Search Through Grants for Education Nonprofits in Oklahoma in the U.S.

Charitable Contributions

Our goal with financial contributions from BOK Financial and the BOKF Foundation is to enhance the quality of life and economic wellbeing in the communities where BOK Financial operates and where our employees work and live including Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Our charitable contributions are focused on four pillars of giving: United Way, economic development, education and basic needs

Our long-term strategic plan guides all contributions to assure maximum impact in the community and to develop mutually beneficial relationships with our nonprofit partner agencies. BOK financial contributions are budgeted on an annual calendar basis. We accept online charitable contribution/grant applications throughout the year.

Pillars of giving

Basic Needs

We provide volunteer and financial support to organizations serving the most vulnerable members of our community. Our efforts largely focus on organizations providing direct services addressing such issues as poverty, hunger, healthcare, housing and safety.

Education

An equitable, robust educational system drives long-term community growth. We support local nonprofits whose primary mission is promoting basic education, including public school foundations, early childhood education, financial literacy, and institutions of higher education.

Economic Development

Actions that raise the standard of living and economic health of our communities make them better places to live and work. We provide support to local chambers of commerce; nonprofits focused on workforce development, job training, etc.; and public/private partnerships investing in our communities.

United Way

Our focus on strategically investing in the community aligns perfectly with United Way’s approach to achieving its mission of mobilizing the caring power of communities to advance the common good.

About McLaughlin Family Foundation

Our mission is "Create change in central Oklahoma that helps disadvantaged children and their families reach their full potential." Our vision is to "Break the cycle of lost potential in disadvantaged families in Central Oklahoma." The McLaughlin Family Foundation provides grants to innovative, entrepreneurial, high-impact nonprofit agencies. Since starting out around Dave and Jean’s dining room table in 2004, they have given away hundreds of grants, primarily in the Oklahoma City area. They also do impact investing, using some of their corpus to benefit causes that align with their mission. Collaboration is important and the McLaughlin Family Foundation builds connections among their grantees, as well as with other funders and community partners. McLaughlin Family Foundation, both as an organization and as individual board members, invests time and resources within the Oklahoma City community. Besides grants and impact investing, the Foundation board supports capacity building for its grantees, hosting numerous training “Lunch and Learns” each year. The Foundation board members, individually, serve on a number of area boards and commissions. Together, the members of the McLaughlin Family Foundation work to empower and encourage organization that work to break negative cycles and do prevention work. The McLaughlin Family Foundation is a member of Exponent Philanthropy, Philanthropy Southwest and the OKC Funders’ Forum.The foundation:

• Gives grants to innovative, entrepreneurial, high-impact nonprofits
• Links arms with like-minded partners
• Empowers and encourage the cycle breakers
• Invests time and resources in our community

About the Oklahoma Arts Council

In 1965, Oklahoma Governor Henry Bellmon and the Oklahoma State Legislature established the Oklahoma Arts Council in response to a national movement to make the arts accessible to all Americans. Establishing the Oklahoma Arts Council enabled the State of Oklahoma to receive federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to support arts activities across the state. For more than 50 years, this system of federal, state, and private support has given Oklahomans in communities statewide access to the transforming power of the arts.

Our Mission

The Oklahoma Arts Council leads, cultivates, and amplifies the transformative power of the arts for all Oklahomans and their communities.

Our Vision

The Oklahoma Arts Council envisions a future where:

• All communities are celebrated and enriched through creative expression
• Artists, arts organizations, and arts education thrive through robust public support
• The arts are recognized as essential to education and economic vitality
• Oklahoma is the leader for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the arts

Community Arts Grants

Festivals, exhibits and performances are significant contributors to Oklahoma's economy, culture, and quality of life. Community Arts Grants from the Oklahoma Arts Council help eligible organizations provide the festivals*, exhibits and performances that impact their communities. (*Festivals must feature the arts as a central component).

Small Grant Support 

• All new applicants must apply in this category.
• Applicants are eligible for three grants each fiscal year. Each grant requires a 1:1 cash match (half of the match may be in-kind support).
• Applications must be submitted at least 60 days before the start of a project.

Since its inception, the Foundation, which is still led by Lester T. Sunderland's descendants, has focused on supporting construction projects, awarding grants to nonprofits in the Kansas City region and other markets traditionally served by the Ash Grove Cement Company. 

 The Foundation prefers to make grants for construction and special interest projects rather than for annual operating expenses. 

Grants for planning, design, construction, renovation, repairs and restoration of facilities are considered. Areas of interest include higher education, youth serving agencies, health facilities, community buildings, museums, civic projects and energy efficient affordable housing projects sponsored by qualified tax-exempt organizations. 

Funding Areas

In recent grant cycles, the Board of Trustees has awarded the majority of grants in four broadly defined areas:

Higher Education

In 2022, the Foundation awarded $49 million to more than 35 educational organizations. Grantees included community colleges, private colleges, and public universities.

Human Services

The Foundation awarded $30 million to human service nonprofits in 2022, and many grants in this area went to groups that provide essential services to youth and families. Grantees included a range of youth-focused groups, including Reconciliation Services, the Nebraska Youth Justice Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska and the Sno-Valley Senior Center in Carnation, Washington. 

Arts and Culture

Arts and culture projects received $23 million in 2022, including grants to the Springfield Art Museum in Springfield, Missouri, the Omaha Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium in Seattle, Washington. Health Care and Hospitals.

