About the Program
For more than 50 years, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Endowment Program has partnered with individuals, families and organizations
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
*FY24: Between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024
to provide reliable, ongoing support for nonprofits, making it easy for others to give and nonprofits to grow their support.
Sustainability
10-Year Investment Performance
7.15%
Endowed Nonprofit Partners
After supporting Sisu for several years, I felt I wanted to help them with long-term funding for health and wellness services, so I helped set up an endowment with OCCF.”
RICHARD FARRIS OCCF DONOR
Providing a Safe Haven
The excitement was palpable as the ribbon was cut at the grand opening of Sisu Youth Center’s new campus in December 2023. Just nine years after first opening its doors as a haven for young adults experiencing housing instability, Sisu is taking their next step in changing lives. Their work began back in 2010 when Penny Reynolds set out to collect and share resources for youth experiencing challenges in Oklahoma City. Many
Kyndall Lewis, Sisu Program Manager, meets with client.
people told her it was unnecessary, too big of a responsibility or a liability they were unwilling to undertake. But for Penny, it was different – if it could help one kid feel safe, it would all be worth it.
In 2014, Sisu Youth Day Center opened its doors—bringing together case managers, service providers and volunteers to support young people ages 15-24 facing homelessness, and they have continued to build on that momentum year after year. In 2024, Sisu served a total of 548 young people through programing providing shelter, education assistance, life skills, case management and more.
“This year, we’ve been able to provide a safe haven and critical support to more young people than ever before, which is something we’re incredibly proud of,” Sisu Executive Director Rachel Bradley said. “But it’s also deeply
demonstrate their support for the young people at Sisu. Last year, Oklahoma City Community Foundation donor Richard Farris drove the initiative to launch an endowment at OCCF to provide Sisu reliable, ongoing funding.
“After supporting Sisu for several years, I felt I wanted to help them with long-term funding for health and wellness services, so I helped set up an endowment with OCCF,” said Mr. Farris.
While one donor stepped up to lead the charge, the organization soon found that other donors were excited to participate in this strategic way, and the fund has more than doubled in value. With annual support from their endowment, Sisu is not only creating stability for the youth they serve, they are stabilizing the organization. This sustainable funding ensures Sisu can continue providing young people with a safe place as
Make your gift go further through a match! Since 1979 the Kirkpatrick Family Fund has led the way, generously providing matches to nonprofits and inspiring others to do the same.
Visit occf.org/matches for more.
Grow a Fund
Increase support through matching opportunities and sound investment.
Investment & Longevity
OCCF’s sound investment and distribution policy provides sustained growth for your funds so you can continue to support the causes you care about for generations to come.
By creating a new nonprofit endowment fund or supporting an existing one, you provide reliable, ongoing support to the nonprofits you care about, making it easy for others to give and nonprofits to grow their support.
Give to an Existing Fund
• Give through your Donor-Advised Fund or with a credit card at nonprofits.occf.org.
• Mail gifts to:
Oklahoma City Community Foundation, 1000 N. Broadway Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102
include the nonprofit’s fund name on your check!
• Call us at 405-235-5603 to discuss non-cash gifts.
Start a New or Designated Fund
• Start a new endowment fund with a gift of $40,000.
• For nonprofits with an existing fund, establish a designated fund with a gift of $20,000.
Building Upward for the Next 100 Years
When a partner agency referred Ruby to Upward Transitions, she may have felt lost, but she had already taken huge strides. She had removed herself and young daughter from domestic violence at home and was trying to figure out how to rebuild her life. By working with her case manager, Ruby slowly created something she could be excited about. They started with the most basic things she neededbirth certificates. From there, they helped her build a network of organizations that provided support on her journey toward a selfsustaining future.
“I know for a fact if I didn’t have that help through Upward Transitions, I wouldn’t have been able to do this,” said Ruby. “I was stuck. I didn’t know how it all worked, but my case manager directed me what to do. I feel it’s all up from here.”
At its core, that’s what Upward
Transitions does and has done for 100 years. What started in 1925 as the Travelers Aid Society helping
“You guys really don’t know how important you all are to our survival. You come in and you just think you’re only one smile, just one resource, but that changed the whole course of my life. You actually save lives—you’re not just a resource. ” RUBY UPWARD TRANSITIONS CLIENT
people stranded in Oklahoma City has become a key player in our community’s work to prevent
homelessness. For decades, they have strived to not just help their neighbors in need, but to be a good partner to other nonprofits.
“It’s really about stability, helping people get whole so they can start over with a clean slate,” said Periann Pulliam, Upward Transitions Chief Executive Officer.
When someone walks through the doorway at Upward Transitions,
whether it’s for rental assistance or to work with a case manager to obtain their legal documents, they are already taking steps to build their future. While the tasks themselves may seem small to some, they are vital for progress. They open the door to jobs, housing and a myriad of social services.
