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    CASA of Oklahoma County
    Virtual Advocacy Services
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $1,131
    CASA of Oklahoma County provides a trained caring adult to advocate for the best interest of children who have been removed from their home due to abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers get to know the children and communicate with all parties in the case and people in the child’s life in order to provide complete information and sound recommendations to the court. As “the eyes and ears” of the judge, the CASA volunteer offers a neutral, third-party opinion to the court, one that is unbiased and child-focused. Virtual video conferencing and electronic signature software is necessary in order to continue and expand CASA services during the pandemic. When restrictions are lifted, CASA will continue to utilize virtual services to stay better connected to volunteers and create more flexible, accessible training and continuing education opportunities for staff, board members and volunteers.
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    Neighborhood Services Organization
    Carolyn Williams Center Technology Upgrade
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $13,000
    NSO’s Carolyn Williams Center is a unique program that provides transitional living in a 17-bed, dormitory-style complex for homeless young men between 18-23 years old. Many of the youth come directly from foster care or youth shelters. The residents receive help finding jobs, take weekly life skills classes, share chores and learn how to live independently to ensure their future self-sufficiency. To facilitate learning, the organization has created the CWC Job Readiness Center, which provides a computer lab and classroom setting to facilitate life skills classes. Clients may also use the Center to do schoolwork, search for employment and apply for jobs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many clients have lost their jobs in the service industry. The Center is key to ensuring clients are able to find employment as quickly as possible and upgraded technology will enhance job searching capabilities and increase opportunities for computer skills training.
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    Oklahoma County Juvenile Court
    Technology Upgrade
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $4,189
    Oklahoma County Juvenile Court serves the parents and children of Oklahoma County. Many court-involved families do not have sufficient technology or data to virtually engage in visitations or services. The court will purchase tablets (one for each court team) and data cards/upgrades. Parents may then use the tablets to virtually participate in visitations and services, if needed. Visits and services will be coordinated around other matters scheduled at the juvenile justice building. Data cards/upgrades will also be purchased for parents who indicate they otherwise have a device but insufficient data.
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    Mary Abbott Children’s House
    Technology Upgrades to Remotely Serve Children
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $8,000
    Mary Abbott Children's House is a safe place for children to share their experiences regarding sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect, as well as children who are a witness to crime and in drug endangered situations. Abbott House provides services to children ages 3 to 18 years old from District 21 (Cleveland, McClain and Garvin counties), as well as surrounding areas. Upgraded technology equipment will allow for investigative partner agencies and Abbott House staff to watch interviews live while off-site, limiting the number of people in the building while continuing to serve vulnerable children and families in the community.
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    Sunbeam Family Services
    Wraparound Support for Foster Families
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $7,500
    Sunbeam Family Services is expanding wraparound services to foster parents through informal care options for children in care, remote case management, and telehealth services. These additional services well help Sunbeam maintain the placement of children in care and reduce burnout for foster parents and their support systems. The closure of childcare and schools forces parents to scramble to home-school their children while keeping them entertained. Parents also struggle to run errands and meet work requirements. For foster parents, quarantine also means additional check-ins with DHS case managers and virtual visits with members of biological families. To help relieve this pressure, and to prevent foster parent burnout, Sunbeam will provide all of its foster families with stipends for informal care.
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    Safe Families Oklahoma
    Transition to Virtual
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    Safe Families Oklahoma (SFO) is a program of It's My Community Initiative (IMCI), which exists to strengthen vulnerable families in Oklahoma. Safe Families is a locally supported, volunteer movement fueled by compassion to keep children safe and families intact. The hallmark of Safe Families is providing a “host family” to temporarily open their home to a child in a voluntary arrangement while the parent works toward goals to stabilize their family and bring their child back into their home. In response to this unprecedented season of COVID-19, SFO has adjusted its response by implementing new methods of recruiting and onboarding volunteers. By shifting the approach completely from in-person information meetings and volunteer training to online and virtual platforms, SFO can both support families and prepare for the influx of needs over the coming months as shelter-at-home restrictions subside.
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    Fostering Sweet Dreams
    Sleep Safe and Sound
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $7,500
    Fostering Sweet Dreams is a nonprofit that provides tangible needs such as beds, car seats, high chairs and strollers to Kinship foster-care placements along with unexpected traditional foster-care placements. Fostering Sweet Dreams will purchase new beds and bunk beds to prepare to meet an anticipated increased need for children coming into foster care or going home to be reunified with their biological parents following shelter-at-home guidelines ceasing.
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    Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs
    Strengthening Family and Community Connections
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $20,000
    The vision of the Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA), an Oklahoma state agency, is to make lasting, transformative improvements in the lives of the at-risk and juvenile justice involved children, families and communities they serve. OJA seeks to provide youth with opportunity, tools and supports needed to live productive and fulfilling lives. The goal of OJA’s Strengthening Family and Community Connections project is to further strengthen and support families, by providing expanded phone and internet-based video visitation opportunities. OJA will work to effectively and efficiently develop strategies needed to use available technology to support youth currently placed in the custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs to facilitate interactions between youth and their families and communities.
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    CREOKS Mental Health Services
    Alternatives to Foster Care
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $15,000
    The CREOKS Behavioral Health Children's team provides confidential outpatient services for youth and adolescents up to age 25, in their clinics, in-home and through school-based programs. The 13 counties of DHS Region IV have the highest per capita out-of-home placement as well as abuse and neglect cases. They also have the lowest number of foster homes. The Alternatives to Foster Care project provides technology upgrades to be used by CREOKS Behavioral Health Children’s staff embedded in DHS Region IV clinics and supporting DHS-involved or in-custody children. Increased access to technology allows staff to work with families and community providers to develop plans of support that would build on community and family strengths to support families and children to remain safely in the home.
