For many decades, the Oregon Country Fair has supported other non-profit organizations in our community by our Board Giving Fund. Because of the Covid pandemic and two years of no event, we had to put our Giving Fund on hiatus. But this year we are happy to announce our Giving Fund will be making donations again. We are proud to say that the Fair has donated over $1.5 million back into the larger community in the last 50 years.
The Fair has long held a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status reflecting and mandating our non-profit purpose: reinforcing the Fair’s vision for the world and educating the larger community about that vision. It helps the Fair extend its sense of community and create harmonious relationships with its neighbors and beyond. Philanthropy provides the means to develop programs beyond the Fair event that are consistent with the organization’s non-profit purposes and deeply held values.
We have updated our process for Board giving. Since we just approved the new policy governing OCF Board Giving, we have some work to do to implement the newly approved process. The majority of the funding will be distributed annually with an application due in September for awards in October. Twenty percent will be available for emergent needs throughout the year. We will consider larger grants than we did previously and sponsorships. The application will be available through the Fair office when it is ready. You can email BoardGiving@oregoncountryfair.org with any questions. We look forward to working with you to create positive change.
Philanthropy was the catalyst that began the Oregon Country Fair, has been essential to developing its long-lived success, and will provide opportunities that further its mission into the future.
