Cherokee Strip Community Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Cherokee Strip Community Foundation supports a broad range of causes in Enid, Oklahoma, and the surrounding Northwest Oklahoma communities. Areas of interest include health, arts and culture, youth, education, equipment, historical preservation, poverty, hunger, and people with disabilities.
FUNDING AREAS: Health, arts and culture, youth, education, equipment, historical preservation, poverty, hunger, people with disabilities
IP TAKE: Prevention is big with this funder, so pitch a youth or health idea that aims to stop health and youth issues before they start.
PROFILE: Established in 2000 originally as the Enid Community Foundation, the Cherokee Strip Community Foundation (CSCF) is based in Enid, Oklahoma. It seeks to improve “the quality of life for not only the residents of Enid but also those in Northwest Oklahoma.” It was established with a $1.8 million challenge match from the Sisters of Mercy. The trustees decided to change the name in 2009 to better reflect the foundation's Northwest Oklahoma focus. Grantmaking areas of interest include health, arts and culture, youth, education, equipment, historical preservation, poverty, hunger, and people with disabilities.
Once per year, the community foundation awards grants from its unrestricted endowments. In the past, grants have gone to Hope Outreach, the Regional Food Bank Foundation of Oklahoma, Enid Symphony Orchestra Association, Hedges Rational Speech and Hearing Center, and the Oklahoma Dental Foundation. With this funder, the geographic location and the impact of a proposed project are often more important than the specific field of interest. In addition to the unrestricted endowments, grant seekers can view a list of funds at CSCF here.
Most of CSCF’s grants are between $1,000 and $10,000, however, larger grants are occasionally made too. View a list of recent grantees here. Grantmaking is restricted to the town of Enid and elsewhere in Northwestern Oklahoma. The bulk of foundation grants goes to special projects, innovative programs, and equipment purchases and upgrades. As a general rule, the foundation does not support operating expenses, research, fundraisers, religious purposes, political projects, or travel.
CSCF accepts unsolicited letters of intent from local nonprofits. Letters of intent from grant seekers are typically due by August 1st of the year and should be no more than two pages. Nonprofits can submit these any time of the year and expect to hear back from the grant distribution committee within about six weeks. Then, grant proposals are typically due by September 15.
PEOPLE:
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