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    Northwest Family Services
    Technology Upgrades
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $19,550
    Northwest Family Services is a private, nonprofit youth service agency in rural Northwest Oklahoma. The agency provides a variety of services to youth and families with child welfare and juvenile justice involvement through foster care, Parents As Teachers child abuse prevention program, counseling, First Time Offender Program and community at risk outreach program. While under shelter-at-home restrictions, 90% of services must be done virtually. Rural communities encounter several barriers to accessing virtual services, including lack of internet access and/or inadequate data plans due to increased usage, lack of state subsidized daycare, inability to provide adequate supervision of children in the home, increased stress within the family due to loss of jobs, schools moving to virtual distance learning, inability to offer face-to-face family of origin visits, foster care support groups, parents night out, informal care, and respite. Technology upgrades will ensure children in rural homes have adequate internet access to complete their school work, counseling/medical appointments and virtual family visits.
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    Youth and Family Services of North Central Oklahoma
    Telehealth Services
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $15,000
    Youth and Family Services (YFS) was founded to provide temporary shelter and address the special needs of children affected by abuse, neglect and delinquent behavior. YFS clinicians have been using telehealth methods to stay engaged with clients. However, for those that do not have access to the internet or do not have the hardware necessary for telehealth, staying engaged has been a struggle. This is true particularly for OJA and OKDHS clients. Telehealth applications allows the client to have immediate access to a limited number of people who serve as the client's support group. The support group includes the client’s YFS clinician and case manager, OKDHS worker or OJA probation officer, a safe friend and a safe family member. During times of social distancing, the technology allows the YFS clinician to provide mental health and substance abuse services to the client. The technology allows the client to have a readily accessible support group, a way to stay connected and engaged during treatment and assistance in a crisis. This program particularly helps rural and low-income clients that do not have the necessary equipment or access for telehealth services.
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    University of Oklahoma Foundation
    OUHSC Center on Child Abuse and Neglect/Child Study Center
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    The OUHSC Center on Child Abuse and Neglect/Child Study Center (OUHSC CCAN/CSC) is housed within the OUHSC Children’s Hospital - Department of Pediatrics. Their mission is to improve the lives of children and families through clinical and interdisciplinary services, research and training. Technology is required to support child welfare and juvenile justice involved youth and family participation in specialized OUHSC CCAN/CSC telehealth treatment services. For children and families at highest risk and in greatest need, the onset of COVID-19 has brought with it increased personal and financial life stressors in conjunction with new barriers in accessing quality mental health care. OUHSC treatment programs have worked expeditiously during this pandemic to transition assessment and therapy services to telehealth platforms.
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    Panhandle Services for Children
    Technology Advancement
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    Panhandle Services for Children is a nonprofit youth and family services agency providing mental health, prevention, education, foster care and host homes for youth and families throughout the Oklahoma Panhandle. Technology advancement will replace outdated equipment and allow the organization to effectively connect with youth, parents, foster parents, OKDHS case workers and juvenile justice probation officers to ensure a continuity of care and quality service provision. Outdated technology has limited videoconference and teleconference solutions and caused barriers to providing service to all clients/customers. The service array includes mental health services, foster parent recruitment, certification, and support, as well as prevention and diversion programs for the community and those involved in either the juvenile justice system or Department of Human Services. Programs such as parenting classes, anger management, drug and alcohol prevention, life skills, support for teen parents and more will be implemented using the upgraded technology.
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    NorthCare
    Technology Upgrades and Kinship Support Funds
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    NorthCare works with Oklahoma Human Services and private funders to provide child abuse and prevention services to families in 45 counties across Oklahoma with the goal of preventing child maltreatment in our state. Providing technology equipment and upgrades to workers who support families in the child welfare system, primarily child abuse and neglect prevention, and supporting families of origin to retain custody will help retain families in their programs and increase NorthCare’s ability to reach families while under social distancing restrictions. In addition, NorthCare provides an emergency flex fund to support kinship families under financial strain to help keep foster children in their homes.
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    Youth & Family Services
    Supporting Foster Care Families with Technology Services
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    Youth & Family Services (YFS) is a private, nonprofit, community-based charitable organization in El Reno; formed to provide, promote, assist and facilitate a community-based, structured process of counseling, socialization, recreation, educational assistance, and in emergency youth shelter for youth and their families who have been identified as in need of assistance in adjusting to current life situations. Increased technology will provide supportive services to foster care families. YFS will offer family visitation, family counseling and educational support services through the use of laptops, iPad/tablets, individual and group conferencing software and other appropriate educational software/applications. These services will support placement stability for children in foster placements.
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    Harley’s House
    Community Daycare Scholarship Fund
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $5,000
    Harley’s House Crisis Nursery serves families in Western Oklahoma by connecting families with local resources to help them get out and stay out of crisis. Families may voluntarily contact the organization when they are experiencing times of high stress or crisis. The Community Daycare Scholarship Fund provides daycare scholarships for foster, kinship or families of origin to utilize childcare at no cost to them through the use of their licensed local daycare centers. Harley's House partners with licensed centers to pay the cost of the daily drop-in rate on behalf of the family for children in immediate need of childcare.
