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Orange County Community Foundation

EIN 33-0378778 · Irvine, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITY'S HEARTFELT INTENTION INTO GREATER IMPACT FOR GOOD.

Income
$138.5 million
Spending
$135.4 million
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
45 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 88%
Employees
37
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$561,363, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 45.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $122.4 million spent. DONOR ADVISED AND SCHOLARSHIP FUNDSCONTRIBUTIONS TO DONOR ADVISED FUNDS (ENDOWED AND NONENDOWED) WERE $114,600,000. GRANTS FROM DONOR ADVISED FUNDS WERE $112,300,000. OCCF ALSO HAS OVER 60 SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS THAT HELPED MORE THAN 420 STUDENTS WITH SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING $2,000,000. OTHER GRANTING TOTALED $5,800,000. OCCF FACILITATES CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS FOR DONORS WITH SPECIAL INTERESTS AND ALSO ADMINISTERS TWO COUNTYWIDE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS: 1) THE HISPANIC EDUCATION ENDOWMENT FUND AND 2) THE AVID SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
  2. $6.3 million spent. FIELD OF INTEREST AND LEGACY IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO FAITHFULLY STEWARD THE INTENTIONS OF OUR DONORS, OCCF MAINTAINS SEVERAL FIELD OF INTEREST AND LEGACY FUNDS THAT AWARD GRANTS IN ARTS AND CULTURE, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES, SPECIAL NEEDS AND NONPROFIT CAPACITY BUILDING. TOTAL GRANTS MADE THROUGH A COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS FROM UNRESTRICTED AND FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS WERE $5,000,000.
  3. $181,176 spent. DISCRETIONARYIN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR MISSION TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY'S HEARTFELT INTENTION INTO GREATER IMPACT FOR GOOD, OCCF CONTINUED TO DIRECT ITS DISCRETIONARY RESOURCES TOWARD MULTIPLE LOCAL INITIATIVES: 1) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, TO CONNECT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS TO IN-DEMAND, MIDDLE-SKILLS JOBS WITHIN TARGETED SECTORS IN ORANGE COUNTY VIA FORMALIZED PIPELINES; 2) OC VETERANS INITIATIVE TOWARD ASSESSMENT, REFERRAL, TRANSITION SUPPORT, HEALTH, AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT FOR VETERANS RETURNING TO OC; AND 3) OC OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVE, TOWARD ENSURING IMMIGRANTS SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE INTO THE ECONOMIC AND CIVIC LIFE OF OUR COMMUNITY. THESE INITIATIVES ARE MUCH MORE THAN RESPONSIVE GRANT PROGRAMS. IN EACH OF THESE INITIATIVES, OCCF IS THE TRUSTED COMMUNITY PARTNER WITH THE RELATIONSHIPS TO BOTH ASSEMBLE AND LEVERAGE FUNDING RESOURCES, AND THE CAPACITY TO FACILITATE STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN NONPROFITS TO ACHIEVE COLLECTIVE IMPACT. WITH A RELATIVELY MODEST INVESTMENT OF OUR DISCRETIONARY GRANT FUNDS, OCCF LEVERAGED THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF A BROAD ARRAY OF DONORS AND FUNDERS TO MAGNIFY OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT. IN ADDITION, OCCF CONTINUES TO SUPPORT LOCAL NONPROFITS THOUGH OC NONPROFIT CENTRAL, A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATABASE OF OVER 600 NONPROFITS LOCATED IN OR SERVING ORANGE COUNTY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1994.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.