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.

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:

Health Care and Hospitals

A growing area of need in many of the communities the Foundation serves. In 2017, more than $2.9 million was awarded to hospitals and health-care groups to build and improve their facilities. 

Human Services

The Foundation awarded over $7 million to human service nonprofits in 2017, and the majority of grants in this area were awarded to groups that provide essential services to youth and families. Grantees included a range of youth-focused groups, including the Kansas 4-H Foundation, Kids TLC, Ronald McDonald House & Boys & Girls Clubs. 

Higher Education

In 2017, the Foundation awarded more than $10 million to over 45 educational organizations. Grantees included community colleges, private colleges, and public universities. 

Arts and Culture

Arts and culture projects received $7 million in 2017, including grants to the Eisenhower Foundation in Abilene, Kansas; the Kansas City Symphony, the Nelson Gallery Foundation and many more.

With a mission to make a real difference, the City of Muskogee Foundation was established in 2008 for the purpose of effectively developing, supporting, promoting, and improving programs and facilities relating to education, arts, culture, community revitalization and beautification, social services, health care, economic development, infrastructure, housing, and recreation for the City of Muskogee and surrounding areas and to improve the quality of life of residents of Muskogee.

Grants

Mission

The City of Muskogee Foundation’s mission is to make Make a Real Difference in Muskogee through grants to nonprofit organizations, churches, schools and the City of Muskogee.

Economic Development

Mission

The mission of the Economic Development Committee is to provide support for programs and initiatives that enhance and increase innovation, productivity, growth and prosperity for Muskogee.

Types of Funding

Consideration will be given for multiple types of funding such as capital, incentives and infrastructure.

Future Funding

Acquiring funding in future years will be contingent upon measured outcomes and other qualitative information as evidenced in the evaluation reports. All multi-year grants will be contingent upon measured outcomes that meet or exceed expectations.

Out of Cycle Grant

Any grant for out of cycle consideration must have legitimate time sensitive need, as approved by the Chairman of the Board of City of Muskogee Foundation and Economic Development Committee Chair. Proposals that include job creation, business expansion or new business location that fall outside of the SIP incentive program will be considered.

Education & Empowerment

Mission

The mission of the Education & Empowerment Grants Committee is to enhance foundational learning in our community by funding educational experiences that are responsive to changing community needs and maximize the learning potential of every resident from pre-K through career, preparing them to succeed in the 21st century.

Types of Funding

Consideration will be given for multiple types of funding designed to meet the priority considerations of this committee.

Future Funding

Funding in future years will be contingent upon measured outcomes as evidenced in the evaluation report. All multi-year grants will be contingent upon measured outcomes that meet or exceed expectations.

Health & Wellness

Mission

The mission of the Health and Wellness Grants Committee is to provide support for programs and initiatives which focus on the health and wellness of the citizens of Muskogee. Priority consideration will focus on the Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan, Elimination of generational poverty, and collaborative approaches to teen pregnancy prevention.

Types of Funding

Consideration will be given for multiple types of funding designed to meet the priority considerations of this committee.

Future Funding

Acquiring funding in future years will be contingent upon measured outcomes and other information as evidenced in the evaluation reports. All multi-year grants will be contingent upon measured outcomes that meet or exceed expectations.

Quality of Life

Mission

The mission of the Quality of Life Grants Committee is to provide support for programs and initiatives that improve and develop opportunities to enhance “live, work and play” for residents and guests of the Muskogee community.

Types of Funding

Consideration will be given for multiple types of funding designed to meet the priority considerations of this committee.

Future Funding

Acquiring funding in future years will be based on measured outcomes and other information as evidenced in the evaluation reports. All multi-year grants will be contingent upon measured outcomes that meet or exceed expectations.

NOTE: Organizations will need program officer approval in order to submit a request for a grant $75,000 and above.

