George Kaiser Family Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The George Kaiser Family Foundation supports a broad range of issue areas in Tulsa and Oklahoma, including early childhood education, maternal and child health, parental involvement, alternatives to incarceration, and arts, culture, and direct service programs in Tulsa.
FUNDING AREAS: Parent engagement and early education, health and family well-being, civic enhancement.
IP TAKE: The George Kaiser Family Foundation is a major regional grantmaker with over $4 billion in assets. It is the largest supporter of the Tulsa Community Foundation and funds much of that foundation’s work alongside its own grant portfolios and programs. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding, but rather “works directly with service providers in areas of mutual interest to develop projects in the community.” One exception is its accelerator grants, which have an open submission process.
The George Kaiser Family Foundation is known for its longstanding commitment to supporting children from disadvantaged communities during their earliest years, including health and education programs, support for parents, and prenatal and infant health. Kaiser is also known to partner with other funders both regionally and nationally in support of its goals. Grantseekers looking for support through one of Kaiser’s programs will need to network to get on this funder’s radar.
PROFILE: Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) is a supporting organization of the Tulsa Community Foundation, which George Kaiser and a group of other local philanthropists founded in 1998. Kaiser’s family foundation is the community foundation’s largest donor and has helped it to become one of the largest community foundations in the country. George Kaiser made his fortune through the Kaiser-Francis Oil Company and BOK Financial Corporation and has signed the Giving Pledge. The funder aims to provide “every child with an equal opportunity.” Grantmaking areas of interest are parent engagement and early education, health and family well-being, criminal justice, and community development in Tulsa.
Grants for Early Childhood Education
Kaiser’s premier program is the Parent Engagement and Early Education program. It includes K-12 education and early education initiatives to help children reach their potential. Sub-initiatives within this program include Early Childhood Development, PreK-12 Education, and Parent Engagement, which provides “support and resources to encourage parent‐child engagement and interaction.”
Grants for Public Health and Access, Women and Girls, and Criminal Justice
The foundation’s Health & Family Well-being program works to support service gaps in the communities and helping families receive the basic services they need. Specifically it “attempts to reverse the generational cycle of poverty, especially for very young children and their families, through programs focused on pre-pregnancy and family health care, teen pregnancy prevention and alternatives to incarceration for mothers who have committed low-level offenses.”
Additionally, its Criminal Justice program seeks to break the cycle of incarceration to alleviate Oklahoma families and communities. Previous grantees in this area include Center for Employment Opportunities, Women in Recovery, The Bail Project, and Still she rises.
Grants for Community Development
George Kaiser is a long-time supporter of early childhood education, and much of his personal and foundation giving has been centered on the Tulsa community and Oklahoma. Kaiser’s local support has regularly extended to schools, arts organizations, community services, the Jewish community, and causes for children. Vibrant & Inclusive Tulsa grants support Tulsa culturally and economically. Housed within this issue area are a handful of focused community initiatives, including Arts and Culture, which invests in Tulsa’s Arts District and Greenwood neighborhood, Economic Development, which works to increase Tulsa’s economic health, and Neighborhood Development, which focuses on East Tulsa, Kendall Whittier and North Tulsa.
The foundation also has an Accelerator Grant program which works to “increase access to funding and ensure that BIPOC-led nonprofits have the financial and technical support to fulfill their missions within the Tulsa community.” Grantseekers can apply here.
Important Grant Details
Foundation grants vary widely in size, and grant seekers can find sample past grantees on each of the program pages of its website. The foundation mostly focuses on the Greater Tulsa area with its grantmaking but also awards grants elsewhere in Oklahoma. Beyond the state, GKFF supports national early childhood health and education efforts.
GKFF does not accept unsolicited grant requests for most programs, and the funder contacts potential grantees directly. The one exception is the Accelerator Grants program; grantseekers can apply to Accelerator Grants here, either via a video submission or a written submission. Direct general questions to the staff at 918-392-16112 or by email at inquiries@gkff.org.
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