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Welcome to our first e-newsletter!
We’re excited about the opportunity to communicate with you in a way that is more immediate, greener, and, most importantly, allows us to keep more of our funds where they belong: in our communities.
Save the Date!
OCF Annual Meeting, Wednesday, May 6, 2009
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Oregon Convention Center, Portland
Survey of Nonprofits Shows Giving Trends
Greater numbers contribute smaller amounts as needs grow
 In the face of rising demand for charitable services, more Oregonians are stepping up to give. But they are giving in smaller amounts, and overall donations to nonprofits have declined or stagnated.
These are the key findings of a survey of 113 nonprofit organizations statewide completed in February by The Oregon Community Foundation. The survey, designed to track private giving patterns in 2007-08, revealed the following:
- Average demand for services is up 16% since July 2008.
- Private giving declined for just over half the nonprofits surveyed.
- Corporate and large individual donations declined or held steady.
- Total number of donors grew, but average per-donor amounts declined.
Some nonprofit staff said that even though they know the economy is hurting donors, it is also inspiring donors – particularly the less-than-wealthy – to give. Organizations that can tap into that grassroots willingness to give may be best positioned to weather the economic downturn.
View complete survey findings (PDF)
OCF’s Regional Action Initiative
Leadership councils research strategies to help solve community issues
 OCF’s eight leadership councils are deeply involved in hearing ideas, conducting interviews and gathering information about their regions’ most pressing needs as part of the Regional Action Initiative (RAI). The RAI, which was kicked off last summer at the OCF statewide leadership gathering, is a transformational effort that will provide $1 million each to seven regions around Oregon to help meet a community need. The needs will be identified by the councils following the current research phase.
Leadership council members have rolled up their sleeves and demonstrated their commitment to this new way of working with OCF. Several councils have narrowed options and will select a focus area this spring.
"It's great to be part of the process where OCF is making a special effort to learn about, and serve the needs of, Oregonians," said Bill Swindells, chair of the Portland Metropolitan RAI committee.
The RAI committees are focused on projects that address root cause solutions to problems such as literacy, health care, education and hunger. Some RAI committees are especially interested in collaborative efforts that form a coordinated delivery system.
Committee members have already seen a tangible benefit from this information-gathering phase: a much stronger understanding of their own local needs.
“I am impressed by the commitment our volunteers have made to learn about the needs in their region, to understand cultural differences, and to truly make an impact with these funds,” said Melissa Durham, Regional Action Initiative coordinator for OCF. “And I know that people in the local communities are happy to have someone listening to them.”
For more information on the Regional Action Initiative, please contact Melissa Durham, RAI coordinator, 503.227.6846 or mdurham@oregoncf.org.
Photo: Leadership Council members
Responding to the Challenge
OCF focuses its Spring 2009 Community Grants Program
The challenge: Expect the recession in Oregon to be deep, creating extraordinary hardships.
The OCF response: Focus the Spring 2009 grant cycle, giving priority to vital – and viable – programs, with more flexibility to support basic needs.
The good news is that total grant dollars available will stay close to 2008 levels.
While continuing to fund a broad range of programs from the arts to volunteerism, OCF will place greater priority on projects that:
- Answer the surging demand for essential services and basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, and health care.
- Reduce homelessness and stabilize households by assisting with rent, mortgages and utilities, asset development, tax preparation, and financial counseling.
- Proactively help nonprofit organizations operate more efficiently through mergers, consolidation, coordination and resource sharing.
While maintaining 2008 funding levels, overall the Community Grants program may make fewer grants for new programs and capital projects. During the spring grant cycle now underway, OCF may also fund some requests for operating support of organizations hit hard by the recession, if they have feasible plans for sustaining long-term financial health.
Tidings of Comfort
An anonymous donor gives $900,000 through OCF for Eugene-area residents in need of food and heat
 Hundreds of low-income Lane County households have received the gift of food and warmth, thanks to the generous holiday giving of a fellow resident.
A donation of $900,000 was made through a donor advised fund of The Oregon Community Foundation to benefit two local organizations: $600,000 to FOOD for Lane County for its food distribution program, and $300,000 to the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s bill-paying assistance program. The gift was announced in late December.
To put this donation’s impact in perspective: It is funding 20 semi-size truckloads of food for hungry families, and helping an additional 1,500 households keep their lights and heat on through this month.
FOOD for Lane County works to eliminate hunger by improving access to food. This gift comes at a time when the program’s annual food donations have dipped below five million pounds, down from a peak of 6.7 million pounds in 2006-07.
EWEB’s Customer Care program provides once-a-year payments of up to $200 for qualifying households. In 2008 the program aided more than 7,000 customers.
“Given the current economic crisis, the donor was concerned that many are struggling to meet their basic needs this winter,” said Eugene attorney Ellen Adler, who represents the anonymous donor. Hopefully, she said, “the gifts inspire others to help their neighbors by donating to FOOD for Lane County and EWEB’s Customer Care program.”
New OCF Website now online
The Oregon Community Foundation has a new Web address, a fresh look, and additional features to make it easier to navigate the site.
For the latest information about funds and grant applications, e-newsletters, contacts, and other features, visit the new and improved Foundation site at www.oregoncf.org.
‘Relief’ pitcher
$100,000 OCF donation helps kick-start Community Relief Fund
First-responders to the needs of individuals and families in crisis now have a new support resource: The Community Relief Fund, coordinated by United Way of the Columbia-Willamette. A $100,000 grant from The Oregon Community Foundation helped get the fund rolling.
The OCF funding “enables us to boost the capacity of local agencies that are on the front lines of helping local families meet basic needs,” said Marc Levy, CEO and President, United Way of the Columbia-Willamette.
The Fund coordinates a coalition of service providers – including United Way, Oregon Food Bank, and Community Action programs in all four metro-area counties – who are urging citizens to support their relief efforts by donating to the fund. One hundred percent of all donations will benefit local programs.
“We are making a special effort to help communities across Oregon address the challenges they face in this time of crisis. The Community Relief Fund is a significant step toward maximizing and coordinating the response in the Metropolitan Portland area,” said OCF President, Greg Chaillé.
Transitions
Jean Doyle (1910-2009)
A celebration of life was held February 27 in San Francisco for philanthropist Jean Gerlinger Kuhn Kirkwood Doyle, who helped establish The Oregon Community Foundation. Mrs. Doyle died February 15 at her home.
Born December 6, 1910, in Dallas, Oregon, Jean Gerlinger was an ardent supporter of charitable giving from her college days on, with the blessing and support of three husbands during her life. Among other endeavors, she was instrumental in establishing community foundations: a flexible, efficient method of giving in which like-minded people and organizations could pool their funds under shared management. During a visit to Oregon in 1973, Mrs. Doyle convinced her brother-in-law, William Swindells, to establish what would become OCF, and even donated $50,000 to retain counsel and begin the process.
Mrs. Doyle is survived by her sons Robert Kirkwood of Palo Alto and John Kirkwood of San Francisco; and by her daughter, Jeanie Kirkwood Casey of Nicasio.
The Oregon Community Foundation
1221 SW Yamhill St.
Suite 100
Portland, OR 97205
503.227.6846 (T)
503.274.7771 (F)
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