Kirkpatrick Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Kirkpatrick Foundation is a Central Oklahoma-focused funder that supports arts, culture, education, animal well-being, historical preservation, and the environment in and around Oklahoma City. This is a separate, but related, grantmaking entity from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund.
FUNDING AREAS: Arts, culture, education, animal well-being, environment, historical preservation
IP TAKE: Pitch a proposal for education in Oklahoma for the best result. This funder takes a broad approach to education funding and supports education more than anything else.
PROFILE: Established by John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick in 1955, the Kirkpatrick Foundation is one grantmaking arm of Kirkpatrick Philanthropies. John Kirkpatrick was born in Oklahoma City and pursued a military career. He later led the Kirkpatrick Oil Company, and he and his wife became involved with local philanthropy. Eleanor Kirkpatrick won numerous awards for her charitable acts and support for arts, health and humanitarian programs. The funder focuses grantmaking on arts, culture, education, animal wellbeing, the environment, and historic preservation.
Historically, the bulk of grantmaking has supported education, followed by human services and then the arts. The education program supports pre-K through 12th grade, university-level, and out-of-school program grants in Oklahoma. The Kirkpatrick Foundation’s arts and culture program supports dance, theater, music and visual arts with program support and general operating support. Film festivals, museums and exhibits in Oklahoma City have also received support. Animal well-being grants have been awarded to the Oklahoma City Zoo and its affiliates. Other animal support has gone towards veterinary training, no-kill shelters, and search and rescue operations. Environmental grants support issues like freshwater protection and soil health, while historic preservation grants help improve architectural sites and educate the public about Oklahoma’s built environment.
Small grants are under $10,000, but this funder providers grants larger than this as well. View a list of past grantees on the funder’s website. The foundation has a strong legacy of giving in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, and this is where it focuses giving. Keep in mind that this foundation does not typically fund multi-year projects, capital campaigns, health/medical causes or social welfare programs.
The Kirkpatrick Foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits for requests of both under and over $10,000. There are separate procedures for small grant requests and large grant requests.
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