OCEF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides need-based tuition assistance to financially qualified students. Governed by an independent Board of Directors and an Executive Director, OCEF is a separate legal entity from the educational institutions it supports.
OCEF is committed to the core belief that every child deserves the best possible education, and that a family's financial circumstances should never limit a child's potential. Our need-based grants bridge the financial gap for qualified students, opening doors to premier private and independent schools in Orange County and beyond, providing students with the strong academic foundation they need to thrive in their future careers and communities.
Financially eligible families for whom paying full tuition is beyond reach.
Need-based support offsetting tuition, program and athletic fees, after-school care, books, and uniforms.
While most of our grants serve students at select PK–12 schools in Orange County, we are actively expanding our reach into Los Angeles County. Additionally, we provide ongoing funding for past grant recipients moving on to colleges, universities, and vocational trade schools.
Behind every gift is a student and a family for whom a great education is now within reach. Here is what that means to them, in their own words.
OCEF has taken away the stress of worrying about money. It's allowed our family to just move forward.
This foundation is amazing — it's helped my family in the most incredible ways. I'm experiencing things I never would at a public school, and it's all because of this foundation.
This is the best thing that could ever happen to my family. Thank you for everything you're doing for my daughter.
A few of the students and families whose lives have been changed by this community’s generosity.
My parents wanted me to have the best education they could find. To them it was never a cost or a burden — it was an investment in my success. How they chose to spend their money was on my education, and it's one of the things they're most proud of.
Aid from OCEF doesn't just open a classroom door. It opens recording studios, athletic academies, the arts, after-school programs, and experiences that shape who a student becomes.
These are the moments families tell us they could never have imagined — and the reason we work to reach as many qualified students as possible.
Every child holds limitless potential, and financial hardship should never stand in the way of a world-class education. At OCEF, we believe that a student's zip code or family background must never dictate their future. Through the generosity of our donors, we unlock doors to top-tier private and independent schools for motivated, deserving students.
As president and chairman of Fairmont Schools for four and a half decades, one of my greatest joys was watching students succeed — not just in school, but in college and in their careers afterward.
Chairman, Fairmont Schools