Updated:
Orange County Community Foundation
Founded in 1989 and based in Irvine, California, the Orange County Community Foundation operates as both a grantmaking institution and an active investor.
Orange County Community Foundation
Founded in 1989 and based in Irvine, California, the Orange County Community Foundation operates as both a grantmaking institution and an active investor. CEO Shelley M. Hoss oversees the strategic vision, while Investment Committee Chair Paul C. Westhead guides the endowment. The foundation's wealth originates from aggregated donor-advised funds and community contributions rather than a single-family fortune. The foundation pursues a multi-asset strategy spanning real estate, private energy and minerals, venture capital, distressed debt, and secondaries. It engages across the full investment lifecycle — from seed-stage venture to buyouts and special situations — often through direct co-investments and fund commitments. Confirmed holdings include a Section 8 residential portfolio in the United States and a California apartment complex portfolio. The geographic footprint extends across North America, with global exposure through private energy and minerals. With an estimated $549 million in assets, the foundation has granted over $1 billion cumulatively. The investment committee is chaired by Paul C. Westhead, a managing director at Rimrock Capital Management. Professional affiliations include the Council on Foundations, where OCCF holds accreditation from the Community Foundations National Standards Board. In May 2024, the foundation continued to leverage its Family Foundation Alliance — a peer network for local philanthropists — signaling an emphasis on collaborative donor stewardship. What distinguishes OCCF is its endowment's operational posture: it does not outsource all investment decisions to an OCIO but maintains a dedicated investment committee that allocates directly to real assets, private equity, and natural resources. This internalized decision-making, layered on a community-foundation chassis, creates a structure more commonly seen in private foundations.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1989
AUM
$820M
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Irvine
Corporate office
Irvine, CA, United States
Principals
Shelley M. Hoss
CEO
Rachid Chamtieh
Board Chair
Anna Escobedo Cabral
Board Member
John M. Williams
Board Member
Paul C. Westhead
Investment Committee Chair
Tammy Tumbling
President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Orange County Community Foundation?
The investment committee is chaired by Paul C. Westhead, a managing director at Rimrock Capital Management. The committee operates under the foundation's board, which includes professionals from Deloitte, Gibson Dunn, and the former Treasurer of the United States. CEO Shelley M. Hoss leads overall strategic direction.
How does OCCF source its deal flow?
OCCF sources investments through its professional network, including the Family Foundation Alliance — a peer group of local family foundations it facilitates — and relationships maintained by its investment committee. It also participates in fund commitments, which broaden access to private markets deal flow. Direct real estate acquisitions appear to be locally sourced in Southern California.
Is the Orange County Community Foundation structured as a single-family office?
No. It is a community foundation that aggregates charitable assets from many donors through donor-advised funds and other giving vehicles. Its investment function is run internally through a board-level investment committee rather than through a separate family-office entity.
Does OCCF participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
OCCF uses both approaches. The foundation makes direct co-investments and also commits to external funds, as indicated by its fund-of-funds and venture capital activities. Its portfolio includes direct real estate holdings like a Section 8 residential portfolio and a California apartment complex.
What is OCCF's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
OCCF engages in co-investments as part of its broader strategy, particularly in real estate and venture capital. Its multi-asset approach — spanning buyouts, distressed debt, and early-stage venture — suggests a willingness to partner with external managers on specific deals rather than solely committing to blind-pool funds.
Does the foundation maintain philanthropic structures beyond grantmaking?
Yes. OCCF operates several targeted funds, including the African American Alliance Fund, the Orange County Shared Spaces Foundation, Promising Futures Orange County, and a Social Justice Fund. These function alongside the endowment's investment activities and are overseen by the foundation's community-impact leadership.
What sectors does OCCF typically target?
The foundation invests across real estate, private energy and minerals, and venture capital. Within venture, it covers early-stage to growth-stage companies. Its real estate exposure is concentrated in residential assets, including affordable housing. Distressed debt and special situations round out the opportunistic portion of the portfolio.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on endowments & foundations?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: