Together we are building a stronger, healthier and more vibrant community. OCCF works closely with Orange County’s nonprofit community to make life better for all who call Orange County home.
A $20 million grant to Walking Softer in 2024 is the largest recent award in Orange County Community Foundation’s grant record and points to a funder that mixes local priorities with large, issue-specific bets. The foundation also repeatedly backed other major institutions, including the Pimco Foundation in Newport Beach and the Nature Conservancy in Sacramento, showing that its grantmaking reaches across Orange County and into California-wide and national organizations when the work aligns with its priorities. Orange County Community Foundation’s active program list shows a broad set of interests: education, workforce development, social justice and equity, human services, health and wellness, environment, arts and culture, veterans, immigrant communities, and youth mental health. Its grants also reflect a community-foundation model, with competitive grant cycles alongside donor-advised and discretionary grantmaking. The foundation’s recent awards include support for higher education, environmental conservation, health systems, and community improvement efforts. With 2025 as the latest 990 year on file and annual grants of $246,400,095, it operates at a scale that allows both sizable single grants and a wide regional footprint.
Education and student opportunity appear across the foundation’s programmatic work. Through the Promising Futures Orange County Fund, it supports educational equity, college and career readiness, economic opportunity, and student success for Orange County students in need. It also administers scholarships directly to students through OCCF Scholarships, which are listed on the foundation’s scholarships pages and accept unsolicited applications. Health and wellness is another clear area of activity. The foundation awarded $2,750,000 to University of California Irvine Foundation in 2025 for health and wellness, and $2,304,250 to Hoag Hospital Foundation in 2025 for the same broad area. Its active Vision 2030 funds also include Women’s Health and Youth Mental Health. The environment is similarly prominent. Recent grants include $5,157,000 to the Nature Conservancy in 2025 for environment, and the active Vision 2030 Strategic Funds include Environmental Stewardship. Social justice work also appears through the Orange County Social Justice Fund, which addresses barriers to full economic, civic, and social participation.
$120.4M
$743.6M
$138.5M
$135.4M
Most grants fall between $11K and $56K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$56K
SHELLEY HOSS
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Orange County Community Foundation’s typical grant size falls at a median of $25,000, with a lower quartile of $11,000 and an upper quartile of $56,206. The recent-grants list shows both very large awards and many smaller community grants, which fits a community foundation that combines competitive cycles with donor-advised and discretionary giving. The record also suggests multi-year relationships: Pimco Foundation, Nature Conservancy, Hoag Hospital Foundation, University of California Irvine Foundation, and Center for American Progress each appear more than once. The foundation is a mixed community foundation rather than a private family foundation, and some programs accept unsolicited applications while others do not.
Grantmaking is heavily centered in California: 71% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and California is the top state by grant count. Orange County cities recur throughout the recent list, including Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Orange, Santa Ana, and San Clemente. The foundation also makes substantial awards outside the county, such as Jackson, WY; New York, NY; Tysons Corner, VA; and Washington, DC. All grants in the recipient distribution are domestic, with 2,543 grants in the US and none listed outside the country.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution centers on a $25,000 median, with grants at the 25th percentile at $11,000 and the 75th percentile at $56,206. Its recent record also includes much larger awards, indicating that it funds across a wide size range.
Its active programs and recent grants cover education, workforce development, social justice and equity, human services, health and wellness, environment, arts and culture, veterans, immigrant communities, and youth mental health. Recent grants also show support for religion and spiritual development, community improvement, and animal welfare-related work.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Pimco Foundation, Nature Conservancy, Hoag Hospital Foundation, University of California Irvine Foundation, and Center for American Progress. That pattern suggests repeat relationships rather than only one-time awards.
Yes. OCCF Scholarships are administered by the foundation for students, award money directly to students, and are listed on the Scholarships / Available Scholarships pages. The scholarships program accepts unsolicited applications.
California receives the largest share of grants, with 71% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Orange County cities such as Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Orange, Santa Ana, and San Clemente appear frequently in the recent grants list.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Orange County Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations should be underfunded and volunteer-driven, with professionals contributing services without monetary compensation, and demonstrate capacity for long-term impact.
Who can apply: Nonprofits must have an approved OC Nonprofit Central profile, be in good standing with the IRS, comply with California AB 488 (RRF-1 registration), and have a dedicated staff point person. Participating nonprofits must sign an agreement (executive director, board member, and point person).