Health Care and Hospitals

This is a growing area of need in many communities the Foundation serves. In 2022, $65 million was awarded to hospitals and health-care groups to build and improve their facilities.

Valero Energy Foundation 

Valero, its employees and the Valero Energy Foundation are committed to improving the quality of life in communities where we work and live, fulfilling a mission that was set from the beginning. We set the standard for corporate citizenship and promotes prosperity in our communities. 

The Valero Energy Foundation -- a public charity and Valero's philanthropic arm -- funds nonprofit agencies that serve predominantly disadvantaged children and families. In 2019, the Foundation contributed appoximately $40 million in assistance in the communities where Valero has major operations.

Four Pillars of Support

Our funding focuses on our four pillars of giving in communities where we have major operations.

• Basic Needs:  Valero gives assistance to agencies that provide basic needs of life, including shelter, food and clothing necessary for the development of a strong and safe community. 
• Health Care: We invest in the development of strategic community health resources and facilities that will support the needs of all members of our nearby communities, with major gifts going to children’s hospitals, university medical centers and service providers that offer specialized health care services and programs.
• Education: Valero is a strong advocate of education as it creates a necessary foundation for all children to thrive and for adults to lead productive lives. 
• Civic: We support civic and environmental initiatives directly related to the success of the communities where we live and work.

Our Mission

The Priddy Foundation is dedicated to the support of programs in human services, education, the arts, and health, which offer significant potential for individual development and community improvement.

Types of Grants

Within the categories listed above, the foundation makes the following types of grants:

Program Grants

The Priddy Foundation has significant interest in requests which create or expand program services. Program requests should deal effectively with identified problems and opportunities. In most cases, programs should be sustainable beyond the grant period and realistically match the requesting organization’s mission and capacity. Organizations should be able to evaluate results against defined standards of measurement.

Operating Grants  

The Priddy Foundation considers general operating requests, but is wary of fostering annual budget dependency. Operating grants typically require a grantee organization to present a practicable plan to achieve self-sufficiency and may require the organization to enter into a formal consulting arrangement with a Nonprofit Management Service Organization (MSO) to improve organizational capacity.

Capital Grants 

The Priddy Foundation considers capital projects for buildings and major items of equipment. Approval is more likely if the project has existing, broad support from organizations and individuals. Rarely will The Priddy Foundation’s contribution exceed 20% of the total project budget; often it will be much less. Organizations must attain their project fundraising goal and document that raised funds are sufficient to complete the project as presented in the grant application before a capital grant is funded.

Organizational Development Support Grants

The Priddy Foundation has an interest in increasing the capacity of an organization to serve more effectively in a complex and changing world. Requests for leadership development/capacity of board and staff, planning initiatives, technical assistance, and technology enhancements are considered. Organizational development grants must include a comprehensive plan supported by the organization’s board, outside professional assistance, if appropriate, and linkage between the leadership development plan and the ability of the organization to achieve and sustain its mission more effectively.

About the Foundation

The history of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund is closely aligned with the Kirkpatrick Foundation and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. These philanthropies all benefit from the foresight and generosity of John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick; their daughter, Joan Kirkpatrick; and their grandson, Christian Keesee. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund is committed to improving quality of life, and over the years its founders and family members have provided leadership to establish cultural institutions including the Science Museum of Oklahoma at the Kirkpatrick Center, the Oklahoma Arts Center, which preceded the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, and the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. 

Endowment

John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick believed building endowments was crucial to ensuring the financial sustainability of not-for-profit organizations in central Oklahoma. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund provides matching grants to endowment funds established at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation for organizations engaging numerous donors through an endowment campaign.

Grant Categories

Qualified organizations may apply in one of two categories:

New Nonprofit Endowment Fund

• Organizations who have approval to establish a new nonprofit endowment fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation may request a grant of $15,000 to be matched with $25,000 raised by the organization to establish the fund. 

Established Nonprofit Endowment Fund

• To apply, organizations must have an existing nonprofit endowment fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.
• The Kirkpatrick Family Fund will contribute $1 for every $3 an organization raises. 
• Organizations considering submitting a match request greater than $20,000 should contact Kirkpatrick Family Fund staff prior to submission. 

Program Areas of Interest

Arts & Humanities 

Our investments in the Arts and Humanities center on active learning and imagination, encourage the creative process, and enrich the vibrancy of our community.

Children, Youth, & Families

Our investments in Children, Youth and Families focus on prevention and creating environments that help children, caregivers, and families become more resilient.

Community Enhencement

Our investments in Community Enhancement focus on improving the quality of life for all in our community through beautification, building strong neighborhoods, and advancing economic opportunity. 

Education

Our investments in Education primarily focus on arts education and active learning programs that help children and youth become confident, caring, and contributing adults. 

Environment 

We believe the appearance and treatment of the built environment reflects the values and priorities of the community. We support projects that stimulate beautification and provide pleasing aesthetics. These projects seek to improve quality of life in the community.

Health & Human Services

Our investments in Health and Human Services emphasize prevention, breaking dependencies, ending cycles of abuse, and improving equitable access to health services.

Animal Well-Being

We support the efforts of our affiliate organization, the Kirkpatrick Foundation, to make our communities safe and a humane space for all animals. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund will consider a grant request for endowment support from Oklahoma nonprofits. All other requests for support should be directed to the Kirkpatrick Foundation.