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: Journalism, Education, Human Services and Community.The following grants will be considered:

• Human Services - Inasmuch Foundation seeks to strengthen individuals, families and the entire Central Oklahoma community by increasing access to social services and basic human needs.
• Community Enhancement - Inasmuch Foundation seeks to improve Central Oklahoma’s quality of life by promoting cultural experiences, recreation, tourism, entrepreneurship and economic development
• Education  - Inasmuch Foundation seeks to increase Central Oklahoma’s access to high quality educational experiences that provides all learners with the ability to become informed, civically engaged and productive members of their community.
• Journalism - Inasmuch Foundation seeks to improve news and information ecosystems in Oklahoma. With a primary focus on greater Oklahoma City, the Foundation seeks to build strong networks of journalists and journalism organizations to inform communities and create an engaged citizenry.

Grant Requests

Grant Requests $25,000 or Less:

• Organizations applying for this size grant are likely to have:
  • Mission aligns with one or more of the foundation’s focus areas
  • No prior funding relationship with the foundation
  • Emerging relationships with other community partners

Grant Requests $25,001- $74,999:

• Organizations will meet the following criteria:
  • Mission aligns with one or more of the foundation’s focus areas
  • Stable funding sources
  • Annual budget above $250,000
  • Collaborative working relationships with community partners
  • Established grant relationship with the foundation
  • Organizational growth potential 

Grant Requests $75,000 and Above:

• Organizations will meet the following criteria:
  • Proven impact on our community and focus areas
  • Annual budget above $750,000
  • Exceptional and/or promising leadership
  • Established and diversified funding base
  • Existing grant relationship with the foundation
  • Strong collaboration and partnerships throughout the community

What does this program do?

This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Small means that the business has fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue.

What kind of funding is available?

There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost sharing requirement. Opportunity grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.

How may funds be used?

Enterprise grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application. Uses may include:

• Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports or producer service improvements.
• Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
• Pollution control and abatement.
• The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
• Distance adult learning for job training and advancement.
• Rural transportation improvement.
• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Opportunity grants can be used for:

• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

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.

NOTE: Trustees consider grant applications quarterly. Deadlines for receiving the completed application, not the initial letter request, are December 1, March 1, June 1, and September 1.

History

The Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation was organized as a charitable trust in May of 1950, for the purpose of constructing and supporting a new hospital. Contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations within Ardmore and surrounding communities along with a federal grant provided the necessary funds to build and equip the new facility, which opened in the spring of 1955.

After serving the community for more than four decades, a number of factors led to the sale of the hospital to Mercy Health Systems in 1996. The Foundation became the recipient of the net proceeds of this sale, which were added to an existing endowment.

Following the sale, Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation assumed the role of a granting organization. The nine member Board of Trustees established granting guidelines and awarded the first series of grants to southern Oklahoma organizations in January 1997.

Since that time, the Foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $95 million to charitable institutions within Ardmore and the surrounding area.

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.

Anne & Henry Zarrow FoundationThe 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 PrioritiesAlleviating & Preventing Homelessness

• The Foundation supports programs that work to end homelessness as well as lessen the struggle of homelessness, including Built for Zero, a housing-first campaign focused on housing all of Tulsa’s chronically homeless and homeless veterans.
• The Foundation supports nonprofits that provide shelter, utility assistance, and basic needs as well as sustainable models of supportive housing, such as those advanced by the Mental Health Association Oklahoma, with its 1500 affordable rental units as well as therapeutic housing and programs. The Foundation also funds housing efforts targeting young adults and seniors.
• In 2017, the Foundation was awarded the HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships for its innovative and impactful cross-sector housing initiatives.

Improving Access to Health Care & Mental Health Services

• The Foundation supports programs that improve health and mental health, especially for those living in poverty. Additionally, the foundation supports collaborative efforts to improve mental health care and delivery systems to positively impact disadvantaged individuals and families.
• In 2017, the Foundation funded a comprehensive assessment of Tulsa’s mental health services in partnership with the Urban Institute and The University of Tulsa.
• Early results from the study encouraged the foundation to make a leadership investment toward planning and construction of a new 114,000 square-foot Parkside Psychiatric Hospital. The project will nearly double the hospital’s capacity, serve 136 patients daily with 80 new single-occupancy rooms, a new mental health emergency room, and 16 new substance abuse rehabilitation beds.