The successes of people like Ruby are what drive Upward Transitions, and that was at the
It’s really about stability, helping people get whole so they can start over with a clean slate.”
PERIANN PULLIAM UPWARD TRANSITIONS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Periann
Pulliam, Upward Transitions Chief Executive Officer
forefront of Periann and her staffs’ minds as they planned for this year’s centennial celebration. It’s more than a celebration; it’s a commitment to service and doing even more for the next 100 years. A key component of the celebration is a $1 million campaign to raise money for their endowment fund, which they chose to house at OCCF. By strategically working with donors like the Love Meyer Family Foundation and leveraging matching dollars from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, they
are striving toward a sustainable future so they can continue to impact lives forever.
“To see a family in their home thriving, that’s success,” Periann said. “Because we know that by helping them, it has the potential to alter not just the course of their lives but each generation after that.”
A Simple Way to Research Charitable Giving
The Oklahoma City Community Foundation makes it possible for anyone to boldly support our community. Featuring more than 400 nonprofit partners, our Nonprofit Directory makes it easy for you to research organizations and join others to help nonprofits grow their support.
Nonprofit Distribution Your Impact
With the support of individuals, families and organizations, our Nonprofit Endowment Program has become one of the largest of its kind in the country, providing reliable, annual support to nonprofits so they can work to meet needs and elevate our community. Together, we strive to make the greatest impact in our community.
13.4 MIL $ Awarded in FY24
New Funds
IN FY24
New funds started between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.
5207 Western Foundation
The Western Club provides a safe environment for meetings and other activities of Alcoholics Anonymous, AI-Anon and other recovery programs.
Bethany Public School Foundation
The foundation strives to encourage, enrich and enhance the quality of education for Bethany Public School students and the passion within its teachers.
Capitol Hill High School Ralph Tomlin Endowment Fund
The fund was established in honor of Ralph Tomlin to support scholarships to Capitol Hill High School graduates who are pursuing further education in STEM fields.
Children’s Health Foundation
The foundation supports pediatric research and education programs, partnering with Children’s Hospital physicians to improve the health and well-being of children. This year, they established a number of designated funds supporting a wide range of topics.
• Barbara Bonner PhDChild Abuse and Neglect Endowed Fund
• Blake Shelton Endowed Research - Pediatric Oncology Fund
• Brandon Weeden Endowed Chair - Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Fund
• Disordered Eating Endowed Fund
Edmond Public Schools Foundation
• Marilyn Escobedo MD Research Program - Lecture Neonatology Fund
• Paul and Ann Milburn Endowed Lecture - Disordered Eating Fund
• Shaaf Family Endowed Research Program - Genetic Counseling Fund
The foundation supports academic projects and teacher grants in the Edmond Public School District. This year, they established two new designated funds that honor teachers and recognize leaders.
• Leadership Excellence Award Fund
• Teacher of the Year Fund
Fight for the Forgotten
Fight for the Forgotten works to ensure health and human rights for displaced indigenous groups in West Africa.
Friends of the Oklahoma Arts Council
The fund supports the long-term care of art collections managed by the Oklahoma Arts Council.
Keystone Adventure School and Farm
Keystone Adventure School and Farm is a working farm and art-based elementary school located in Edmond, serving children 3 years old through fifth grade.
McLoud School Foundation
The foundation supports educational opportunities for McLoud Public Schools’ students and teachers. This year, they established a designated fund to support scholarships in honor of Janice Stotts.
• Janice Stotts Memorial Scholarship Fund
Moore High School Alumni Association
The association supports scholarships and other services for Moore High School Students. This year, Mari Cook Medley established a designated fund to support the association’s Be Who You Are Scholarship.
• Mari Cook Medley Scholarship Fund
Norman High Band Association
The endowment supports the Norman High School Band organization, and provides equipment and activities that enhance the band experience.
Oklahoma City University Law School
A graduate program of OCU, the law school is dedicated to educating those who will serve as guardians of the law. This year, the Alshuler family established a designated fund to support scholarships for students pursuing a career in criminal prosecution.
• Ashley L. Altshuler Memorial Criminal Justice Scholarship Fund
Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center
Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center provides the community with arts and education programming for adults and youth. This year, Jeanette and Rand Elliott established a fund to support temporary art in the Center’s main entrance.
• First Encounters Endowment
Oklahoma Energy Football Club
The fund was established to provide opportunities to OEFC youth players that wouldn’t otherwise be able to play soccer.
Oklahoma Philharmonic Society Affiliated Fund
Each year, the orchestra performs a series of independent and collaborative performances at the Civic Center Music Hall and other venues. This year, Dr. Steven Agee worked with the Philharmonic to establish a designated fund to support their Discovery Family Series as well as future programing for young audiences.
• Steven C. Agee Discovery Series Endowment
Oklahoma PLAY Ball Endowment
This endowment supports the Oklahoma youth sports community by encouraging participation, creating leadership opportunities, developing accessibility and providing youth education.