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    Family & Children’s Services
    Promoting Child Safety and Family Engagement
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $9,000
    For nearly a century, Family & Children’s Services (F&CS) has been the place to turn for help with problems that seem overwhelming and too difficult to handle alone. F&CS provides two intensive home-based service programs to children and families that are involved in OKDHS child protection services. These services are designed to address the complicated risks associated with child abuse, such as untreated caregiver mental health, domestic violence, substance abuse, generational abuse, poverty and past trauma experiences. As a Comprehensive-Home Based Services (CHBS) provider for over 25 years, F&CS has seen the program succeed in helping families, lower the likelihood for recidivism and strengthen child and parent relationships while ensuring safety. Additionally, Intensive Safety Services (ISS), is provided through a OKDHS Child Welfare contract. These services were created to prevent children from being removed from their homes by providing therapists to work intensively in the homes with the caregivers to address mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, trauma and other parenting practices that put children at risk of removal and placement in DHS Child Welfare. This project will allow for the purchase of iPads with hotspot capability to loan to families without the technology facilitate participation in virtual CHBS and ISS services in addition to DHS workers, attorneys, CASA and other providers critical to their ability to make meaningful change within rural counties, including Creek, Okmulgee, Osage, Pawnee, Washington, Pittsburg, Muskogee, Cherokee and Adair.
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    Domestic Violence Intervention Services
    Children’s Program Visitation Enhancement
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $13,411
    Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Inc. (DVIS), a Tulsa Area United Way agency, is the only nonprofit agency in Tulsa and the surrounding communities to provide comprehensive intervention and prevention services to men, women and children affected by domestic and sexual violence. The Children’s Visitation Enhancement project will work to enhance the connection between biological parents and their children in child welfare placement by providing enhanced access to internet access and visitation kits for both child and parent.
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    Global Orphan Project
    CarePortal
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    CarePortal is a web-based and mobile platform that exists to help connect and support children and families in need with people and resources that can make a difference in their lives. All requests submitted through CarePortal come from caseworkers at government child welfare agencies or other child-serving organizations approved by CarePortal to vet needs. Opportunities are then presented to community partners to be able to more efficiently and effectively serve not only children and families but the requesting agencies' frontline workers. Every need met supports positive outcomes for children and their families, including to prevent children from entering foster care, support for foster and adoptive families, reunification of biological families and support for youth aging out of foster care. Needs are wide ranging; examples include material needs such as beds, car seats, food, clothing, housing, transportation, financial assistance for utilities and rent; relational needs for childcare, transportation assistance, mentoring, and tutoring; and family needs such as respite care, foster families and adoptive families. This request will provide catalyst funding to community partners meeting the direct needs of children and families in crisis, to increase the percentage of needs met through the platform in Central and Northeast Oklahoma.
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    Western Plains Youth and Family Services
    Mental Health Needs of Children and Families
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $20,000
    Western Plains Youth and Family Services (WPYFS) has a long history of providing ground-breaking mental health services to the children and their families in Northwestern Oklahoma. Although WPYFS has traditionally delivered rural mental health services through face-to-face, in-person interaction, social distancing requires adjustment and expansion to the counseling process. WPYFS must now provide rural mental health services through teletherapy, also known as " tele-med" services. WPYFS will provide the needed teletherapy services to its existing clients and new clients that are expected due to the stress and fears associated with COVID-19.
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    Muskogee Organization Narcotic & Alcohol Referral Counseling Help
    Virtual Visitation
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    Monarch serves pregnant women, women and women with children who suffer from substance abuse in an inpatient setting. Many of the women served have children in foster care and are working towards reunification. Due to social distancing practices, they are not able to have traditional visitation with their children. Virtual Visitation will allow all residents to have visitation through video conferences with their children and DHS case workers, in order to continue the progress residents have made and to avoid delays for family reunification. Historically, a boost in residents’ moral and engagement has been seen when visitation with their children takes place on a regularly scheduled basis.
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    Marland Children’s Home
    Creating Connections
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $10,388
    Marland Children’s Home, established as an orphanage and then as a group home for Oklahoma Department of Human Services placements, transitioned in 2018 to become a child placing agency for OKDHS, with a focus on ensuring that Kay County children can stay in Kay County. Marland Children’s Home converted existing Marland Children’s Home housing into five residences where foster families can live rent free. These residences are large enough that families can foster sibling groups, helping achieve the goal of keeping siblings together whenever possible. In addition, the Marland Children’s Home recruits and supports Kay County foster families who live off-campus. The lack of technology to stay visually connected has increased the already high level of trauma for the children in counseling and visitation, especially the younger children, who don’t do well on a phone call. Creating Connections will empower the organization to implement the necessary equipment to allow all of their foster families the opportunity to virtually connect for continuity of care.
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    ReMerge
    Staying Connected while Staying Safe
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $9,000
    ReMerge serves mothers of minor children or women who are pregnant, providing a comprehensive program to keep mothers in the community with their families in lieu of prison. The goal of the organization is to reunify families and help both mother and child be successful. Typically, mothers are seen daily, but with social distancing on site programming has been suspended and all support has moved to virtual telehealth, phone calls and other remote resources. Many of the clients do not have the necessary equipment to benefit from these modes of operation, so ReMerge will provide the necessary technology so that all of their families can continue to progress through the program, work on their DHS plans and maintain contact with guardians, family members and attorneys.
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    Logan Community Services
    Tele-Counseling Program
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $9,000
    Logan Community Services contracts with the Office of Juvenile Affairs and the Department of Human Services to operate a 24/ 7 emergency youth shelter for children referred by both agencies or the community and to provide counseling for youth currently in the juvenile justice system and prevention programming for at-risk juveniles. Tele-counseling will greatly reduce face-to-face contact with clients and all staff to help to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to facilitate counseling that might not be available due to the pandemic. Logan Community Services will continue to offer virtual counseling to the over 300 youth they serve annually, reducing transportation and access barriers.