About the Foundation

The history of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund is closely aligned with the Kirkpatrick Foundation and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. These philanthropies all benefit from the foresight and generosity of John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick; their daughter, Joan Kirkpatrick; and their grandson, Christian Keesee. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund is committed to improving quality of life, and over the years its founders and family members have provided leadership to establish cultural institutions including the Science Museum of Oklahoma at the Kirkpatrick Center, the Oklahoma Arts Center, which preceded the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, and the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. The family is also responsible for improving the health and well-being of animals through its support of the Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital at the Oklahoma City Zoo and its focus on the humane treatment of the farm animals in our care at the Mollie Spencer Farm, the original Kirkpatrick Homestead. Always looking forward, the Kirkpatrick Family provided leadership for the establishment of endowments for nonprofits at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Because of their foresight, many nonprofit organizations benefit from distributions from their endowments that will continue. Because of their generosity, the Kirkpatricks established a legacy of philanthropy that will benefit the quality of life for future generations in central Oklahoma and the communities we serve. 

Project Support

• Requests for individual projects and programs will be considered in this category.
• Requests in this category must span a specific time period, achieve measurable results, and fulfill the organization’s mission.
• Requests for ongoing programs requiring year-after-year support or general administration are not included in this category.
• We do not accept unsolicited requests for capital projects.
• Project grants fall into two categories: small projects ($15,000 and below) and large projects (above $15,000).Program Areas of Interest

Arts & Humanities 

We believe access to fine arts and humanities experiences enriches the quality of life for all members of our community. We support programs that nurture learning, encourage the creative process and demonstrate a commitment to excellence.

Children, Youth, & Families

It is our belief that healthy families raise healthy children. We support organizations that work to foster a beneficial environment for families through essential services and prevention programs that ensure healthy development for children in vulnerable situations.

Community Development

We believe that social and economic transformation is within the reach of all communities. We support organizations committed to inclusion, impact and innovation in addressing neighborhood and community needs.

Education 

An investment in education from early childhood to graduate school is an investment in students, families, teachers and schools. We support educational programs and institutions that help children and youth become confident, caring and contributing adults.

Environment 

We believe the appearance and treatment of the built environment reflects the values and priorities of the community. We support projects that stimulate beautification and provide pleasing aesthetics. These projects seek to improve quality of life in the community.

Health 

We place a priority on organizations that improve access to health services and promote wellness.

Human Services 

We value the desire of individuals and families to achieve self reliance. We support organizations and programs designed to provide a temporary safety net, break dependencies and change family cycles of abuse.

About Us

Founded in 1950 to construct and support a new hospital, the Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation supports non-profits in southern Oklahoma.

Grant Application Information

The Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation (SOMF) became a private grantmaking foundation in the late 1990s following the sale of the local hospital to the Mercy Health System Oklahoma. In keeping with the original purpose of the organization, SOMF provides funds to support healthcare, education, and other community needs.

Applications for support in the following areas of interest may be considered.

• Health: Projects or programs related to medical and behavioral healthcare delivery, preventative and rehabilitative programs, health-related capital projects, or health-related education.
• Education: Projects benefitting public and private educational institutions (including primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education), support for scholarships, and programs that advance the education of area residents of all ages.
• Social Services: Programs providing services to the homeless, disadvantaged, disabled, or under-resourced.
• Other Areas of Interest: The Foundation also supports other charitable organizations working in the areas of improving the quality of life of area residents, civic improvements, and cultural activities.

About the Foundation

The Kirkpatrick Family Fund continues to honor John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick’s legacy through its support of programs and initiatives that contribute to the cultural landscape and quality of life in central Oklahoma and the Pikes Peak region of Colorado. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund provides support to nonprofit organizations for specific projects, general operations, and endowments.

Program Areas of Interest

The Kirkpatrick Family Fund accomplishes its mission through the support of organizations with bold, capable leadership and programs that are effective in addressing community needs. We seek to make investments with partners who value innovative programming, broad community access, active participation, and quality learning opportunities for youth and adults. 

Arts & Humanities: Our investments in the Arts and Humanities center on active learning and imagination, encourage the creative process, and enrich the vibrancy of our community.

Children, Youth & Family: Our investments in Children, Youth and Families focus on prevention and creating environments that help children, caregivers, and families become more resilient.

Community Enhancement: Our investments in Community Enhancement focus on improving the quality of life for all in our community through beautification, building strong neighborhoods, and advancing economic opportunity. 

Education: Our investments in Education primarily focus on arts education and active learning programs that help children and youth become confident, caring, and contributing adults. 

Endowment: John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick believed building endowments was crucial to ensuring the financial sustainability of not-for-profit organizations in central Oklahoma. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund provides matching grants to endowment funds established at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation for organizations engaging numerous donors through an endowment campaign.

Health & Human Services: Our investments in Health and Human Services emphasize prevention, breaking dependencies, ending cycles of abuse, and improving equitable access to health services.

Animal Well-Being: We support the efforts of our affiliate organization, the Kirkpatrick Foundation, to make our communities safe and a humane space for all animals. The Kirkpatrick Family Fund will consider a grant request for endowment support from Oklahoma nonprofits. All other requests for support should be directed to the Kirkpatrick Foundation.

Butterfield Grant Gateway

Discover opportunities to make a difference through our diverse grant programs. From advancing healthcare access to supporting spiritual care initiatives, our grants empower Christian organizations to serve communities locally and globally. Explore our funding focus areas and learn how you can join us in transforming lives through compassionate care and impactful projects.

