Judy Swayne’s vision and unwavering passion for giving were the sparks that brought the Orange County Community Foundation to life. Her dream to create an enduring home for local philanthropy was realized with OCCF’s founding in 1989, and the Foundation flourished under her thoughtful leadership and careful stewardship.

Founded in 1992, MOMS (Maternal Outreach Management System) grew out of a public-private partnership created to help solve a severe prenatal care crisis in Orange County. The mission of MOMS is to help mothers and their families have healthy babies by providing health coordination, education, and access to community services.

In 1994, a group of passionate community leaders joined forces to found the Hispanic Education Endowment Fund (HEEF) to help Hispanic youth fulfill their dreams of higher education. Launched with an initial goal of raising $1 million to fund college scholarships, HEEF has provided scholarships of nearly $3.8 million to more than 2,700 deserving students.

The “Endow Orange County” campaign was spearheaded by OCCF’s Board Chair Ginny Ueberroth. Launched with challenge grants from The James Irvine Foundation and the Harry and Grace Steele Foundation, the endowment grew to $10 million in just three years with the support of generous local donors. Since that time the Orange County Endowment has provided $20 million in funding.

Since 1997, Disneyland Resort and OCCF have made Orange County a happier place to live and learn. Through its 35,000 cast members, and initiatives such as the Disney VoluntEARS Community Fund, Disneyland Resort has invested in innovative nonprofits working to fill critical community needs, granting nearly $8 million.

The Foundation celebrates its 10th Anniversary as Orange County’s “Center for Charitable Giving.” OCCF founder Judith Swayne retires. Shelley Hoss becomes new president of OCCF.

Ernesto and Socorro Vasquez were among the few Latino students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the late 60’s/early 70’s. Living on grants and food stamps, the couple pursued their dream of higher education. Even then, they vowed to spare future Hispanic students such struggle. The Vasquez family has partnered with OCCF and the Hispanic Education Endowment Fund (HEEF) to fund scholarships in architecture and engineering, awarding scholarships to 43 students in support of their college education.

Ben and Carmela Du have always been passionate about the arts and education, and working with OCCF allowed the couple to realize their philanthropic vision. They have supported numerous organizations including the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Pacific Symphony, Hoag Hospital and the Catholic Church, and have funded educational programs both in Orange County and in their native Philippines. Their daughter is also active in the family’s philanthropy, and is imparting the spirit of giving to her own children. 

For thousands of people in Orange County, the 2008-2009 economic crisis brought devastating realities. OCCF responded quickly to help nonprofits that provide food, shelter and critical aid. Under the leadership of the Board of Governors, we launched our first community-wide initiative: “See the Need, Seed the Change.” Less than 30 days after contributions were received, the Community Foundation distributed $832,500 in grants to 32 local nonprofit organizations.

Located on 17th Street in Santa Ana, The Village at 17th was created as the first shared space resource for nonprofits in Orange County. The Village at 17th began welcoming nonprofit tenants in June 2010 and is now fully leased to a diverse community of 18 philanthropic organizations, including nonprofit service providers and regional funders.

Philanthropy can be a family’s most rewarding experience, but can also create new questions and challenges– an issue brought to OCCF by local family foundations in 2011. Our answer was to create the Family Foundation Alliance. Through quarterly events featuring nonprofit experts and inspirational speakers, members explore strategies for being more effective, impactful, and engaged in achieving their family’s philanthropic goals.

In 2012, with the support of McKinsey & Company, OCCF launched ConnectOC—a first‑of‑its‑kind report providing insights into Orange County’s inter‑connected areas of need, as well as promising strategies for tackling the biggest challenges facing our community. ConnectOC.org—home to this first Community Report—then inspired Nonprofit Central, Orange County’s first comprehensive, online database covering the local nonprofit sector.

In 2015, OCCF released The State of the American Veteran: The Orange County Veterans Study, exposing the challenges veterans face in securing employment, housing, and meeting critical health needs for themselves and their families. The OC Veterans Initiative has since granted over $3 million to local nonprofits, reaching more than 17,000 veterans and their families.

To commemorate our 25th anniversary, OCCF challenged OC residents to give where their heart lives during Orange County’s first iheartOC Giving Day in April 2015. And Orange County rose to the occasion, making 6,139 contributions totaling $1.8 million for 347 local nonprofits in just 30 hours.

The OC Opportunity Initiative was launched in 2016 to help immigrant communities realize their full potential through funding for 18 nonprofits that provide outreach, education and legal services to ensure the full participation of immigrant communities in the economic and civic life of our county. The program is spearheaded by a regional collaborative of grantmakers dedicated to improving the lives of Orange County immigrants, including local private, corporate, and family foundations, and regional funders.

OCCF launched a Workforce Development Initiative in 2019 to help graduating high school seniors, disconnected older youth and underemployed young adults acquire the skills and credentials needed to secure in-demand, high-quality jobs aligned with the needs of local employers.

OCCF, St. Joseph Community Partnership Fund, Charitable Ventures and OC Grantmakers, along with a number of local foundations, launched the OC Community Resilience Fund in 2020 to collectively tackle the immediate impact of COVID-19 on our most vulnerable communities. Just ten days later, thanks to an outpouring of generosity from the Orange County community, the Fund reached its initial $2 million goal.

On June 19, 2020, OCCF’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tammy Tumbling created the the African American Alliance Fund (AAAF) with a mission to raise awareness about systemic racism and support programs that advance African Americans within the region. A response to George Floyd’s 2020 killing and the social injustice African Americans continue to experience, the AAAF is the first of a lasting commitment to investing in the promise and potential of diverse communities at OCCF.

The Orange County Social Justice Fund was launched in 2023 to expand access to opportunities that will help all OC residents to thrive. Orange County philanthropist Keith Swayne seeded the Fund as a permanent endowment at the Orange County Community Foundation, with the goal of building the corpus to $10 million as an enduring source of support for the Orange County community. An initial round of grants totaling $400,000 was awarded to 25 local nonprofits who aligned with the Fund’s vision.

The Avanzar Board Leadership Academy is a 3-month training program designed to provide foundational skills to Latino professionals who live or work in Orange County and are interested in nonprofit board service. Launched in 2023 with the support of Adelante Partners, 41 participants have completed the three-month training program fully underwritten by OCCF, arming themselves with the necessary skills to become confident board members and leaders for Orange County nonprofit organizations. 

On our 30th anniversary in 2019, OCCF set a bold goal to double its cumulative granting—reaching the landmark achievement of $1 billion — by our 35th anniversary in November 2024. OCCF not only reached this goal 18 months early but has already surpassed it by an additional $50 million!

In 2024, key leadership roles were restructured to leverage the unique skills and experiences of each of OCCF’s senior leaders. Shelley Hoss remains as chief executive officer, Tammy Tumbling, was promoted to president to lead organization-wide operations, and Cathleen Otero, succeeded Tumbling as chief operating officer to continue to elevate OCCF’s donor and community engagement platform.

The Promising Futures Orange County Fund was launched to expand access to opportunities for students to achieve success with college and career readiness. Orange County philanthropist Ranney Draper established the Fund as a permanent endowment at the Orange County Community Foundation. An initial round of grants totaling $385,000 was awarded to 16 local nonprofits who aligned with the Fund’s focus and priorities.