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    Center for Children and Families
    Telehealth Services
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $20,000
    Center for Children and Families (CCFI) serves children and their families who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing child abuse, neglect or other adverse experiences throughout Cleveland County. All CCFI programs, with the exception of one, serve families in foster care, the child welfare system or the juvenile justice system. Technology upgrades and acquisitions will support the operations of the programs that serve these communities by providing consistent virtual access to counseling services, group classes and parent-child observations that improve their lives. Counseling services are designed to heal children and strengthen families by using evidence-based, trauma-informed care. Counseling services are available to children ages 0 through 17 and their biological, foster and/or adoptive parents to achieve safe, stable and healthy family relationships in the wake of child abuse, neglect and other traumatic experiences.
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    Youth & Family Resource Center
    Tele-Health Capacity Building
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $7,000
    Youth and Family Resource Center, Inc. (YFRC) is a nonprofit organization located in Shawnee, serving Pottawatomie County, Lincoln County and surrounding communities. The mission of YFRC is to provide services that engage and empower youth and families to lead safe, healthy lives. YFRC serves as an umbrella agency for multiple services, programs and initiatives, which are all aimed at providing specialized services to foster children and families at high risk for being involved with child maltreatment. In response to the increase in need to provide mental health, prevention and emergency shelter services to the community, YFRC is building telehealth strategies for outpatient care, as well as related to the education of children. By creating a highly effective telehealth infrastructure, YFRC can continue to provide critical services during this time. Telehealth not only meets a crisis intervention need in response to COVID-19, it will also be incorporated as a long-term service array as a part of the agency’s practice moving forward.
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    Grand Lake Mental Health Center
    Supporting Children & Families
    May 1, 2020
    Awarded: $15,000
    Grand Lake Mental Health Center (GLMHC) is a not-for-profit community behavioral health center serving adults, children and families in Northeast Oklahoma. GLMHC will rapidly deploy devices to families impacted by the welfare and justice systems, to maintain connection and support during the COVID-19 pandemic. GLMHC partnered with MyCare to develop one-of-a-kind HIPAA compliant software to deliver 24/7 access to licensed mental health professionals. This software is individually tailored both to first responders and to the individuals and families served and it will be installed on the purchased devices. GLMHC serves a largely rural area and many of the communities lack adequate cellular and internet connectivity.
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    AutismOklahoma
    AutismOklahoma
    March 17, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    AutismOklahoma is a nonprofit organization that believes that every person with autism is unique and important. Their organization helps individuals with autism reach their full potential, helps families thrive, and helps communities understand and embrace differences. This award is to help provide resources to expand their staffing and program reach.
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    Pivot
    One Eighty
    March 13, 2020
    Awarded: $5,000
    Pivot provides programs and services for youth that focus on meeting housing and basic needs; education and job assistance; mentoring and life skills development; prevention and intervention services; and therapeutic care. Pivot takes a youth-driven, strengths based, trauma responsive approach to empowering youth to transition into self-sufficient adults. One Eighty is an annual event that raises vital funding to support the many programs and services provided by Pivot.
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    Knee Center for Strong Families
    Criminal Justice Reform Research
    March 12, 2020
    Awarded: $75,000
    The Knee Center for Strong Families aims to be a premier hub for translational knowledge development and dissemination related to healthy family functioning. The Community Embedded Post-Doctoral Associate will focus on criminal justice reform and innovative approaches to using research and evaluation as community level interventions.
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    Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center
    Capital Campaign
    March 6, 2020
    Awarded: $2,000,000
    Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center is a nonprofit organization committed to providing the community with quality, accessible and affordable arts programming and education. Through corporate funding and private donations, Oklahoma Contemporary is able to educate Oklahomans through adult classes and workshops, art camps and classes for local youth, art exhibitions, lectures and additional educational programming.
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    Allied Arts
    Annual Allied Arts Campaign
    February 27, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Allied Arts campaign is a community-wide drive to raise vital funds to ensure quality cultural programming, arts education in classrooms, after school sites and neighborhood centers, outreach into underserved communities, and healing arts initiatives for the sick and disabled. Through allocations grants, member agencies utilize funds to not only meet administrative line items but also to underwrite performances and exhibits, keep admission prices affordable, provide free arts events and programming, and bring arts experiences to schoolchildren statewide.
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    A Chance to Change
    Celebration of Recovery
    February 21, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    A Chance to Change (ACTC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency that offers education classes, workshops and prevention programs to those suffering from addictions, behavioral disorders and those whose families have been affected. ACTC is funded by program fees, insurance reimbursement, donations from individuals and corporations, private foundation grants, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, United Way of Central Oklahoma, and other sources.
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    Myriad Gardens Foundation
    Splendor in the Gardens
    February 20, 2020
    Awarded: $9,983
    The Myriad Gardens Foundation is a 501(c)(3) which supports the Myriad Botanical Gardens by providing capital and operating funding, increasing public awareness and support and promoting the highest of horticulture, education and administrative standards. Splendor in the Gardens is the signature, farm-to-table gala dinner served in grand style on the Devon Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens. This event serves to raise funds that support the Gardens, Crystal Bridge Conservatory and educational and special event programming.
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    The Education and Employment Ministry
    Oklahoma County Jail Pre-Trial Release Initiative
    February 20, 2020
    Awarded: $408,000
    The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) assists women and men through the Oklahoma County Jail Pre-Trial Release Initiative, a collaborative community program providing immediate access to community support, education, job training, legal assistance, case management services, and job placement services through TEEM’s self-sufficiency and work readiness service model. In addition, the program connects participants with appropriate levels of substance abuse treatment and mental health care. Members of this collaboration include TEEM, the Oklahoma County Public Defender’s Office, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, members of the Oklahoma County Judiciary, and other community partners.