Butterfield Memorial Foundation Grant 

Thank you for considering the Butterfield Foundation as a potential funding partner for your work.

We have three grantmaking cycles per year. Projects aligning with one of our four Funding Focus Areas can be considered in any grant cycle.

Funding Focus Areas

Butterfield Foundation has four (4) Funding Focus Areas that define our granting priorities.

• Charitable Whole Person Healthcare:
  • BMF seeks to meet the whole person healthcare needs of underserved individuals by partnering with nonprofit Christian organizations serving their community with priority given to Oklahoma. Projects funded should improve the quality of care offered to each patient, address health issues impacting a large portion of the population, and advance the efforts of charitable care by educating providers.
  • Examples of funding include: construction, renovations, medical equipment, lab equipment, dental equipment, vision equipment, strategic planning, technology upgrades, and training for staff.
• Choose Life Advancement:
  • BMF seeks to partner with nonprofit Christian organizations serving individuals with unintended pregnancies, those in need of post-abortive healing, and those healing from or vulnerable to sex-trafficking. Projects funded should expand outreach, provide training opportunities that enhance client care, or improve service delivery.
  • Examples of funding include: ultrasound machines, building improvements, equipment, technology upgrades, website updates, pregnancy/parenting curriculum, center signage, and training for staff.
• International Whole Person Healthcare:
  • BMF seeks to collaborate with nonprofit Christian organizations serving an international population meeting whole person healthcare needs. Projects funded should increase the number of individuals served, improve health conditions, or create programs for indigenous people to mitigate community health needs.
  • Examples of funding include: construction, renovations, imaging equipment, lab equipment, dental equipment, vision equipment, surgical equipment, strategic planning, water/sanitation, community health training, solar power, technology upgrades, and training for staff.
• Spiritual Care Advancement:
  • BMF seeks to collaborate with nonprofit Christian healthcare organizations to advance spiritual care as a core component of whole person care. Projects funded should create training opportunities to advance understanding and knowledge of spiritual care and improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of individuals.
  • Examples of funding include: curriculum development, spiritual care/chaplaincy trainings, spiritual care internships, and trauma-informed care.

In selecting projects for consideration, the Foundation evaluates alignment with our funding priorities and our values and considers whether we can make a meaningful difference with our impact and our investments.

About Communities Foundation of Oklahoma

At the Communities Foundation of Oklahoma, we believe in the power of connecting individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and communities. Because when passionate people are paired with purposes they care about most, the communities in Oklahoma will prosper. We aim to strategically distribute charitable funds, maximize our donors’ impact, and strengthen their communities through stewardship and commitment to sustainable change.

About TCF

Tahlequah Community Fund has been dedicated to connecting donors to the charitable needs of Tahlequah. Through TCF, individuals, families and organizations have a funding vehicle to support and grow charitable programs and projects that can preserve and enhance Tahlequah’s unique quality of life for many years to come.

Founded in 1999, the TCF is supported by a local advisory board that is comprised of seven local volunteers. TCF funds are managed by Communities Foundation of Oklahoma, an organization that manages community funds throughout the state of Oklahoma.

Our grant emphasis is on:

• program benefitting arts, education, culture, health and wellness,
• community beautification and
• development, leadership,
• conservation and
• human services.

Grants

Each year, TCF accepts grants applications from the community. Application deadline is the last Friday in September. Awards are announced in October and monies dispersed in November. . Currently, grants are limited to $3,500 or less.

Preserve Route 66 Grant Fund

The most enduring highway in our public consciousness, Route 66 represents a unique moment in history that continues to define the nation’s identity: the rise of the automobile and its implications of freedom, mobility, and a quintessential American story. Grants from this fund will help preserve and enhance historic places on or connected to Route 66 for future generations.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preserve Route 66 Grant Fund provides financial support to public agencies, tribal governments or nonprofit organizations to preserve and interpret historic places along the Route 66 corridor. The National Trust has a special interest in illuminating the narratives of communities whose places and stories have been historically underrepresented, which may include communities and neighborhoods along the Route 66 corridor associated with People of Color (including but not limited to indigenous peoples, Latinx, Black Americans and others), women, immigrants, LGBTQIA communities, veterans, and economically distressed communities.

Grants made from the Preserve Route 66 Fund will generally range from $2,500 to $10,000.

Guidelines

Grants from National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for preservation projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector.

A small grant at the right time can go a long way and is often the catalyst that inspires a community to take action on a preservation project. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000. The selection process is very competitive.

Eligible Activities

National Trust Preservation Fund grants are awarded for planning activities and education efforts focused on preservation. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to on-going efforts.

Planning: Supporting existing staff (nonprofit applicants only) or obtaining professional expertise in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation planning, land-use planning, and law. Eligible planning activities include, but are not limited to:

• Hiring a preservation architect or landscape architect, or funding existing staff with expertise in these areas, to produce a historic structure report or historic landscape master plan.
• Hiring a preservation planner, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce design guidelines for a historic district.
• Hiring a real estate development consultant, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce an economic feasibility study for the reuse of a threatened structure.
• Sponsoring a community forum to develop a shared vision for the future of a historic neighborhood.
• Organizational capacity building activities such as hiring fundraising consultants, conducting board training, etc.

Education and Outreach: Support for preservation education activities aimed at the public. The National Trust is particularly interested in programs aimed at reaching new audiences. Funding will be provided to projects that employ innovative techniques and formats aimed at introducing new audiences to the preservation movement, whether that be through education programming or conference sessions.

