Best Grants for After School Programs in Oklahoma

Academy Sports + Outdoors, a leading sporting goods retailer, supports community initiatives by providing donations to registered 501(c)(3) organizations. Their focus is on promoting safety and responsibility in sports and outdoor activities. Proposals must foster community engagement and must not be affiliated with religious or political groups. Events should take place in areas with Academy stores, ensuring a positive local impact while encouraging active lifestyles and connection among community members.

Nonprofits and educational programs offering agricultural education, leadership, or career training for high school students through young professionals in Oklahoma can seek support for eligible projects; some after-school initiatives may qualify. CHS Foundation supports youth development and agricultural education, prioritizing regional or national programs that impact multiple states within its trade territory.

Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor serving the Tulsa community can seek flexible support for youth, education, health, and family well-being initiatives in Oklahoma. With a mission to expand opportunity for every child, George Kaiser Family Foundation provides Accelerator Grants to historically disadvantaged, community-rooted leaders on a rolling, quarterly-reviewed basis.

Central Oklahoma 501(c)(3) nonprofits running after-school or summer educational programs can apply for Kirkpatrick Foundation small grants of up to US $10,000. Funding supports education, arts and culture, animal wellbeing, environmental conservation, and historic preservation in the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding counties, with monthly reviews and no fixed deadlines.

Grants from Oklahoma Arts Council help Oklahoma nonprofits, schools, libraries, tribes, and government agencies run arts programs for military-connected individuals, including after-school offerings. Funding up to US $5,000 supports learning- and audience-based arts activities and capacity-building efforts that engage active-duty members, reservists, Guard members, veterans, and their families through creative expression.

Oklahoma State Department of Education

The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency of the State of Oklahoma charged with determining the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma. The State Board of Education is composed of the Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction and six members appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate. 

Together with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the Department forms the core of Oklahoma's public education system.

Oklahoma Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) is pleased to announce the acquisition of a substantial grant totaling $58.9 million, with $11,228,650 allocated for the first year. This grant, awarded through the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant Program, will fund a transformative initiative in line with Oklahoma’s Comprehensive Literacy Plan. The initiative's primary objective is to enhance school readiness and improve language and literacy success among disadvantaged students throughout the state.

OCLSD Grant Overview

As part of this initiative, twenty districts across Oklahoma have been awarded subgranted funds to support the implementation of literacy programs specifically designed for their student populations, birth through grade 12. These subgrants will enable schools to improve literacy instruction, offer targeted interventions, and build a stronger foundation in language arts for their students.

The project aims to achieve the following key objectives:

• Early Language Development: Increase the percentage of participating four-year-old children making significant gains in oral language skills.
• Elementary Literacy Proficiency: Increase the percentage of participating fifth-grade students who meet or exceed proficiency levels on the Oklahoma State Testing Program (OSTP) English Language Arts (ELA) Assessment.
• Middle School Literacy Proficiency: Increase the percentage of participating eighth-grade students who meet or exceed proficiency levels on the OSTP ELA Assessment.
• High School Literacy Proficiency: Increase the percentage of participating eleventh-grade students who meet the college readiness benchmark in reading and English on the ACT.
• Teacher Training and Professional Development: Provide extensive training for Oklahoma teachers in the science of reading and effective literacy instructional strategies to ensure high-quality literacy education statewide.

Nonprofits, schools, and other eligible organizations in Oklahoma can seek funding for arts exhibitions, education projects, and scholarship-related work connected to the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Foundation’s collection areas. Carl and Marilynn Thoma Foundation supports initiatives including innovative high school projects in the greater Texas Panhandle that may complement after-school or enrichment programming.

Oklahoma after-school and summer education providers, including nonprofits, churches, and schools in the Muskogee area, can seek funding for programs that enhance learning and youth development. City of Muskogee Foundation grants may support K-12 and STEM-focused out-of-school initiatives, as well as related health, quality of life, and community development projects benefiting local residents.