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    Community Action Agency of Oklahoma & Canadian Counties
    Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)
    February 10, 2020
    Awarded: $3,500
    Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian Counties, Inc. mission is to promote the self-sufficiency of the socially, economically, and culturally disadvantaged citizens of Oklahoma and Canadian counties. For over 20 years, CAA of OKC & OK/CN Counties, Inc., has been a VITA site for the community. They have been able to bring back millions of dollars into the community through this program.
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    CASA of Oklahoma County
    Vision 2021
    February 10, 2020
    Awarded: $75,000
    CASA of Oklahoma County, Inc. (CASAofOKCO) serves as a voice for some of the most vulnerable children in Oklahoma County. CASAofOKCO works to diminish the challenges faced by children in foster care by recruiting, training, supervising, and retaining community volunteers who advocate for the best interests of abused or neglected children in the juvenile court system.
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    The CARE Center
    2020 Brave Ball
    February 4, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    Brave Ball raises awareness and critical funds for the services CARE Center provides including forensic interviews, family advocacy, medical exams, counseling, and abuse prevention education. Each of these services are critical in helping children find hope and healing after abuse and empowering children and adults to end child abuse.
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    Angels Foster Family Network
    Annual Storytelling Gala
    February 3, 2020
    Awarded: $10,000
    Angels Foster Family Network OKC, Inc.’s mission is to rescue abused, abandoned, and neglected children, match them with a select group of trained resource parents and ensure the maximum emotional, social, and intellectual development of each child. The Angels method of fostering has become a new standard for foster care advocates across the country.
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    Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation
    All Hands Raised Luncheon
    January 16, 2020
    Awarded: $2,500
    Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation mission is to advance excellence, create champions and build strong community support for lasting change in Oklahoma City Public Schools. This fundraising luncheon features a first-hand opportunity to hear from inspirational students, remarkable educators, and district leaders. All Hands Raised also provides the opportunity to educate the community about the current work and long-term goals of the Foundation.
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    United Way of Central Oklahoma
    General Support
    January 10, 2020
    Awarded: $25,000
    Since 1923, United Way of Central Oklahoma has worked with businesses, organizations and foundations to raise funds for the annual campaign. Strengthening and improving the health and well-being among all central Oklahomans accomplished by addressing the underlying issues identified in the community. United Way of Central Oklahoma invests in proven, high-quality programs, including counseling, crisis intervention, mental health and/or substance abuse treatment, medical examinations, treatments, screenings, referrals and medications.
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    R.I.S.E. Program
    Cosmetology School Supplies
    December 26, 2019
    Awarded: $9,000
    R.I.S.E. provides a complete education in the Cosmetology field, free of charge, to women who are currently incarcerated, while assisting them in obtaining their Oklahoma State Board Cosmetology license, job placement, housing, clothing, transportation, and recovery support prior to their re-entry into society as successful re-emergent citizens, in an effort to lower current recidivism rates and help women change their lives after prison.
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    Communities Foundation of Oklahoma
    Bridges to Hope: Teaching in the Shadow of Trauma
    December 16, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    Bridges to Hope is a free event open to all educators, non-profit partners, tribal entities, other government agencies and any organization who currently works with at-risk children. The Oklahoma State Department of Education will host Dr. Bruce Perry to discuss his research and how it can be implemented in child welfare. Dr. Perry's clinical research over the last ten years has been focused on integrating emerging principles of developmental neuroscience into clinical practice. This work has resulted in the development of innovative clinical practices and programs working with maltreated and traumatized children.
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    Pivot
    Homeless Transition Age Youth - Drop-in Center and Overnight Shelter
    December 3, 2019
    Awarded: $320,000
    Pivot provides programs and services for youth and families that focus on meeting housing and basic needs; education and job assistance; mentoring and life skills development; prevention and intervention services; and therapeutic care. Pivot takes a youth-driven, strengths based, trauma responsive approach to empowering youth to transition into self-sufficient adults. Oklahoma City was in dire need of a drop-in center and emergency overnight shelter for transition age youth and young adults. Pivot will provide unsheltered and sheltered homeless or runaway youth with wrap-around services (food, shelter, therapeutic care, education, training, employment, healthcare), transitioning them to more a stable living situation.
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    3 Girls Animal Rescue
    Increasing Capacity and Operations Support
    December 3, 2019
    Awarded: $40,000
    3 Girls Animal Rescue (3GAR) is a small, but growing, animal rescue working to save the animals of local municipal shelters and transport them to areas of higher adoption demand. The addition of paid personnel will allow the leadership to focus on long term sustainability and increase their ability to serve their community and beyond.
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    Francis Tuttle Foundation
    Melrose Construction Trade School
    November 19, 2019
    Awarded: $8,000
    The Melrose Construction Trades Program provides training for young people on probation with skills for this high growth/high demand and economically vital industry for Oklahoma and across the U.S.; academic skills toward a high school diploma or G.E.D.; and critical life skills, all helping to deter them from a life of crime. The program challenges students to their potential and guides them toward employment in the construction industry.
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    Oklahoma City University
    Bloomberg Terminal Computer Lab
    November 12, 2019
    Awarded: $68,640
    Bloomberg Terminals have proven to be an important tool for teaching finance and economics. The software system is considered to be the most advanced information and analysis tool in the field of finance. The Meinders School of Business requires that every business student become Bloomberg Certified before they are allowed to complete their degree requirements and graduate. This requirement makes our graduates much more employable than the normal college graduate. Ninety five percent of the students who graduate from the Meinders School of Business are employed in their field of interest, or go on to graduate/law school, within three months of graduation. Providing professional training while in college transforms students and their lives. Having familiarity with Bloomberg Terminals is almost a necessity for anyone seeking advanced employment opportunities in the finance industry.