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. The Foundation also awards grants for piloting new initiatives, organizational planning, and capital projects.
• One capital investment that aims to supports our vibrant nonprofits is Legacy Plaza.
• In 2015, the Foundation purchased the 3-facility campus to be remodeled and owned by five Tulsa nonprofits which were in need of expanding service and headquarter spaces.
• Legacy Plaza owners include Assistance League of Tulsa, Mental Health Association Oklahoma, LIFE Senior Services, Community Action Project, and the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits.

Reducing Hunger & Supporting Basic Needs

• We believe that food insecurity and hunger are solvable, unnecessary, unjust and impact everyone living in Oklahoma. The Foundation has long supported the state’s food bank efforts to improve nutrition with expanded produce offerings and broader rural outreach.
• In 2016, the Foundation funded a statewide hunger assessment which identified millions of available federal funds for children’s meal and supplemental nutrition programs that were being left on the table annually. In response, the Foundation launched Hunger Free Oklahoma, an organization dedicated to leveraging partnerships to secure these funds for children’s hunger and other programs in Oklahoma.

Areas of InterestTo a lesser degree, 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.

Special Projects

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

Jewish & Israel Giving

• 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. In addition, local and national grants will be considered along with other special projects internationally.
  • 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.

NOTE: The summer grant process is the same as our regular grant process except the program or project must occur primarily during the summer months to qualify. Each committee will review summer grant applications before the board makes their recommendations.

Summer Grant

With a mission to make a real difference, the City of Muskogee Foundation was established in 2008 for the purpose of effectively developing, supporting, promoting, and improving programs and facilities relating to education, arts, culture, community revitalization and beautification, social services, health care, economic development, infrastructure, housing, and recreation for the City of Muskogee and surrounding areas and to improve the quality of life of residents of Muskogee.

Grants

Mission

The City of Muskogee Foundation’s mission is to make Make a Real Difference in Muskogee through grants to nonprofit organizations, churches, schools and the City of Muskogee.

Economic Development

Mission

The mission of the Economic Development Committee is to provide support for programs and initiatives that enhance and increase innovation, productivity, growth and prosperity for Muskogee.

Types of Funding

Consideration will be given for multiple types of funding such as capital, incentives and infrastructure.

Future Funding

Acquiring funding in future years will be contingent upon measured outcomes and other qualitative information as evidenced in the evaluation reports. All multi-year grants will be contingent upon measured outcomes that meet or exceed expectations.

Out of Cycle Grant

Any grant for out of cycle consideration must have legitimate time sensitive need, as approved by the Chairman of the Board of City of Muskogee Foundation and Economic Development Committee Chair. Proposals that include job creation, business expansion or new business location that fall outside of the SIP incentive program will be considered.

Education & Empowerment

Mission

The mission of the Education & Empowerment Grants Committee is to enhance foundational learning in our community by funding educational experiences that are responsive to changing community needs and maximize the learning potential of every resident from pre-K through career, preparing them to succeed in the 21st century.

Types of Funding

Consideration will be given for multiple types of funding designed to meet the priority considerations of this committee.

Future Funding

Funding in future years will be contingent upon measured outcomes as evidenced in the evaluation report. All multi-year grants will be contingent upon measured outcomes that meet or exceed expectations.

Health & Wellness

Mission

The mission of the Health and Wellness Grants Committee is to provide support for programs and initiatives which focus on the health and wellness of the citizens of Muskogee. Priority consideration will focus on the Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan, Elimination of generational poverty, and collaborative approaches to teen pregnancy prevention.

Types of Funding

Consideration will be given for multiple types of funding designed to meet the priority considerations of this committee.

Future Funding

Acquiring funding in future years will be contingent upon measured outcomes and other information as evidenced in the evaluation reports. All multi-year grants will be contingent upon measured outcomes that meet or exceed expectations.

Quality of Life

Mission

The mission of the Quality of Life Grants Committee is to provide support for programs and initiatives that improve and develop opportunities to enhance “live, work and play” for residents and guests of the Muskogee community.

Types of Funding

Consideration will be given for multiple types of funding designed to meet the priority considerations of this committee.

Future Funding

Acquiring funding in future years will be based on measured outcomes and other information as evidenced in the evaluation reports. All multi-year grants will be contingent upon measured outcomes that meet or exceed expectations.