Oklahoma St ate University
This endowment supports OSU’s Daybreak Fund, which is available to OSU students who are former foster youth and are experiencing unexpected expenses such as medical, living expenses, emergencies or academic needs.
• Daybreak Fund
Overholser Mansion
This fund was established to ensure the longevity and preservation of the Overholser Mansion as a place where Oklahoma history lives.
• Bill Gumerson Fund
Scissortail Park Foundation
Established by Melanie and John Burns in memory of their son, Mitchell, this endowment provides funding for an annual community tree giveaway event and tree-related programming at Scissortail Park.
• Mitchell’s Shade Endowment Fund
Sisu Youth Services
This endowment supports health, wellness and other assistance for unhoused transition-age youth at Sisu Youth Services, a low-barrier, identity-affirming shelter.
West view Boys Home
Established through the Ralph Pickle Family Fund, this fund supports Westview Boys Home in Hollis, Oklahoma, which provides residential care on a working ranch for boys ages 12-18 who are experiencing at-risk circumstances.
• Ralph Pickle Endowment Fund
Lighting the Way for Local News
Tres Savage, NonDoc’s Editor-in-Chief, conducts a debate with Norman mayoral candidates.
Ashaft of light highlights a table filled with notes, pens and computers. Journalists sit around pitching ideas and debating the value of stories with an emphasis on the truth, ethics and community. It almost seems like a scene from a movie, and
while a journalistic era that is diminishing, it remains reality for one local nonprofit.
Ten years ago, NonDoc launched its newsroom, driven by a passion for local news and a desire to return to the standards and ethics
of the golden age of journalism. They wanted to show all sides of the story, highlight points and counterpoints for issues, and emphasize a lack of bias so people can better understand important issues impacting our community. Their dream was simple – to keep people informed to foster ideas, strengthen community and encourage civic participation.
endowment benefiting NonDoc.com at OCCF.
“If we’re not thinking about the future of community journalism and how we can sustain and save that now, then it will be too late in 10 years,” Tres Savage, NonDoc Editorin-Chief said. “The endowment is a way we can set up a sustainable operation to support local journalists and provide a pathway for communities all over the state.”
From their modest launch of the endowment,
“The endowment is a way we can set up a sustainable operation to support local journalists and provide a pathway for communities all over the state.”
TRES SAVAGE NONDOC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
But, with newsrooms around the country shrinking and more smalltown papers shuttering every year, local journalism is a field teetering on the edge of crisis. A new approach to community news was needed for local journalism to survive, and NonDoc had an idea on how to make that happen.
NonDoc became a nonprofit in 2019, and in 2022, they took another significant step toward securing their future when they established the Sustainable Journalism
leveraging a $15,000 match from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund for a $25,000 investment, they have cultivated strategic donors who believe in their vision and have grown their fund to nearly 10 times the value. Just over two years into their endowment journey, they have set a goal to raise $1 million so the endowment’s annual distribution can support one staff journalist in perpetuity. It’s a lofty goal, but setting themselves up for long-term success in a sustainable way is their future and the future of journalism.
“If I could say we have helped set up a model for sustainable journalism not just here but across the state and country, that’s a win,” Tres said.
Give Now
Cash Gifts
Mail gifts to:
Oklahoma City Community Foundation
1000 N. Broadway Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Credit Cards
Visit donate.occf.org for secure online giving.
Qualified Charitable Distributions from Your IRA
Beginning at age 70 ½, you can make qualified charitable distributions of up to $108,000 from your IRA.
Cryptocurrency
Donating crypto directly to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit is more tax efficient and can save you money.
Real Estate
Land, residential and commercial properties offer unique giving opportunities.
Business-Related Assets
Gifting privately held C-Corp, S-Corp, LLC or limited partnerships can be an efficient tax-planning strategy.
Termination of a Private Foundation
Converting to a fund at OCCF can alleviate the compliance and administrative duties of running a private foundation.
Charitable Gift Annuities
Make a tax-deductible gift now in exchange for a lifetime income stream with the remainder going to a fund later.
Charitable Remainder Trust
Minimize tax on highly appreciated assets and receive an income for a stated period of time with the principal going to a fund at OCCF.
Retained Life Estate
Donate a personal residence, vacation home or farm to a fund at OCCF and receive a tax deduction while retaining the right to live there.
Other Assets
Copyrights, royalties, art, gold, coins, patents, and oil and gas interests make great non-cash gifts.
Gift through a Will or Trust
Make a provision in your will or trust for your estate to benefit others.
Retirement Plan Assets
Beneficiary designation forms can be used to make a gift from your 401(k), 403(b) or other qualified retirement plan. These are among the most taxefficient assets to give at death.
Life Insurance
Gift a fully funded policy during your lifetime or name OCCF as a beneficiary.
