The OCCC Foundation Board and staff work closely with the College President and the elected Board of Education to raise funds for college priorities. The  College supports Foundation operations by providing office space and partial funding for equipment, materials, supplies, and contributes to staff salaries. The support provided by the College is essential ensuring that the majority of donor contributions directly support students, programs, and other College needs that are not possible through the College’s general operating budget.

The Foundation received its nonprofit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) status from the IRS in 2000. Gifts to the Foundation are gifts of knowledge that help build a better future for Lincoln County through an educated citizenry. Donations qualify as charitable contributions and may be tax-deductible. The Foundation helps to ensure growth and stability for the College, thus ensuring the future of higher education in Lincoln County.

The OCCC Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of professional, retired educator, business and community leaders who believe in the mission and values of OCCC. The business and affairs of the Foundation are managed and controlled by the Board of Directors, subject to the provisions of the Oregon Nonprofit Foundation Act and the Articles of Incorporation and By-laws of the OCCC Foundation.

Individual volunteer Board members support the Foundation through giving of their financial resources, time and expertise.  Members serve as community ambassadors to enhance the College’s relations with the community and actively participate in fundraising efforts.

The Board acts in a fiduciary capacity in administering donations in strict compliance with the instructions of the donor. Gifts to the Foundation may be designated for general purposes or restricted to a specific department or program. If a gift is not designated, the Board determines its use according to the greatest need of the College.

The following principles were developed and adopted by the Board to guide them in overseeing the business affairs and investments of the Foundation:

Principle 1. We believe the Foundation holds a public trust to do what it can to improve the quality of the lives of those we serve.

Principle 2. We recognize an ongoing obligation to clearly state our mission, to articulate the needs of the students and community we serve, and to explain how our programs work, what they cost, and the benefits they produce.

Principle 3. We know that we are accountable to those we exist to serve, and to those who support our efforts. To that end, we acknowledge an obligation to share information about our governance, finances, and operations, giving due regard to privacy rules.

Principle 4. We accept that we are responsible for continually striving to fulfill our mission, for exerting leadership on behalf of the public interest, and that in doing so our stewardship must be geared toward ensuring an organization that on any inspection would be found to be of the highest quality.