Phil Kirschner, the son of a Polish immigrant, arrived in Muskogee in 1905 and drilled his first oil well at the age of 22. He married Roberta Landwirth in 1954, and together, they became quiet, yet generous, philanthropists, focusing on supporting youth with disabilities, Jewish causes, and Muskogee nonprofits. After Phil’s passing in 1981, five charitable trusts were established to ensure their legacy would live on. After Roberta's passing in 1985, her daughter, Miriam Freedman, continued administering the trusts. In 2013, after overseeing the family’s foundation for over 30 years, Miriam transferred the trusts to the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Today, the Kirschner Trusts continue to award grants to organizations that support causes important to the family.

Funding Categories

• Muskogee Nonprofits
• Educational & Vocational Opportunities for Children & Young Adults with Disabilities
• Jewish Education, Culture & Heritage

Impact Oklahoma’s Mission

We empower women to impact lives by collectively funding grants to local nonprofits.

Grants

Impact Oklahoma accepts grant proposals from Central Oklahoma nonprofits that provide services in one of our five focus areas: Community, Family, Health and Wellness, Education, and Arts and Culture. The winning grant recipients each receive $100,000 grants, as our level of membership allows.

Communities Foundation of Oklahoma

By connecting the passions of individuals with the purposes of nonprofits, the Communities Foundation of Oklahoma helps communities in Oklahoma prosper. From the environment to well-being, from arts to education, we help philanthropists like you connect their passions to enhance and strengthen their communities.

At the Communities Foundation of Oklahoma, we believe in the power of connecting individuals, nonprofits,\ businesses, and communities. Because when passionate people are paired with purposes they care about most, positive change happens.

Oklahoma Initiative Fund

The Oklahoma Initiative Fund is a statewide grantmaking initiative that seeks to provide support that will positively impact and strengthen rural communities across our state.

Grants of up to $15,000 will be available to organizations working in the areas of Literacy and Strengthening Rural Libraries; Health and Mental Health Services; Food Insecurity and Other (organizations in other focus areas may apply).

About Us

Kirkpatrick Foundation, founded by John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick, is a private foundation located in Oklahoma City. Since 1955, the foundation has funded a wide range of endeavors, primarily in the arts, culture, education, animal wellbeing, environmental conservation, and historic preservation.

Kirkpatrick Foundation Large Grants

Arts & Culture

John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick’s early investments in the arts and culture of Oklahoma City continue to live strong. Noteworthy arts and cultural organizations, large and small, contribute to the very fabric of a thriving, vibrant city. The key component of Kirkpatrick Foundation giving reflects tangible quality-of-life issues for the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. From theater and dance to museums, film festivals, and exhibits, we strive to support a variety of cultural and arts programs for all of central Oklahoma’s citizens and visitors to enjoy.

Education

Kirkpatrick Foundation has long supported education in Oklahoma City, making efforts to sustain the stakeholders of pre-K-12, university-level, and out-of-school programming. Kirkpatrick Foundation’s investment in the future of Oklahoma is made clear in our grants to educational programs that impact countless lives throughout the city. Whether arts programs in summer camps, or continuing education for teachers, our reach in Oklahoma’s educational environment is diverse and strong.

Animal Wellbeing

From its earliest years, Kirkpatrick Foundation has been concerned with the wellbeing of animals. That concern has grown into a major commitment to ensure animals in Oklahoma are treated well wherever they live. Support has been provided for state-of-the-art veterinary equipment and supplies, medical care for search dogs and zoo animals, and emergency and disaster preparedness. The vision of Kirkpatrick Foundation is to make Oklahoma the safest and most humane place to be an animal by the year 2032. 

Environmental Conservation

The foundation has supported programs designed to build awareness about the natural environment including soil health and freshwater protection. Programs also supported have been for conservation education for teachers and landowners, strategies to protect fauna, and making natural habitats more accessible for all citizens. The health of every community is directly tied to the quality of the environment in which we live, and the foundation seeks to support efforts to ensure that quality.

Historic Preservation

Historic Preservation is an area of foundation interest that is a tradition of several generations. Foundation efforts have included partnerships that allowed Oklahoma nonprofit property owners to have feasibility studies done for sites of historic significance. These studies outline architectural improvements and detailed structural repairs and restoration strategies needed to maintain a historic designation. Conferences and workshops to educate the public on recognized standards of practice that preserve the history of Oklahoma’s built environment are also supported.

About Us

We donate high-quality, nutrient-rich foods to people facing food insecurity, educate youth on building lifelong healthy habits, and invest in local nonprofit programs dedicated to alleviating hunger and improving community wellness.

Grants Program

The Nourishing Communities Grants Program provides financial support to local 501(c)(3) nonprofit meal programs that serve nutritious food to people facing food insecurity. By strengthening the capacity of community-based meal programs, the grants program aims to increase access to affordable, nutritious food for vulnerable populations struggling with food poverty, supporting the mission and activities of qualified nonprofit organizations.

This year, the Nourishing Communities Grant Program support will be directed to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations operating meal programs to feed the underserved in the communities providing fundraising initiatives.

Grants range from $1000 to $10,000.

Our Mission

The Kerr Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit charitable and educational Oklahoma corporation, established to identify and support 501(c)3 organizations, programs and institutions that provide new or enhanced opportunities for those within the granting areas, particularly the young.