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    Oklahoma Autism Center Foundation
    MESA Project
    November 8, 2019
    Awarded: $122,500
    For over 20 years, the MESA Project (formerly Project PEAK) at the Oklahoma Autism Center (OAC) has provided consultation and professional development to educators and professionals who work with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The OAC team brings together the combined experience of certified special education teachers, general education teachers, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, board certified behavior analysts and psychologists. The goal is to build capacity in the public-school system to support children with autism. This is done by teaching evidence-based practices through statewide trainings and workshops as well as through consultations with individual school teams.
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    Jazz in June
    Jazz in June
    November 8, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    Jazz in June will celebrate its 37th annual festival in 2019. Beginning as a single concert in 1984, Jazz in June has grown into a regional jazz and blues festival which serves an audience of 150,000 through concerts and radio broadcasts. Today Jazz in June reaches far beyond its three-day festival to include jam sessions, educational workshops, a mini-concert series, and a statewide public radio broadcast.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards and Visions: A Celebration of Nonprofit Leadership
    November 2, 2019
    Awarded: $30,000
    The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits conceived the Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Awards to honor the extraordinary work that nonprofit organizations of excellence are doing throughout our state. These dedicated organizations are changing the landscape of human services and community assistance in Oklahoma. In 2011, the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits launched the Visions awards to recognize and celebrate the exemplary service of Oklahoma’s nonprofit leaders. The honorees selected for recognition at Visions have dedicated their lives and careers to ensure the success of nonprofit organizations essential to Oklahoma’s communities.
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    Oklahoma City Community Foundation
    Oklahoma County Diversion Hub
    November 1, 2019
    Awarded: $20,000,000
    In a public-private partnership, Oklahoma City MAPS 4 will provide $17 million toward the Oklahoma County Diversion Hub to transform the City’s approach to criminal justice, relieve pressure on the Oklahoma County jail and help low-level offenders establish a more productive life. The Diversion Hub is a collaborative, multi-agency network in a single location to provide coordinated, life stabilization services to individuals navigating the justice system. Case managers and justice navigators work alongside on-site community partners to meet the needs of the client while keeping community safety and a culture of compassion and accountability as a top priority. Operational costs will be supported by a $20 million endowment funded by the Arnall Family Foundation.
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    Horses Without Humans
    Horse Adoption Awareness Campaign
    October 31, 2019
    Awarded: $75,000 FMV
    Horses Without Humans (HWH) is a 501c3 organization that takes in horses that have no humans, no voice of their own, and no other options. Providing the compassion and time it takes to rehabilitate them as well as professional assessment, medical care, companionship, and professional training with some of the most successful trainers in the equine industry. The addition of the 2019 Ford F-250 and horse trailer will increase their capacity and ability to transport horses in transition and increase adoptions.
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    The Education and Employment Ministry
    Docket 1269 State-Issued ID Project
    October 28, 2019
    Awarded: $5,551.50
    The Education and Employment Ministry, also known as TEEM, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking cycles of incarceration and poverty through education, personal development and work readiness training. In November 2019, Oklahoma made national news when it released hundreds of individuals in the largest mass commutation in US history. Working in collaboration with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the Department of Public Safety, TEEM worked to facilitate the necessary paperwork and fees to assist each individual with receiving their new state-issued identification. Acquiring a photo ID is one of the greatest barriers to justice-involved individuals in Oklahoma because of potential pending legal issues and transportation barriers. A photo ID is needed to secure employment, housing, state assistance, and more, therefore it is imperative to the success of the justice-involved individuals that they receive a photo ID.
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    Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation
    25th Anniversary Looking Back-Thinking Forward Fund
    October 22, 2019
    Awarded: $20,000
    In 1995, Oklahoma City saw the effects of terrorism firsthand. It is where the model for a response, the Oklahoma Standard, was forged. April 19, 2020, marks the 25th Anniversary. To honor this seminal moment in the history of our state and nation, the Memorial & Museum has embarked on a campaign to look back and think forward. To teach new generations that we always get to decide how to respond to injustice. To be a thoughtful voice for resilience, justice, healing, and forgiveness. To remind people that the world holds far more good than bad, a lesson that’s all too easy to forget.
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    Citizens for Juvenile Justice
    Family Treatment Court Sustainability Project
    October 3, 2019
    Awarded: $7,500
    Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) is a non-profit citizens advisory committee established to aid in the more effective administration of the law relating to youth. CJJ provides counsel, advice, and assistance to the Oklahoma County Juvenile Bureau (OCJB) for the purpose of enhancing services to at-risk youth, in part by applying for grants to help fund projects and programs that will benefit the community and the cause of juvenile justice. Family Treatment Court is a juvenile or family court docket that have identified where parental substance abuse is a primary factor. A multi-disciplinary team consisting of judges, attorneys, child welfare services and treatment personnel collaborate to provide evidence-based infant and early childhood mental health services, family counseling and substance abuse treatment with the goal of increasing family safety and positive relationships between child and caregiver to prevent the cycle of stress, addiction, abuse and trauma.
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    United Way of Central Oklahoma
    Annual Campaign 2019
    September 20, 2019
    Awarded: $20,000
    United Way of Central Oklahoma currently funds 119 strategic and impactful programs administered through 58 local nonprofit Partner Agencies that are making a lasting difference. United Way of Central Oklahoma has raised funds annually through workplace campaigns, corporate donations, individual gifts and foundation grants since 1923.
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    Emancipet
    Julie Morris Memorial Scholarship
    September 17, 2019
    Awarded: $2,500
    For more than three decades, Julie Morris served as one of the most cherished and visionary leaders in the national field of animal welfare. The Julie Morris Memorial Scholarship establishes a program to provide access to leadership training through the Emancipet New School to animal welfare professionals who show promise as leaders in the field and who would otherwise lack access to leadership training and professional development.
