The Environmental Education Program seeks to encourage a strong local land ethic, sustainable communities, and stewardship of the natural environment by citizens throughout Oregon. The Fund is committed to institutionalizing a series of age appropriate experiences that build a sense of place and responsibility towards Oregon and the region.
This exciting and innovative program offers high school students service and leadership opportunities under the auspices of their schools. Participating schools receive funds for grantmaking. Students work together to identify community needs, research nonprofits, volunteer at sites, review grant applications and make funding decisions.
This three-year initiative promotes more of what OCF does best — bringing citizens together to address common needs and hopes. RAI provides a one-time, one-million dollar special allocation to each of OCF’s seven service regions. OCF’s volunteer Leadership Councils will select a regional issue and identify a strategy focused on a sustained solution to the challenges.
Through the Early Childhood Program, OCF supports early literacy and parenting programs, scholarships for early childhood training and education, and initiatives to improve child care quality. The Early Childhood Program also supports research on key early childhood issues and strategies, and convenes forums for information sharing. The program focuses on exemplary programs that use best practice curricula in delivering services to children and families.
The Chalkboard Project
This is a partnership of foundations working to improve Oregon's K-12 public schools. Chalkboard is helping create a more informed and engaged public who understands and addresses the tough choices and trade-offs required to build strong schools.
OCF has an ongoing commitment to Oregon students’ access to higher learning. In 1998, we initiated ASPIRE, a one-on-one mentoring program fostering education and training after high school. We also have a growing, donor-supported scholarship fund that directs millions of dollars each year to help young people pursue advanced education.
The program promotes the development of leaders and organizations in the Latino community and strengthens ties between Latino and non-Latino community leaders.
In a collaboration between OCF, other Oregon foundations and the Oregon Commission on Children and Families, we are building the capacity of local CASA organizations. This joint effort seeks to raise funds, recruit more volunteers and advocate more effectively on behalf of abused and neglected children.
The Giving in Oregon Council was created by OCF to represent different points of philanthropy. Estate planners, development officers, private philanthropists, and volunteer associations are represented. The report is issued annually to provide a benchmark on the state of philanthropy in Oregon.
Oregon Involved is a statewide effort to make it easy to get involved and make a difference in every community in Oregon.
The Gray Family Fund, through OCF, has funded several projects that seek to contribute to the public debate about land use planning in Oregon. More about the Gray Family Fund Land Use Planning Project.