Program Categories

Education - Institutions of elementary, junior high, pre-collegiate, along with institutions of higher learning to include health science centers and medical research done by educational institutions

Arts and Culture - Organizations in the visual arts and performing arts areas, museums and libraries

Health - Institutions providing health care, doing medical research, or outreach organizations employing primarily professionals from the allied health area

Human Services - Organizations providing services in diverse areas to the public, and specifically to the disadvantaged, people with special needs and the elderly

Project Categories

Capital - Bricks and mortar projects, including equipment

Program - Programs having an objective and specified time span

Operating - Funds to be used to cover basic ongoing administrative and personnel expenses

The Carolyn Watson Rural Oklahoma Community Foundation was established in 1995 by Carolyn Watson, the CEO and chairman of Shamrock Bank N.A. To date, the foundation has distributed more than $3 million to support nonprofit organizations in their efforts to enhance the quality of life in rural Oklahoma communities. The foundation’s grant programs are administered by the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

Focus Areas

Examples of the types of projects/programs we seek to support are provided under each focus area below.

Arts/Culture/History

• Projects that enhance or preserve a community’s culture, history and heritage. Examples include public exhibitions, educational programming and historic preservation planning.
• Public art projects that enhance public spaces for community use and interaction.
• Educational programming that increases public access to arts/culture/history.

Libraries/Literacy

• Projects that seek to strengthen the role of rural libraries as a community resource and public knowledge center.
• Programming designed to increase public access to libraries and other literary services for citizens. This can include increasing access for specific target groups such as citizens with disabilities or ESL students.
• Projects designed to improve literacy skills including basic reading, writing, math, GED preparation, and workplace literacy.
• Programs that promote early literacy and reading activities to families, parents and childcare providers.

Health & Safety

• Programs that provide direct services to underserved and/or uninsured citizens in their local communities. Preference will be given to programs delivering services that are not covered by general health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.
• Programs that improve the safety and security of community members.

Economic Development

• Projects that contribute to a community’s economic growth and stability.
• Projects that provide access to resources that can stimulate employment opportunities.

Our History

Inasmuch Foundation was established in 1982 by Edith Kinney Gaylord for charitable, scientific and educational purposes.

Edith Kinney Gaylord was known as Oklahoma’s quiet philanthropist, Ms. Gaylord often made anonymous donations to help those in need. After a lifetime of giving, she formally created two foundations that allowed her contributions to do the most good, for the most people. Recently, these two foundations merged to become one. In doing so, Ms. Gaylord created foundations that would stand the test of time and continue giving long after her death in 2001.

Focus Areas Inasmuch Foundation administers an open request cycle each spring and fall for all focus areas: Community & Civic Engagement, Education, Human Services, and Journalism. The following grants will be considered:

• Human Services - Inasmuch Foundation strengthens individuals, families, and the Oklahoma City community by increasing access to social services and basic human needs.
• Community Enhancement - Inasmuch Foundation improves quality of life in Oklahoma City by promoting cultural experiences, the arts, and community engagement.
• Education  - Inasmuch Foundation increases access to high quality educational experiences in Oklahoma City, that provide learners with the ability to become engaged, informed, and productive members of the community.
• Journalism - Inasmuch Foundation improves news and information ecosystems through direct support to nonprofit newsrooms and collaborative organizations committed to strengthening communities through an engaged citizenry.
• Colorado Springs - Improving the Quality of Life in Colorado Springs

Grant Requests

General Operating Support Grants:

• To increase transparency and consistency for the Foundation’s General Operating Support grants, organizations will be able to apply for one of two levels:
  • $50,000
  • $100,000
• The level of General Operating funding granted will be based on several factors:
  • Alignment with the Foundation’s funding priorities
  • Organization size, scope, and financial stability
  • Inasmuch Foundation Board and Staff discretion
• Organizations should not apply for more than 10% of the annual operating budget.
  • Only organizations with an annual operating budget greater than $1,000,000 will be eligible to receive $100,000 in General Operating Support.
  • Investigative Journalism organizations should apply for $50,000.
• Inasmuch Foundation will fund General Operating up to five consecutive years.
  • Grant decisions are still made on an annual basis, and organizations are not guaranteed five consecutive years of funding.
  • If funded for five years, all organizations are required to take at least a one-year funding hiatus.

One-time Funding Grants:

• Organizations applying for a specific project that will be transformational to the organization should apply for a One-time Funding Grant.
• There are no standardized amounts for One-time Funding Grant requests.
• Organizations interested in applying for one of these grants are encouraged to speak with a Program Officer about the specifics of the request.

Capital Campaign Grants:

• The Foundation will review a capital campaign request once 50-75% of the total campaign goal has been raised.
• Organizations interested in applying for one of these grants are encouraged to speak with a Program Officer about the specifics of the request.

Sponsorships

• ALL sponsorship requests MUST be submitted via the online grants portal.
  • Sponsorship information received through any other means (traditional mail, email, etc.) will be discarded.
• Requests should be submitted a minimum of three months in advance of the event.
• Once the request is submitted, it typically takes two to four weeks for the review process to be completed.
• Please note:
• Sponsorship requests and grant requests must be submitted via separate applications through the online grants portal.
• Organizations are eligible to submit one sponsorship request per year.
• The Foundation has a limited sponsorship budget and is thus unable to fund all sponsorship requests.

Grants

Oklahoma Humanities accepts funding requests for projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to life. Projects should engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art history. Oklahoma Humanities funding supports projects in three program categories: Public Programs, Preservation and Access Projects, and Education Projects.

