Oregon Health & Science University Foundation

What Oregon Health & Science University Foundation does

The Oregon Health & Science University Foundation (OHSUF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1971 to secure private philanthropic support for Oregon Health & Science University. Headquartered at 2020 SW 4th Avenue in Portland, Oregon, the foundation manages more than $1.5 billion in assets, making it one of the largest public university foundations in the Pacific Northwest. It employs 51-100 staff organized across 14 specialized development units covering cancer, cardiovascular, children's health, diabetes, brain health, eye and vision, reproductive health, education, research, and alumni engagement.

The foundation operates a diversified fundraising business model across individual donations, monthly recurring giving, major gifts, planned giving (bequests, donor-advised funds, endowed funds, stock transfers, IRA rollovers, vehicle donations), corporate partnerships, and community fundraising events. Distribution channels include a self-serve online giving portal (give.ohsufoundation.org), phone-based giving, mail/check contributions, planned giving vehicles, peer-to-peer fundraising platforms, and branded community events such as the Nike-partnered Doernbecher Freestyle auction (in its 22nd year). Donor segments span individual donors, corporate partners (including Credit Unions for Kids, Children's Miracle Network, and Nike), 46,343 living OHSU alumni, and cause-specific supporters for reproductive health equity and education scholarships.

The foundation supports a portfolio of OHSU healthcare and research programs including the NCI-designated Knight Cancer Institute, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Casey Eye Institute (a leader in gene therapy clinical trials), Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center, OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital, the newly opened Vista Pavilion (a 500,000+ sq ft, 14-floor, 128-bed cancer facility opened April 2026), and the OHSU Brain Institute. Major recent gifts include a record $2 billion commitment from Phil and Penny Knight (August 2025) and $2 million from Jordan Schnitzer for diabetes research. Technology infrastructure is limited to PCI-DSS-compliant payment processing via Stripe and standard donor CRM; the foundation does not develop proprietary technology products.

Name

Oregon Health & Science University Foundation

Legal name

Oregon Health & Science University Foundation

Website

https://ohsufoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Oregon Health & Science University Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1971 that secures philanthropic support for Oregon Health & Science University, managing over $1.5 billion in assets across healthcare, research, and education programs including cancer, children's health, and vision care.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Philanthropy and Fundraising

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Major Gifts, Planned Giving & Endowment Development (EDALAOAC), Corporate & Foundation Relations (Sponsorships, Grants, Partnerships) (EDALAOAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Healthcare philanthropy
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Charitable giving programs
• Medical research funding
• Donor development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation receives charitable contributions from individual donors through one-time gifts, monthly recurring donations, tribute gifts (in memory or honor of individuals), and major gifts. Donors can give to specific impact areas including brain health, cancer, cardiovascular, children's health, diabetes, education, eye & vision, reproductive health, research, and the Vista Pavilion.
2. Monthly Giving Program: Recurring monthly donations provide steady support to vital OHSU programs. Donors decide contribution amounts and can change or stop donations at any time.
3. Planned Giving: Forward-looking gifts through bequests, life-estate transfers, and other planned giving methods that provide lasting impact on human health. Includes donor advised funds and endowed funds.
4. Vehicle and Property Donations: Partnership with vehicle donation programs allowing donors to contribute vehicles with proceeds benefiting OHSU.
5. IRA Charitable Rollovers: Tax-free rollovers from retirement accounts allow donors to support OHSU through their IRA.
6. Stock Donations: Donors can transfer stock to the OHSU Foundation.
7. Community Fundraising: Community members organize fundraisers including peer-to-peer campaigns, events, and corporate matching gift programs.
8. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate supporters and their employees support life-saving care and research at OHSU through corporate giving programs, employee matching gifts, and designated fundraising events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The OHSU Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that secures philanthropic support for Oregon Health & Science University. It manages more than $1.5 billion in assets and operates multiple giving programs including monthly recurring donations, planned giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, and community fundraising events. The foundation supports patient care, biomedical research, and healthcare education across OHSU's institutes including the Knight Cancer Institute, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, and Casey Eye Institute.

