Heart of Oregon Corps is proud to announce it has been named 2025 Nonprofit of the Year at Central Oregon Builders Association’s annual Excellence Awards ceremony held Thursday, Jan. 15. The award was generously sponsored by Miller Lumber.
The recognition comes on the heels of a successful year of community fundraising for Heart of Oregon Corps, which has now raised $6.16 million, or 84%, of the total funding needed for Central Oregon’s first youth workforce development campus. The organization has $1.14 million left to raise by grand opening on Sept. 30, 2026.
The $7.3 million, 3.4-acre campus in Redmond will serve as a regional hub for hands-on youth job training in construction, conservation, childcare, and other high-demand trades—helping address workforce shortages driven by the “silver tsunami” of retiring baby boomers while strengthening the long-term economic vitality of Central Oregon communities.
“Central Oregon Builders Association sees Heart of Oregon Corps as a vital, long-term solution to the challenges we face—from workforce shortages to housing affordability,” said Ron Wanless, the chair of COBA’s Workforce Advisory Board. “By investing in young people who want to learn the trades, we are investing in the future builders, craftspeople, and professionals who will sustain Central Oregon. We’re proud to partner with Heart of Oregon Corps and invite the business community to step up alongside us in the months ahead.”
Now, Heart of Oregon and COBA will collaborate to offer a jam-packed slate of highly visible events and opportunities for campus campaign corporate donors to be recognized for their generous gifts, including at the following:
- April 1 “Make Your Mark” Campus Breakfast featuring local celebrity pancake flippers and the chance for businesses to visit the campus construction site and confirm their support for youth workforce development
- May 1-3 COBA Home and Garden Show Cornhole for Community including a family-fun play on cornhole boards featuring business sponsor logos at a high-visibility tent at the entrance to the Expo Center at the Fairgrounds and inclusion in printed event guide
- June COBA Annual Golf Tournament featuring high-visibility recognition of corporate donors
- Sept. 19 Endless Summer Nights annual family fun community event featuring cornhole boards with corporate logos and high-visibility community marketing of event
- Sept. 30 Campus Grand Opening with extensive media coverage, banners for major donors, and recognition of all corporate contributors
- Forever Donor Wall at the new campus
- COBA 2027 Directory inclusion in full page Thank You ad
Corporate partners are encouraged to make their commitments online by March 1, 2026 to maximize impact and recognition. Early gifts will help keep construction debt at bay and will signal a strong, visible commitment to Central Oregon’s workforce, youth and economic future.
“We are so grateful to all our existing campus donors, and to all the new partners who will join us on this journey in 2026,” said Laura Handy, Executive Director of Heart of Oregon Corps. “We cannot thank COBA enough for stepping forward as a partner to help us cross the finish line and open the doors on time and on budget in September 2026!”
Heart of Oregon is proud to recognize major campus donors including Aperion Management Group, Bend Foundation, Clark Family Foundation, Collins Foundation, Crevier Family Foundation, Deschutes County ARPA, First Interstate Bank Foundation, Ford Family Foundation, Hayden Homes, Marie Lamfrom Foundation, Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, Mike’s Fence Center, MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, PGE Foundation, R&H Construction, Rosendin Foundation, Roundhouse Foundation, State of Oregon, The Joseph & Elizabeth Hoffart Charitable Foundation, The Max & Marie Anna Richter Family Fund of OCF and The Tykeson Family Foundation.
Businesses can learn more and make a corporate contribution at www.hoccampus.org/donor-benefits.