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    Kiwanis Club of Downtown Oklahoma City
    The Bob & Jean Harbison Early Childhood Education Center
    September 13, 2019
    Awarded: $59,000
    Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. The Kiwanis Club of Downtown Oklahoma City formed in 1918, is now the oldest continuously-operated Kiwanis club across Texas & Oklahoma. The brand-new Early Childhood Education Center will serve as a Head Start/Early Head Start school and double as a community center and STEM lab for the Mark Twain Elementary neighborhood in Westlawn Gardens.
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    Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter
    Ride to Rescue
    September 12, 2019
    Awarded: $131,000
    Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter (PAAS Vinita) launched the Ride to Rescue program in 2016 to address pet overpopulation in rural Oklahoma. The Ride to Rescue program is a network of nearly 50 partners representing municipal shelters and rescues to collaborate on filling a weekly transport of adoptable animals to intake partner Dumb Friends League in Denver, CO. Since inception over 5,000 animals have been saved through this innovative approach to rural sheltering issues. The long-term goal of the program is to promote collaborations in animal welfare, help smaller, more isolated organizations improve operations to include best practices, address overpopulation through transport, spay/neuter and humane education programs and provide quality, adoptable pets to communities in high demand.
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    Midwest City Fraternal Order of Police
    Cops and Community 3v3 Youth Basketball Tournament
    September 9, 2019
    Awarded: $17,747
    The Cops and Community 3v3 Youth Basketball Tournament is an annual event hosted by Midwest City Police Officers to help bring at-risk youth in lower income areas along with other youth that live in Midwest City limits together with their families for a community basketball tournament. The Police department believes this will continue their mission of community-oriented policing and allow citizens to see a different side of police officers.
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    Oklahoma Humane Society
    Hero Awards 2019
    August 27, 2019
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Central Oklahoma Humane Society’s primary goal is to end the needless euthanasia of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats in central Oklahoma. Since founding in 2007, our programs have served nearly 135,000 pets and found homes for 30,000. In their first 10 years we have made great strides toward this goal including increasing the live release rate from the Oklahoma City animal shelter from 25% in 2007 to 80% in 2018. Support of the Hero Awards enables the expansion of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society’s innovative and life-saving programs benefiting pets in our community.
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    Animal Balance
    MASH Clinics Tulsa
    August 21, 2019
    Awarded: $112,370
    The Animal Balance USA program is results oriented, efficient and sustainable. The goal is to identify under-served areas in need of accessible and affordable spay/neuter, and then quickly step in to collaborate and help the local organizations bridge the gap in sterilization services. Ultimately, the local organizations are given the skills, power and knowledge to use their resources in the most efficient manner possible, resulting in more lives saved. The community of Tulsa is a perfect example of an existing group of organizations who are already doing all they can to meet their community’s need for sterilization of cats and dogs, including forming alliances and coalitions and utilizing all resources at their disposal, however despite these efforts, intake at the local open admission shelter continues to top 8,500 animals per year. Animal Balance will work with the Coalition for Tulsa Pets to implement MASH style clinics to perform high-volume spay/neuter services in various locations throughout Tulsa. In addition, they will provide hands on training and consultation to provide coalition organizations the tools to continue to address the demand for high volume services. The pilot is projecting to host three clinics and serve over 1,000 animals.
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    Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma
    Foster Care Girl Scout Troops
    August 13, 2019
    Awarded: $160,000
    In addition to support for traditional troops led by parent/community volunteers, Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma (GSWESTOK) is dedicated to ensuring all girls ages 5-17 have access to the proven resources of Girl Scout programming. As they expand community programming, GSWESTOK has set a high priority on serving girls in the foster care community through establishment of Girl Scout troops comprised entirely of girls impacted by the foster care system.
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    Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County
    Flight for Futures
    August 13, 2019
    Awarded: $7,500
    The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County is part of a nationwide affiliation of local, autonomous organizations through Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) working to help youth of all backgrounds – with special concern for those from disadvantaged circumstances – develop the qualities they need to become responsible citizens and leaders. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County serves over 800 young people daily, has over 3,600 registered members and offers programs at four locations.
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    Boys and Girls Club of LeFlore County
    Program Improvements and Training Support
    August 7, 2019
    Awarded: $7,335
    Boys and Girls Club of LeFlore County’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Program improvements and increased training for their staff will enable them to reach more young people and provide more programs.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    Visions: A Celebration of Nonprofit Leadership
    August 6, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits launched the Visions awards to recognize and celebrate the exemplary service of Oklahoma’s nonprofit leaders. The honorees selected for recognition at Visions have dedicated their lives and careers to ensure the success of nonprofit organizations essential to Oklahoma’s communities.
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    Talley Community Services Foundation
    Faded and Educated: Back to School Free Hair Cut Day
    August 5, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    For the last 15 years, Talley Community Services Foundation has hosted a community day benefiting students, primarily boys. They provide haircuts, school supplies, uniforms, lunch, higher education information, community speakers, and a fun day of activities. This program serves as a strategy to assist students in overcoming the challenges of their educational development.
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    American Horse Council Foundation
    Equine Welfare Data Collective
    July 31, 2019
    Awarded: $25,000
    The United Horse Coalition has teamed up with several equine organizations including the American Association for Equine Practitioners Foundation, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to form an alliance to gather information and data as it relates to equine welfare. The Equine Welfare Data Collective (EWDC) is critical to understanding the current state of the equine welfare segment and how the industry as a whole can continue to help horses in transition.