Oklahoma public entities, tribal nations, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and colleges can seek funding for built environment projects that promote physical activity and healthy eating. Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) provides Oklahoma organizations with support for planning or constructing parks, trails, sidewalks, fitness spaces, and nutrition-related infrastructure in schools, farmers’ markets, and food pantries; awards up to US $200,000.

Friends of NRA

Friends of NRA is the National Rifle Association’s premier fundraising program, supporting the future of shooting sports. Since day one, Friends of NRA has been a 100% grassroots effort fueled by a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports.

Committee volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees to make recommendations for local grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. Recognizing the impact American youth has on the future of the shooting sports, State Fund Committees frequently recommend grants for youth programs, allocating the most significant portion of monies to this vital area.

Grant awards fund activities and support programs in the United States to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context.

Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program - Oklahoma

The Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program provides supplies, equipment, and financial support to a variety of qualified groups and programs at the local level; geared towards youth, women, law enforcement, veterans, the disabled, and the general public, including:

• General shooting programs
• Competitive shooting
• Education, training and safety
• Hunting and conservation
• Community outreach
• Historical education

Grant funding must be used to further a charitable purpose as defined by the Internal Revenue Code under section 501(c)(3) and accompanying rules, regulations, and other IRS law and materials.

Oklahoma K–12 teachers, school environmental clubs, youth groups, and youth-focused organizations can seek US $200 - US $1,500 to run environmental education projects with direct student involvement in Oklahoma. Grants from Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality help after-school or youth programs deliver hands-on learning tied to classroom objectives and state curriculum standards, with community collaboration encouraged.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations running after-school or summer educational programs in central Oklahoma can seek large grants of more than US $10,000 to enhance youth learning and enrichment. Kirkpatrick Foundation also supports related education, arts and culture, animal wellbeing, environmental conservation, and historic preservation initiatives in the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding counties.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and educational institutions supporting education, health, and well-being for children or the elderly in Oklahoma can apply for Pinon Foundation grants. While preference is given to certain West Texas and Oklahoma City areas, after school and community programs elsewhere in Oklahoma may also be considered within its broader U.S. focus.

The OCCF: Parks & Public Space Initiative, stemming from the Margaret Annis Boys Trust, aims to enhance neighborhood and community parks in Oklahoma City. This grant encourages landscaping and beautification projects, including plant materials and landscape amenities. It supports public spaces for recreation and cultural engagement, fostering community involvement and stewardship. Grants vary based on project complexity, and Oklahoma City Community Foundation staff provide expertise alongside funding to ensure successful project implementation.

Nonprofits, schools, community groups, and emergency service organizations in TCEC’s Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas service area can receive up to US $5,000 for charitable, educational, or emergency service projects. Tri-County Electric Cooperative provides this funding, and after-school or out-of-school educational programs in Oklahoma may be eligible if they serve local communities in the service area.

With a mission to improve quality of life, the City of Muskogee Foundation provides Oklahoma educational and community organizations with funding for programs in Muskogee and surrounding areas. Nonprofits, churches, schools, and the City can seek support for after-school and K–12 learning, STEM, health and wellness, economic development, and quality-of-life initiatives.

Nonprofit organizations and public entities running community, health, arts, literacy, or economic development programs in rural Oklahoma counties can seek up to US $40,000 for local projects. Oklahoma City Community Foundation administers these grants, which may benefit after-school or out-of-school initiatives that enhance quality of life in small communities.

Arts-focused 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Oklahoma can apply for Oklahoma Arts Council’s Arts in Alternative Education Community Partnership Grant, awarding up to US $30,000 for arts education programs serving alternative education students. Funding supports in-school or virtual classes, artist residencies, field trips, and other hands-on arts experiences that could complement after school programming.

Nonprofits, schools, government agencies, and other organizations in Oklahoma can use this program to establish or expand after-school and summer community learning centers, with awards from US $50,000 - US $300,000. Oklahoma State Department of Education supports academic enrichment, youth development, family engagement, and related after-school services for students from eligible Title I school-wide sites.

