March 2020 will be remembered at Oregon Community Foundation as the beginning of a year-long, statewide community crisis response that clarified our most vital role: to mobilize and deploy resources where they are needed most.
In one weekend, almost all of OCF’s staff moved to remote workplaces at the very moment our work increased in urgency and complexity.
In two weeks, OCF developed and implemented the largest grantmaking program in our history alongside countless partners: nonprofits, funders, donors, community leaders, government and businesses.
The Oregon Community Recovery Fund (OCRF) launched on March 17, 2020, and rapidly deployed resources to nonprofits supporting Oregonians most affected by the health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19. This fund ultimately distributed $15.2 million to the community as part of our $87.7 million COVID-19 grantmaking initiative.
The scope, impact and lessons of the OCRF effort have dramatically influenced the Foundation’s work and will do so well into the future.
The OCRF is just one piece of OCF’s multipronged COVID-19 response effort. See our 2020 annual report for statewide stories.