Investing in the Future: $100,000 Scholarship Gift and Oregon Community Foundation’s Vision for Stronger Communities

This week’s Medford Rogue Rotary meeting celebrated the power of generosity, partnerships, and long-term investment in our communities. Members welcomed Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF), and recognized an extraordinary $100,000 contribution from Gary and Diane Newland to establish a new endowed scholarship fund.

A Gift That Will Keep Giving

Gary and Diane Newland’s generous $100,000 contribution to the Medford Rogue Rotary Foundation will establish a new endowed scholarship fund through the Oregon Community Foundation.

The fund will provide approximately $4,000 annually in scholarships for trade school students, helping individuals gain valuable skills, pursue meaningful careers, and contribute to the local workforce.

Unlike a one-time donation, an endowed fund is designed to generate scholarship support year after year, creating opportunities for generations of students.

The Medford Rogue Rotary Foundation now has nearly $5 million in funds managed through OCF, reflecting the club’s longstanding commitment to education and investing in the future.

Oregon Community Foundation: An All-of-Oregon Approach

Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of OCF, shared how the foundation is working with donors, communities, and partners to address some of Oregon’s most pressing challenges.

For 53 years, OCF has connected charitable giving with community needs. Today, the foundation manages approximately $4.5 billion in charitable assets and serves communities across all 36 Oregon counties.

Mensah emphasized that OCF’s work begins with listening. Rather than taking a Portland-centered approach, the foundation works to understand the unique challenges, strengths, and priorities of communities throughout Oregon.

That philosophy closely mirrors Rotary’s approach to service: bringing people together, understanding local needs, and working collaboratively to create lasting solutions.

OCF also plays a significant role in expanding educational opportunities, managing approximately 650 scholarship funds statewide. Mensah recognized Medford Rogue Rotary’s substantial commitment to scholarships and education, with foundation funds approaching $5 million.

She also highlighted the Reed Walker Fund, which provides approximately $2 million annually in Jackson County, supporting both established community institutions and emerging organizations and ideas serving Southern Oregon.

Preparing Communities Before Disaster Strikes

The devastating wildfires of 2020 changed how many organizations think about disaster response, including OCF.

Mensah discussed the importance of moving beyond responding to disasters after they occur and instead building systems that help communities prepare, coordinate, and recover more effectively.

Through initiatives such as the Oregon Disaster Readiness Network and Disaster Funders Network, OCF is working with philanthropic partners and community organizations to improve coordination and help resources reach people more quickly when emergencies occur.

The goal is to build stronger relationships and response systems before the next disaster, rather than trying to create them during a crisis.

Thinking Differently About Oregon’s Housing Challenges

Housing was another major focus of Mensah’s presentation.

Recognizing that traditional grants alone cannot address the scale of Oregon’s housing shortage, OCF is exploring new approaches to philanthropy through lending and investment.

Its Building Hope Fund is part of an ambitious effort to help facilitate the construction of 10,000 new homes over the next decade, including housing opportunities for middle-income households.

By using charitable resources to support lending and investment, OCF hopes to attract additional capital and expand the impact of philanthropic dollars.

It’s an example of how the foundation is adapting its tools and partnerships to address complex challenges that require long-term solutions.

Listening, Partnering, and Building Opportunity

During the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, Mensah also discussed mental health resources, child care, economic opportunity, and the importance of ensuring rural communities have access to philanthropic support.

She reinforced OCF’s commitment to serving all 36 Oregon counties, recognizing that while communities may face similar challenges, the solutions must reflect local needs and priorities.

Throughout her presentation, one theme remained consistent: meaningful progress happens through partnerships.

Whether supporting scholarships, strengthening disaster preparedness, addressing housing shortages, or investing in local nonprofits, OCF’s work demonstrates how philanthropy can extend beyond writing checks to connecting people, ideas, and resources.

Service Above Self: A Shared Commitment to the Future

For Medford Rogue Rotary, the meeting was a reminder of what makes our partnerships and community investments so meaningful.

Gary and Diane Newland’s extraordinary scholarship gift demonstrates how individual generosity, combined with thoughtful stewardship and collaboration, can create opportunities that continue long into the future.

Likewise, OCF’s statewide efforts reflect the same values that guide Rotary: service, community leadership, collaboration, and a belief that we can accomplish more together than we can alone.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Gary and Diane Newland for their remarkable generosity, and to Lisa Mensah and the Oregon Community Foundation team for sharing their vision and commitment to Southern Oregon.

Together, we’re not simply supporting today’s needs. We’re investing in stronger communities and greater opportunities for generations to come.

Service Above Self.