Oklahoma 501(c)(3) nonprofits, colleges, and public libraries can receive up to US $20,000 to coordinate and implement the statewide Poetry Out Loud high school competition, supporting after-school or enrichment poetry programs. Oklahoma Arts Council partners with one organization to help students build public speaking skills, confidence, and appreciation for poetry and creative writing.

About Oklahoma CareerTech

For more than 100 years, Oklahoma’s system of career and technology education has focused on improving Oklahoma’s economy by offering individuals the training and skills necessary to be successful in the workplace and providing companies with the workforce necessary to compete globally.

Oklahoma CareerTech is often used as a model for programs across the United States and around the world. The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 62 campuses, 394 PK-12 school districts, 20 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 49 Adult Education and Family Literacy service providers.

Perkins Innovative Grants

Things to know:

• All grants will be on a two-year award cycle (except CTE New Program Grant) to match the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment timeline. To be eligible for awards, recipients will be required to complete and submit their Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment.

• Grant recipients will have to show progress towards goal completion by the end of the first year of funding to receive 2nd year funding. These Benchmarks will be developed in collaboration with the Program area innovative grant leads and the recipients.

• Districts can apply for multiple grants. 

There are 8 Innovative Grants that all eligible recipients can apply for: 1) Career Development and Programs of Study; 2) Career Pathways, Workforce, and Industry Partnerships; 3) Supporting CTE Special Populations; 4) High Growth and Emerging Technologies; 5) Innovation in Career Exploration; 6) Innovative Strategies to Recruit and Retain CTE Instructors - High Schools/Tech Centers That Work & Other; 7) CTE New Program; 8) Improving Academic Proficiency

Career Pathways, Workforce, and Industry Partnerships

In an ongoing effort to support Career Pathways, Workforce, and Industry Partnerships the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education supports the development of new innovative and the enhancement of existing Career Pathways in high-skill, in-demand, or high wage occupations. Career Pathways and corresponding Programs of Study should support local, state, and global industries in meeting workforce needs while embracing rigorous academic and technical education.

Nonprofits, schools, and public agencies in Oklahoma serving individuals with severe to profound intellectual or developmental disabilities can receive up to US $8,000 for adaptive equipment. Oklahoma City Community Foundation’s Donna Nigh Foundation Grant supports environmental and recreational adaptations, classroom cognition tools, and sheltered workshop equipment that may benefit after school and out-of-school programs.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Oklahoma can seek funding to provide legal services, law-related education, and activities that improve the administration of justice. Focused on law, education, and justice, Oklahoma Bar Foundation invites programs, including after-school or out-of-school initiatives with law-related curricula, to apply for IOLTA Grants supporting charitable legal and civic education work.

Nonprofit arts organizations offering educational or outreach programming for Oklahoma youth can receive up to US $5,000 plus Hobby Lobby gift cards to support arts experiences, including after-school or summer activities. Grants from Allied Arts of Oklahoma help expand access for underserved K-12 students and other marginalized groups in Oklahoma County.

Nonprofit entities such as 501(c)(3)s, churches, and schools serving residents of Bryan or Marshall counties in Oklahoma can access funding to improve health, mental health, and wellness. Grants from Texoma Health Foundation’s Texoma Community Foundation-managed fund prioritize projects expanding access to care or increasing and retaining nurses, which may include after-school or out-of-school health initiatives.

Adult education providers and literacy programs in Oklahoma can seek funding to deliver instruction that builds basic skills, supports employment and self-sufficiency, and strengthens family economic opportunities. Grants from the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education help organizations offer adult and family literacy services that may include after-school or evening educational components for parents and adult learners.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, public schools, and government entities in Tahlequah, Oklahoma can seek up to US $3,500 for community programs, projects, and services. Grants from Communities Foundation of Oklahoma support arts, education, health and wellness, conservation, human services, and community beautification, and may benefit after school and youth-focused initiatives in the area.