Gray Family Foundation

Gray Family Foundation

The Gray Family Foundation was established in 2011 to continue the philanthropic work of John and Betty Gray, both deceased. John Gray built his wealth as a prominent Oregon real estate developer. Governed by their children — Janet Webster, Joan Gray, Sarah Gray, and John 'Jack' Gray — the foundation funnels its resources into connecting Oregon's youth with the outdoors. The foundation's investment strategy spans a broad range of asset classes. It participates in venture capital from seed to late stage, executes buyouts, and commits to funds-of-funds. It also maintains a direct exposure to timber. Its capital is managed and administered in partnership with its parent entity. The foundation operates with a lean governance structure led by family members. John 'Jack' Gray acts as an advisor to the foundation while co-owning Winter Green Farm, a connection that reinforces the family's direct link to the land-use themes central to its mission. It is a founding member of the Blue Sky Funders Forum and participates in the Environmental Grantmakers Association, networks that shape its grantmaking focus on outdoor education and environmental stewardship. Structurally, its role as a supporting organization of the Oregon Community Foundation sets it apart from a fully independent foundation. This arrangement embeds its endowment within a larger institutional investment framework, outsourcing administrative and investment management functions. The architecture separates investment operations from the family board's programmatic decisions, allowing the Grays to focus solely on their mission to engage Oregonians as stewards of their natural environments.