Product overview

OHSU Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises philanthropic support for Oregon Health & Science University. The foundation manages a portfolio of healthcare centers and programs including the Knight Cancer Institute, Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Casey Eye Institute, Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center, and OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. These operate alongside research programs, education scholarships, and the recently opened Vista Pavilion hospital expansion. Fundraising programs include monthly giving, planned giving, scholarships, and community programs like Doernbecher Freestyle. With more than $1.5 billion in assets, it is one of the largest public university foundations in the Northwest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Knight Cancer Institute

Quantifiable outcome

• OHSU received a record $2 billion commitment from Phil and Penny Knight to the Knight Cancer Institute - the largest single donation to a U.S. university, college or academic health center.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Credit Unions for KidscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Credit Unions for Kids is a community program raising funds for OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Hundreds of credit unions participate in fundraising efforts, with Dana Braner, M.D. serving as Credit Unions for Kids Chair.
• Children's Miracle NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Children's Miracle Network is a community program raising funds for OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. The program supports pediatric patients including Izzy, the 2026 Children's Miracle Network Champion for OHSU Doernbecher.
• Nike (Doernbecher Freestyle Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Nike partners with OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital for the Doernbecher Freestyle program. Patient designers work with Nike design teams to create limited-edition footwear collections, with all profits benefiting the hospital. The program is in its 22nd year (2026).
• Kiwanis Doernbecher Children's Cancer ProgramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026The Kiwanis Doernbecher Children's Cancer Program raises funds specifically for pediatric cancer care at Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
• SHOC FoundationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026SHOC Foundation organizes runs and fundraising events benefiting OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. The foundation has held annual run events for 15 years.
• Extra LifeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Extra Life is a gaming-based fundraising program where participants play games and raise money for OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
• OHSU GREENHOUSE (OHSumentors.com)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026OHSU alumni mentoring platform connecting current students with alumni for mentorship, networking, and professional development. Part of alumni engagement strategy.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Washington Foundation: Philanthropic foundation supporting a Pacific Northwest academic medical center (UW Medicine). Directly comparable as a large, health-research-focused university foundation with comparable donor mix, alumni network, and campaign dynamics.
• UCSF Foundation: Philanthropic foundation supporting a major academic medical center and health sciences university. Closely comparable in mission (healthcare, biomedical research, education), fundraising programs, and donor engagement model.
• Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation: Pediatric hospital foundation with comparable children's hospital fundraising programs (Credit Unions for Kids, Children's Miracle Network), donor demographics, and community-led peer-to-peer fundraising model mirroring Doernbecher.

Broad incumbents

• Stanford Medicine Development: Philanthropy arm of a major academic medical center with extensive health-research fundraising, NCI-designated cancer center, and large planned-giving and major-gift programs. Comparable scale and program mix to OHSU Foundation.
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center Development: Major academic medical center philanthropy program with large-scale capital campaigns, NCI-designated cancer center, and children's hospital programs. Comparable scale, hospital-affiliated foundation model, and donor universe.
• American Cancer Society: Large national voluntary health organization funding cancer research and patient support. Comparable as a peer in the broader health-philanthropy category and a potential collaborator/grantee in OHSU's cancer research funding ecosystem.
• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: National fundraising partner for children's hospitals including OHSU Doernbecher. Comparable as a peer in pediatric hospital fundraising infrastructure, though operating as a network rather than a single-foundation donor.

Regional players

• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Philanthropy): Seattle-based cancer research center with major-gift fundraising, large planned-giving program, and overlap with OHSU Knight Cancer Institute in patient geography and donor base across the Pacific Northwest.
• Oregon State University Foundation: Oregon-based university foundation with overlapping in-state donor base, alumni network, and comparable planned-giving and capital campaign experience. Less health-focused but directly comparable on regional fundraising dynamics.
• University of Oregon Foundation: Major Oregon-based university foundation with overlapping state-level donor base, alumni networks, and community fundraising channels — directly relevant for benchmarking Oregon philanthropy dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OHSUvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/OHSUedu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohsu-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Oregon Health & Science University Foundation