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.
Community 101 (C101) is a school-based program that connects students to neighborhood issues, such as hunger, homelessness and child abuse. In C101, each classroom operates as a mini-foundation, with students provided $5,000 for grantmaking. The class identifies issues, researches nonprofits, reviews grant applications and awards grants. Students see how nonprofits provide support to those in need and how donors help improve our state. C101 donors receive recognition and are encouraged to visit the classroom.100% of the funds are granted to Oregon communities.
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.
The mission of Ready to Learn, OCF's early childhood program, is to promote school readiness by making sure all Oregon children can experience quality early care and learning opportunities. Examples of projects the Ready to Learn fund supports are: best practice parenting education programs, scholarships for child care providers who are seeking a community college degree or professional development training, and a statewide initiative to reach high-risk families with books and language development information.
The “Boomers & Babies” program provides early childhood organizations with the resources to engage Boomer-age volunteers in activities that improve outcomes for children, such as cuddling infants in therapeutic classrooms or being a reading partner for a preschooler. Two pilot projects in Forest Grove and Medford are continuing to engage volunteers and strengthen their programs. A Learning Community of 16 early childhood organizations (including child care centers, relief nurseries, and Head Start programs) are exploring ways to match the energy and expertise of Boomer volunteers with their organization’s needs. Any funds contributed to this project are matched dollar for dollar by The Atlantic Philanthropies, increasing the amount contributed to Oregon!
OCF and the Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) created ASPIRE in 1998 to encourage more students who do not traditionally think of themselves as college bound to access education and training beyond high school. Through ASPIRE, students receive one-on-one mentoring and “drop-in” help from an ASPIRE Center in their high schools. Beginning with four pilot schools in 1998, ASPIRE has expanded to 115 sites across Oregon with plans to expand up to an additional 50 sites. ASPIRE engages over 1,000 volunteers and reaches over 11,000 students. Funds from Advised Funds will help with partnership grants in which ASPIRE provides half the funding for a program and the school must match it. Partnership grants can be up to $2,500 each.
This initiative focuses on the development of leadership in the Latino community and providing the Latino community with education and services that will allow people to become more fully integrated into the community at large. Goals of the program over the next three to four years include strengthening Latino-led nonprofits, providing community based instruction for English language learners and encouraging the development of relationships between Latino leaders and non-Latino leaders.
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 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.
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.