Grants for Public Humanities Projects

The Public Humanities Projects category supports projects that bring the ideas of the humanities to life for general audiences through public programming. Projects must engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art history. Awards support projects that are intended to reach broad and diverse public audiences in non-classroom settings in Oklahoma. Projects should engage with ideas that are accessible to the general public and employ appealing interpretive formats. We likewise welcome humanities projects tailored to particular groups, such as tribal communities, seniors, veterans, and underserved communities.

Grants for Exhibits:

The Exhibits category supports the creation, development, or implementation of a permanent, temporary, or traveling exhibit.

Grants for Humanities Discussions:

The Humanities Discussions category supports living history programs, conferences, community conversations, symposia, lectures or lecture series, reading and discussion programs, analytical discussions of museum collections or theater/musical performances.

Grants for Cultural Experiences:

The Cultural Experiences category supports formats that explore local history or cultural heritage such as historic walking tours, cultural trips, festivals, guided tours, or Chautauquas.

Grants for Media Projects:

The Media Projects category supports the development and production of radio programs, podcasts, print and digital publications, educational video(s), or other digital projects that engage general audiences with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways.

Grants for Preservation and Access Projects

The Preservation and Access category supports projects that focus on ensuring the long-term and wide availability of primary resources in the humanities. Projects preserve and create access to collections and cultural heritage resources of importance for research, education, and public programming in the humanities. Project formats include language revitalization and preservation, oral history projects, and the digitization of collections.

Grants for Language Preservation

The Language Preservation category supports the preservation of endangered human languages.

Grants for Oral History Projects

The Oral History category supports community-based efforts to safeguard cultural resources through identifying, documenting, and/or collecting cultural heritage and community experiences through oral histories.

Grants for Preservation or Digitization of Collections

The Collections Preservation or Digitization category supports the digitization, maintenance, modernization, and sustainability of existing humanities collections.

Grants for Education Projects

The Education Projects category supports humanities education through educational experiences, curriculum development, and professional development opportunities for either public K-12 students or Humanities Educators.

Grants for Educator-Serving Projects

Projects for full- or part-time K-12 educators who teach in Oklahoma public schools. Projects may include teacher institutes or workshops, the creation and dissemination of curriculum guides, or other educator-serving projects.

Grants for Student-Serving Projects

Projects for K-12 Oklahoma public school students. Projects may include in-person learning events or field trips, virtual learning events or online programs, or hybrid virtual learning experiences.

Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation

The mission of The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation is to lift our neighbors out of poverty by supporting housing and shelter resources, social services and basic human needs, mental health and indigent healthcare initiatives, and programs that empower and inspire community members to improve their lives.Our philanthropy reflects the faith, vision and values that guided our founders, Anne and Henry Zarrow, who believed in building communities where marginalized populations are elevated in ways that uplift us all.We fund nonprofit organizations working to improve the physical and intellectual lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people primarily in the metropolitan area of Tulsa, and in special cases statewide in Oklahoma and in Israel. Grants from the Foundation may be made in the form of operating, program or capital support.Funding PrioritiesThe Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation primarily focuses grantmaking on these priority areas: Alleviating & Preventing Homelessness

• The Foundation supports nonprofits that provide shelter, transitional housing, wraparound services, and eviction prevention.
• The Foundation also supports efforts to expand affordable housing in Tulsa.

Improving Access to Health Care & Mental Health Services

• The Foundation supports programs that improve access and quality to health and mental health services, especially for those living in poverty.

Supporting Social Services

• It is a cornerstone belief at the Foundation that providing annual, unrestricted operating support to social service providers is critical to their mission and to ours.
• Accordingly, the Foundation awards $7 million annually in general operating grants across more than 200 nonprofits.
• The Foundation also awards grants for piloting new initiatives, organizational planning, and capital projects.

Reducing Hunger & Supporting Basic Needs

• The Foundation believes that food insecurity and hunger are solvable, unnecessary, unjust, and impact everyone living in Oklahoma.

Secondary Areas of Interest The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation focuses on four additional areas of interest:Supporting Education 

• For The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation, lifting neighbors out of poverty also means expanding access to higher education and improvement of K-12 programs likely to increase a disadvantaged child’s chance of entering college.
• The Foundation considers capital and operations grants to organizations that support education, and also provides ongoing scholarship support for programs at seven area universities including Langston University, Northeastern State University, Oklahoma State University, Rogers State University, Tulsa Community College, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa. For information on scholarships, please contact the universities directly.

Legacy Gifts

• From time to time the Foundation will fund special projects, which go beyond target areas of interest, especially where there is an opportunity to honor the strongest interests of our founders.

Supporting Jewish Life

• The trustees of The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation are committed to supporting Jewish communities, especially where projects can improve the lives of the disadvantaged.
• The Foundation’s strategy for Jewish Giving centers largely on support for social services and vulnerable populations, primarily in Israel. There will continue to be a preference for these types of projects located in the rural regions of Israel, such as the Galilee and the Negev.
  • Please see the grant page for Israel grants here. 

Enriching Local Culture & Quality of Life

• The trustees of The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation envision a community where people from all walks of life can interact, gain insight, engage with beauty, and be inspired to reach their full potential.
• Grants to cultural institutions, civic improvement, arts organizations, and advocacy projects build on a longstanding commitment made by Anne and Henry Zarrow to invest in the community where they built their company and raised their family.

Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation

The mission of The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation is to lift our neighbors out of poverty by supporting housing and shelter resources, social services and basic human needs, mental health and indigent healthcare initiatives, and programs that empower and inspire community members to improve their lives.Our philanthropy reflects the faith, vision and values that guided our founders, Anne and Henry Zarrow, who believed in building communities where marginalized populations are elevated in ways that uplift us all.We fund nonprofit organizations working to improve the physical and intellectual lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people primarily in the metropolitan area of Tulsa, and in special cases statewide in Oklahoma and in Israel. Grants from the Foundation may be made in the form of operating, program or capital support.Funding PrioritiesThe Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation primarily focuses grantmaking on these priority areas: Alleviating & Preventing Homelessness

• The Foundation supports nonprofits that provide shelter, transitional housing, wraparound services, and eviction prevention.
• The Foundation also supports efforts to expand affordable housing in Tulsa.

Improving Access to Health Care & Mental Health Services

• The Foundation supports programs that improve access and quality to health and mental health services, especially for those living in poverty.

Supporting Social Services

• It is a cornerstone belief at the Foundation that providing annual, unrestricted operating support to social service providers is critical to their mission and to ours.
• Accordingly, the Foundation awards $7 million annually in general operating grants across more than 200 nonprofits.
• The Foundation also awards grants for piloting new initiatives, organizational planning, and capital projects.

Reducing Hunger & Supporting Basic Needs

• The Foundation believes that food insecurity and hunger are solvable, unnecessary, unjust, and impact everyone living in Oklahoma.

Secondary Areas of Interest The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation focuses on four additional areas of interest:Supporting Education 

• For The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation, lifting neighbors out of poverty also means expanding access to higher education and improvement of K-12 programs likely to increase a disadvantaged child’s chance of entering college.
• The Foundation considers capital and operations grants to organizations that support education, and also provides ongoing scholarship support for programs at seven area universities including Langston University, Northeastern State University, Oklahoma State University, Rogers State University, Tulsa Community College, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Tulsa. For information on scholarships, please contact the universities directly.

Legacy Gifts

• From time to time the Foundation will fund special projects, which go beyond target areas of interest, especially where there is an opportunity to honor the strongest interests of our founders.

Supporting Jewish Life

• The trustees of The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation are committed to supporting Jewish communities, especially where projects can improve the lives of the disadvantaged.
• The Foundation’s strategy for Jewish Giving centers largely on support for social services and vulnerable populations, primarily in Israel. There will continue to be a preference for these types of projects located in the rural regions of Israel, such as the Galilee and the Negev.
  • Please see the grant page for Israel grants here. 

Enriching Local Culture & Quality of Life

• The trustees of The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation envision a community where people from all walks of life can interact, gain insight, engage with beauty, and be inspired to reach their full potential.
• Grants to cultural institutions, civic improvement, arts organizations, and advocacy projects build on a longstanding commitment made by Anne and Henry Zarrow to invest in the community where they built their company and raised their family.

Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company

One of the largest employee-managed funds of its kind in the world, the Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company has been empowering employees to make a greater impact by pooling their tax-deductible donations for more than 60 years. Employee-led grantmaking committees at 20 Boeing sites- provide combined employee donations to nonprofits in their communities through ECF grants.

Charitable or educational organizations can apply for grants from the Employees Community Fund (ECF) of The Boeing Company.

Oklahoma City Chapter

At Boeing, community engagement is more than just a corporate commitment. For more than 65 years, Boeing employees have been proud to give back to the communities where they live and work through the Employees Community Fund of The Boeing Company (ECF)—the largest employee owned and managed fund of its kind.

ECF Focus 

Grants will be considered for 501(c)3 Health and Human Service agencies in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

The Oklahoma Chapter of the ECF uses CharityNavigator definitions of health and human services programs to assist in determining eligibility. Health and human services programs may include, but are not limited to:

• Children & Families Services: child care, adoption, foster care, family counseling, parenting education and other child welfare services
• Youth Development, Shelter & Crisis Services: group homes, shelters, camps and youth ranches, recreation services and other programs that develop and nurture youth
• Food Banks & Food Distribution: hunger relief programs
• Multipurpose Human Service Organizations: organizations that promote volunteerism and provide a broad range of services, including YMCAs, YWCAs, Salvation Army, Red Cross and others
• Homeless Services: assistance to homeless individuals and families
• Social Services: programs addressing the needs of the disadvantaged, underemployed, the elderly and disabled.
• Diseases, Disorders and Disciplines: programs that provide direct services for patients of particular diseases and disorders and their families
• Treatment & Prevention Services: programs providing direct medical services and educating the public on ways to prevent diseases and reduce health risks.

Wegener Foundation Grant

About Us

The Wegener Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for citizens of Central Oklahoma, through support of youth and families, health and wellness, arts and humanities, and education. The mission of Directors of The Wegener Foundation is to carry on the philanthropic legacy of Herman and Mary Wegener.

Foundation History

Herman and Mary Wegener founded the Wegener Foundation in 1958. This is a private foundation dedicated to supporting sustainable charitable organizations that improve the quality of living and education for people and communities through the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas.

The Directors look to the needs of communities, large and small, and for mission statements that enhance living conditions for people with all levels of abilities.

Foundation Policies

Long-term partnerships are not uncommon with the Wegener Foundation. Worthy recipients that fulfill expanding needs of their communities year after year are considered favorably by the Foundation.