The Orange Coast Foundation is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to support the college by encouraging gifts of time, treasure and talent from alumni, campus & community members.
A 22-member volunteer Board of Directors consisting of 17 community members, four members of the college administration, a faculty representative, and the president of the college’s associated students oversee the activities and programs of the Foundation. The Foundation has four full-time employees, an executive director and three administrative assistants.
Since its founding in 1985, the Orange Coast College Foundation has received gifts valued at $110 million that has been split almost equally between cash donations and in-kind gifts of property, boats and equipment. As of June 30, 2020 the Foundation had an endowment valued at $23.4 million and total assets over $32 million.
Over the last 35 years, the Foundation has undertaken several successful fundraising campaigns and activities including efforts that resulted in the furnishing of the OCC library, creation of the OCC Planetarium, construction of the Harry and Grace Steele Children’s Center, celebration of Orange Coast College’s 60th Anniversary, the construction of a Nautical Library, renovation of the crew facilities at the OCC Sailing Center, and the renovation of the college’s Computing Center.
Currently, the Foundation is supporting the development of the new OCC Maritime Training Center on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. The Center is part of the college’s developing Maritime Center and is connected t the School of Sailing and Seamanship be a pedestrian bridge across PCH. The Center is slated to open in the Summer of 2021.
Last year the Orange Coast College Foundation provided more than $1.06 million in scholarship support to new, continuing and transferring Orange Coast College Students.
Boats are donated to the School through the Orange Coast College Foundation. All the School’s boats with the exception of the Lido 14s, and the Catalina 42 “Betty” were gifts to the sailing program from private individuals.