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations that wish to establish an endowment fund for their own benefit. Minimum initial contribution of $25,000 required to establish the fund.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SURFING HERITAGE AND CULTURE CENTER | SAN CLEMENTE, CA | $11,021,000 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| CITY OF ANAHEIM | ANAHEIM, CA | $10,855,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $10,110,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| PIMCO FOUNDATION | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $7,048,098 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT |
| ADVOCATE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | OAK BROOK, IL | $6,148,428 | 2026 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $4,743,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $2,122,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| STRUT CARES INC | SAN CLEMENTE, CA | $1,910,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT |
| NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,636,509 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF ORANGE COUNTY INC | ORANGE, CA | $1,346,542 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| JUSTFUNDUS | OAKLAND, CA | $1,250,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT |
| ST MARGARET OF SCOTLAND EPISCOPAL SCHOOL | SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA | $1,133,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| PRECIOUS LAMB PRESCHOOL INC | LONG BEACH, CA | $1,020,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UPWELL TURTLES | MONTEREY, CA | $1,005,000 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT |
| OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $750,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| OREGON COAST AQUARIUM INC | NEWPORT, OR | $750,000 | 2026 | ANIMAL WELFARE |
| CHOC FOUNDATION | ORANGE, CA | $708,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND INC | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $700,938 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CENTRAL ORANGE COAST | IRVINE, CA | $672,326 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $671,000 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $668,300 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| OCEANA INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $652,000 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT |
| CHARITABLE VENTURES OF ORANGE COUNTY | SANTA ANA, CA | $600,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT |
| CRISTO REY ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL INC | SANTA ANA, CA | $534,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| ORANGE COUNTY'S UNITED WAY | IRVINE, CA | $530,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $525,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT |
| TARA'S CHANCE | FULLERTON, CA | $506,325 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| HUMAN OPTIONS INC | IRVINE, CA | $472,000 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| KIDWORKS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | SANTA ANA, CA | $407,000 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| SAILFUTURE INC | ST PETERSBURG, FL | $400,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| SEMINAR NETWORK INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $400,000 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| TIPPING POINT COMMUNITY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $400,000 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $400,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF ORANGE COUNTY INC | GARDEN GROVE, CA | $371,053 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ORANGEWOOD FOUNDATION | SANTA ANA, CA | $369,800 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ORANGE COUNTY ADULT ACHIEVEMENT CENTER | ANAHEIM, CA | $368,948 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER | RANCHO MIRAGE, CA | $362,068 | 2026 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| PULMONARY WELLNESS FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $352,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| ST THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC CHURCH | IRVINE, CA | $351,054 | 2026 | RELIGION AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT |
| LIFE CAMPS INCORPORATED | JAMAICA, NY | $350,000 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ECOCENTER INC | SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA | $348,000 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT |
| TALLER SAN JOSE HOPE BUILDERS | SANTA ANA, CA | $338,000 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN | PASADENA, CA | $337,067 | 2026 | HEALTH AND WELLNESS |
| GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $325,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| ORANGE COUNTY RESCUE MISSION INC | TUSTIN, CA | $316,172 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ILLUMINATION FOUNDATION | SANTA ANA, CA | $313,000 | 2026 | HUMAN SERVICES |
| ST MARY'S SCHOOL | ALISO VIEJO, CA | $303,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| WOODEN FLOOR FOR YOUTH MOVEMENT | SANTA ANA, CA | $300,000 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| PARKS CALIFORNIA | SACRAMENTO, CA | $300,000 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT |
| GLOBAL IMPACT | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $300,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT |
SURFING HERITAGE AND CULTURE CENTER
$11,021,000ARTS AND CULTURE
CITY OF ANAHEIM
$10,855,000COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
PIMCO FOUNDATION
$7,048,098COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
STRUT CARES INC
$1,910,000COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME SOCIETY
$1,636,509HUMAN SERVICES
NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$671,000ARTS AND CULTURE
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
$525,000COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
TARA'S CHANCE
$506,325HUMAN SERVICES
ORANGE COUNTY ADULT ACHIEVEMENT CENTER
$368,948HUMAN SERVICES
PULMONARY WELLNESS FOUNDATION INC
$352,000HEALTH AND WELLNESS
ST THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC CHURCH
$351,054RELIGION AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
ST MARY'S SCHOOL
$303,000EDUCATION
