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The Orange County Citizens Foundation is a dedicated group of engaged citizens interested in the preservation of Orange County as a good place to live and work. It has pledged time and effort and, in many cases, money to the promotion of that goal.
Established in 1971, the Foundation is a private, non-profit corporation, with approximately 400 members. It is non-partisan and non-political.
OCCF's goal is to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Orange County. It focuses on finding a balance between economic vigor and environmental vibrancy and acts as a catalyst to promote intelligent planning and decision making. It is committed to providing leadership and assistance in the pursuit of this mission.
A 28-member Board representing various areas of the county governs the organization. The Foundation relies on our Trustees and several working committees including land use, transportation, waste and water and cultural affairs to initiate projects and guide our goals. These volunteer committees are composed of a cross-section of county residents-some with considerable expertise, some engaged citizens. These committees study timely issues and make recommendations to the Board. The Board makes the final decision on all positions taken by the organization. It is important to stress that the Foundation is committed to a balance between growth and the environment. Only after a thorough investigation of an issue will the Trustees take a position.
It has become evident that many of the issues facing our county involve reform of our land use patterns on the state, regional and local levels. These patterns affect transportation, waste and water, the environment and preservation of open space. To help motivate our decision-makers and the public to work towards change, the Foundation sponsors informational programs that target various countywide issues. We recognize that to be truly effective, a large segment of the population must attend these forums and programs. Thus, we constantly strive to include all residents and engaged citizens in our discussions.
A Brief Overview of our Projects:
Since its beginning, the Foundation has supported the Orange County Parks Department. OCCF was instrumental in the creation of the D&H Canal Park in the town of Deerpark, conducted a fund drive to landscape the county golf course in Warwick, and raised funds for the Nicholas B. Ottaway Arboretum at the county park in Montgomery. We have been working on the creation of multiuse pathways on the abandoned Erie rail bed that runs from Harriman to Middletown — the Heritage Trail. A separate organization, Orange Pathways, was created to work on this project.
The Foundation was one of the organizations responsible for the creation of Leadership Orange. Representatives of OCCF have actively worked with the program and serve on its Board of Directors.
In 2000, OCCF created a separate corporation — the Community Foundation of Orange County (CFOC) to encourage philanthropy and planned giving in Orange County. CFOC has seen tremendous success in its first years, developing a number of funds and raising funds for its own operations. For more information, visit www.cfoc-ny.org.
In 2003, the Citizens Foundation turned its attention to Arts and Culture in the county. Along with the County and with the support of Senator Larkin and then Assemblyman Howard Mills, the Citizens Foundation commissioned an Arts and
Cultural Needs Assessment. The study was released in 2004. Among its recommendations was a call for an Arts and Culture Master Plan for the county and an Arts Council to serve as an umbrella organization for the many arts organizations here. The Foundation has followed the study's recommendations and working with the County, developed an Arts and Cultural Strategic Plan in 2005. In 2006, Orange County Citizens Foundation brought together leading citizens in the arts community to form the Orange County Arts Council. With funding from the County and private donors, the Council works to promote the arts in Orange County by educational, promotional and other support to residents, arts professionals and visitors.
The Foundation surveyed its membership a few years ago to determine where they thought we should be directing our efforts. Click here to view the results.
For more information about the Foundations committees, please click here.
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