Types of Funds

Donor-Advised Fund

With an OCF donor-advised fund, you can actively participate in grantmaking to nonprofit organizations throughout the state. You can also name successor advisors, such as your children, to carry on your family's legacy of giving.

Field of Interest Fund

If you have a deeply held field of interest — such as disadvantaged children, the elderly, or the performing arts — we can help you direct grants to those causes. You can also make grants focused in a specific geographic area within Oregon.

Donor-Designated Fund

If you have a specific charitable organization in mind, you may name the group to receive distributions from the fund. If that group ceases to exist, or the purpose it serves becomes obsolete, the OCF board has the responsibility and authority to reapply the distributions to a similar charitable organization.

Discretionary Fund

A discretionary fund supports OCF’s overall charitable mission of improving life in Oregon through philanthropy. We make grants from discretionary funds to meet greatest current needs, including education, health, and human and cultural services.

Endowment Partner Fund

Nonprofit organizations may establish an endowment partner fund that will provide efficient and effective stewardship of an organization’s endowment.

Scholarship Funds

Scholarship funds increase access to higher education in our state. They may include individual academic or vocational scholarships, scholarships to graduates of a specific high school, or distributions specific to educational institutions.

Pooled Funds

When you pool your gift with others, it has a greater impact.

OCF Leadership Fund

We welcome gifts of any size to OCF’s Administrative Fund, which enables us to promote, develop and increase philanthropy in every corner of Oregon.

Oregon Fund

You can address prevailing needs throughout the state by making a gift of any size to this general-purpose charitable fund.

Oregon Scholarship Fund

The Oregon Scholarship Fund awards more than 100 scholarships each year to Oregon college students who demonstrate significant financial need, academic promise and strong character.

Types of Gifts

Our staff works closely with you to review your philanthropic wishes and the types of assets you’d like to use to achieve your charitable goals. 

Cash Gifts

Common donations include currency, or checks or money orders made payable to The Oregon Community Foundation. These contributions are deductible up to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income with a five-year carryover for any excess.

Appreciated Property

Gifts of appreciated securities or real estate often allow you to make a substantial contribution while receiving valuable income tax advantages. Generally, a donor may deduct the fair market value of the gift up to 30 percent of their adjusted gross income with a five-year carryover for any excess. Most important, the capital gain from the donated asset passes tax-free to OCF.

Planned Giving

When you include OCF in your estate plan, you make a charitable gift, enjoy tax benefits and preserve economic security for yourself and your family. You are also eligible for membership in The Oregon Society. (Learn more about planned giving.)

Private Foundation

The board of a private foundation may transfer its assets to OCF to establish a donor-advised fund or supporting organization. The private foundation may retain its name and philanthropic goals with no tax or penalty on the transfer.

Other Gift Types

Additional gifts could include stock in privately held companies, limited partnerships and company stock options, with the exclusion of employee stock options. Personal property and other assets may also be excellent contributions.

Meet Our Donors

Our donors are as varied as our landscape.

Take a minute to read a few of their stories.

How to Add to Your Fund

You can make additions to your fund at any time, using cash, securities, or other forms of property.  Checks should be made payable to The Oregon Community Foundation and mailed to our Portland office. Please include the fund name on your check.

Gifts of appreciated securities or real estate often allow a donor to make a substantial contribution while receiving valuable income tax advantages.  The capital gain from the donated asset (if held by you for at least one year) passes tax-free to OCF. Gifts of real estate require a certain amount of due diligence by OCF, and will require the donor to obtain a qualified appraisal.

Under current tax law, donors can make a gift of an IRA distribution to their OCF fund (with the exception of advised funds). OCF staff will work with your IRA administrator, if necessary, to facilitate the transfer of IRA assets.

In addition to outright contributions, you can add gifts from bequests, living trusts, and charitable remainder trusts to your existing fund. 

Staff Assistance

For gifts of cash, securities, or IRA distributions, please contact:

• Chi Nguyen, fund services accountant: cnguyen@oregoncf.org or 503.227.6846.

For all other gifts, please get in touch with your fund’s staff contact or an OCF philanthropic advisor.

Donor FAQs

What is a community foundation?

A community foundation is a tax-exempt nonprofit composed primarily of permanent funds established by many separate donors for the long-term benefit of the residents of a defined geographic area.

As a statewide community foundation, OCF is governed by a volunteer board of directors. We administer more than 1,700 permanent charitable funds on behalf of individuals, families, businesses and organizations who wish to support humanitarian, educational and cultural programs.

Why should I create a fund at OCF?

Creating a fund at OCF makes it easy and satisfying to fulfill your philanthropic wishes. Additional benefits include tax advantages, a professionally managed portfolio, and access to the support and expertise of our professional staff.

Why should I create a fund at OCF instead of donating directly to an organization?

The OCF staff performs due diligence on each organization, and our work with other donors and organizations often allows us to identify a need within the community that fits with your philanthropic goals. Also, with our donor-advised funds, you are giving directly to an organization when you make your own grant recommendations.

What types of funds does OCF offer?

We offer advised, designated, scholarship, discretionary, field of interest and endowment partner funds.

How much money do I need to start a fund?

An advised fund requires a gift or bequest of $25,000. Other types of permanent funds require a minimum of $50,000. Alternatively, you can enter into an agreement with OCF to create a step-up fund with an initial gift of $5,000, and gradually build assets toward a permanent fund.

What assets can I contribute to a fund?

We accept gifts of cash, real estate, securities and personal property. Bequests by will of cash or property, and life insurance or retirement plan assets that name OCF as the beneficiary, are other possible contributions.

Is there a minimum amount for a grant?

We recommend individual grants of at least $1,000, but $500 is the minimum.

May I set up an anonymous fund?

Yes. Simply let us know when you submit your grant recommendations that you would like to remain anonymous.

What types of organizations may I recommend for grants?

You may recommend qualified nonprofit public charities, schools and government programs.

Can I recommend a grant to an individual?

OCF does not make grants to individuals, only to qualifying nonprofit public charities.

I want to make grants to a specific type of organization, but I am not familiar with any. Can OCF help me identify some good candidates?

Yes. Our staff can work with you to identify worthy nonprofit organizations that meet your charitable goals.

What fees does OCF charge?

Please review our administrative fees information or contact an OCF philanthropic advisor in your area.

Can I use my fund to pay off a pledge I made to my college?

No. Unfortunately, tax regulations prohibit grants that satisfy personal pledges.

How can I get my children involved?

If your children are of legal age, you can engage them as donor advisors on your advised fund. You can also name them as successors on the fund.