategic plan increases the likelihood of receiving funding." The foundation provides grantwriting tips on their website to help organizations design competitive projects.

Use the Scoring Rubric

OCF provides their scoring rubric publicly. Review this document carefully to understand exactly how applications will be evaluated and ensure your responses address each scoring criterion.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Prioritize community engagement: Explicitly demonstrate how the communities you serve provide meaningful input into your work and organizational direction. This is a critical evaluation factor.
Match priority criteria: If your organization is small rural, culturally specific, or culturally responsive, clearly state this and provide evidence. These organizations receive priority consideration for the 2026 Spring Cycle.
Be specific about impact: Move beyond describing activities to articulating the concrete impact your programs have on the populations served. Use data and stories.
Plan ahead for the two-cycle sit-out: If you receive a Community Grant, you cannot apply again for two full cycles. Plan your funding pipeline accordingly.
Leverage OCF's resources: Use the sample answers, scoring rubric, FAQs, and information sessions provided. These are specifically designed to help you create a competitive application.
Request appropriate amounts: The average award is $15,000-$20,000. Requests up to $40,000 are considered but require exceptional alignment with priorities, clear benefit to priority populations, and strong demonstration of timeliness, feasibility, and impact.
Apply early if you're new: First-time applicants need extra time for system setup. Apply early in the application window and allow an additional week for response time.

References

All sources accessed December 2025.