Club Meeting: The Philanthropic State of Our State

Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF), joined the Medford Rogue Rotary Club to share how the foundation is working with communities, donors, and partners to address some of Oregon’s most pressing needs.

Mensah emphasized that OCF’s approach begins with listening to communities throughout the state and building partnerships around locally identified needs. Rather than approaching its work from a Portland-centered perspective, the foundation seeks to understand the priorities and challenges facing individual communities and develop long-term solutions alongside local partners.

She also highlighted OCF’s extensive scholarship work. The foundation manages approximately 650 scholarship funds across Oregon, helping connect donor generosity with opportunities for students throughout the state. Mensah recognized the Medford Rogue Rotary Club’s significant commitment to scholarships and education, which approaches $5 million in support.

Disaster preparedness and recovery have also become an increasingly important part of OCF’s work. Drawing on lessons from the devastating 2020 wildfires, the foundation has worked to move beyond simply responding after disasters occur. Through efforts such as the Oregon Disaster Readiness Network and the Disaster Funders Network, OCF is helping communities and philanthropic organizations prepare in advance and coordinate resources more quickly when disasters strike.

Mensah also discussed Oregon’s housing shortage and OCF’s efforts to use new financial tools to address it. In addition to traditional grantmaking, the foundation is expanding into lending and investing through initiatives such as the Building Hope Fund, with a goal of facilitating the construction of 10,000 new homes over the next decade.

During the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, Mensah spoke about mental health resources and OCF’s commitment to rural Oregon. She stressed that the foundation serves all 36 counties and described its work as an “all-of-Oregon” effort. Issues such as housing, child care, mental health, disaster preparedness, and economic opportunity affect communities across the state, and OCF focuses on bringing people and resources together to develop practical solutions.

Mensah’s presentation offered a look at how the Oregon Community Foundation is evolving beyond traditional philanthropy—using grants, scholarships, partnerships, lending, and statewide networks to help Oregon communities build greater opportunity and resilience.