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    Healthy Schools OK
    Pedal 4 PE
    July 31, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    The leading causes of death in Oklahoma are heart disease, cancer, injuries, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The age-adjusted death rates for each are significantly higher than the nation as a whole. Unfortunately, the children who live, play, and go to school in the state of Oklahoma are developing unhealthy behaviors that lead to many of the health problems of our adult population. These risky behaviors include tobacco use, unhealthy dietary habits, inadequate physical activity and not practicing safety. In response to these factors, Healthy Schools Oklahoma (HSOK) was initiated in 1997 through the auspices of the Oklahoma County Medical Society Foundation. Founding partners include the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City Public Schools and the Oklahoma City-County Health Department. It is HSOK’s intention to improve public health by teaching our citizens about the value of healthy living and demonstrating how healthy lifestyles can be achieved throughout a lifetime.
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    Oklahoma City Community College Foundation
    Fostering Higher Education
    July 25, 2019
    Awarded: $200,000
    Oklahoma City Community College established the Fostering Higher Education program to support students formerly in foster care. This program intends to help students achieve academic success and ultimately graduate with a certificate or degree and will consist of three primary components: student success advising for all students formerly in foster care tailored to their unique needs, scholarships to support a number of these students as they work to achieve their educational goals, and targeted student financial support to help address the cost of transportation and appropriate business professional attire upon graduation.
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    Oklahoma City Ballet
    Patron Events & Ballet Ball
    July 16, 2019
    Awarded: $10,000
    Oklahoma City Ballet has been the city’s professional ballet company since 1972, when it was founded by Yvonne Chouteau and Miguel Terekhov. As the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City Ballet currently boasts talented dancers from around the world. The company produces four main-stage productions per season in Oklahoma City, in addition to touring across Oklahoma and surrounding states. In addition to main-stage productions and touring, Oklahoma City Ballet offers classes for youth and adults through The Oklahoma City Ballet Yvonne Chouteau School, as well as multiple outreach programs to provide arts experience and education to students across the state.
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    Citizens for Children & Families
    Foster Care Task Force
    July 10, 2019
    Awarded: $60,000
    CCF believes that strong partnerships help create strong families and strong communities. CCF has established the Foster Care Task Force, a partnership of community citizens and partners, to identify needs within the Oklahoma County Foster Care System. The Foster Care Task Force studied the foster care system and has identified several opportunities for areas of reform and improvement in the current foster care system. Targeted outcome areas include improving child well-being for children in care, increasing and retaining high quality foster homes, and expanding community supports for foster children and foster families. Over the next two years the Task Force will work intensively to launch evidence-based initiatives, including the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECM/C) and respite program(s) as well as policy and practice changes needed to improve foster care.
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    Scissortail Park Foundation
    Grand Opening Weekend
    July 1, 2019
    Awarded: $100,000
    The new Scissortail Park is in the heart of a revitalized downtown Oklahoma City. This public space is part of the MAPS 3 program that envisions a healthy and vibrant quality of life for our city while serving as an investment in the future. Every detail is designed for connection – with nature, neighbors and ourselves. It is a place for play, culture, celebration and inspiration.
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    Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue
    Increasing Capacity
    June 24, 2019
    Awarded: $275,000
    Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue (HoP) is the largest and most effective equine advocacy organization in West Virginia. Operating through much of the Appalachia with a network of volunteers and partners their goal is to reach, and help, as many horses in need as possible. In addition to direct animal assistance HoP also provides equine education to owners and law enforcement. With major capital improvements HoP will utilize their current land and resources to assist more than 50% more horses in transition over the next three years, providing more at-risk horses with humane transitions and increasing adoptions in the region.
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    Oklahoma City Metro Literacy Coalition
    Scrabble Showdown
    June 20, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    Oklahoma City Metro Literacy Coalition’s (OKCMLC) mission is to lead a collaboration of literacy providers and supporters to strengthen services and present a united voice for literacy in Metropolitan Oklahoma City. The Scrabble Showdown is OKCMLC’s annual fundraiser that features an amateur Scrabble tournament where teams of two compete at one of three skill levels—Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced. The event includes food, drink, a silent auction, and plenty of “word cheats” for sale, all for a good cause.
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    Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy
    Heroes Ball
    June 14, 2019
    Awarded: $2,500
    The Heroes Ball is a fundraising and community awareness event that honors Oklahoma's heroes for children. Honoring advocates who transform the lives of children and youth in our state is an important part of our culture, establishing a bar for excellence for the years to come. Over 400 people come together to also celebrate OICA's work to improve the health, safety, and well-being of all of Oklahoma's children, with a special emphasis on those in the state’s care and those growing up amidst poverty, violence, abuse and neglect, disparities, or other situations that put their lives and future at risk. The Heroes Ball raises necessary operational dollars for OICA to achieve this mission.
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    PETS Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic
    Amarillo Expansion
    June 13, 2019
    Awarded: $275,000
    PETS Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic provides high-quality, low-cost spays and neuters, veterinary services, and community-focused programs in a kind, nonjudgmental environment to ensure every pet has access to and can remain in a loving home. Their successful model has expanded from their flagship in Wichita Falls with the Fall 2018 opening of their satellite clinic in Graham, TX. The Amarillo clinic will offer low-cost, high-quality spays, neuters and wellness services to pet owners in Amarillo and surrounding communities in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle with a combined human population of around 300,000. Currently, there are no low-cost vet options and many small, rural communities surrounding Amarillo do not have access to even a full-service vet clinic. An independent stand-alone branch of P.E.T.S. in Amarillo, will fight pet over-population, save the rescues and humane society very valuable resources by lowering the cost of vet services, create employment and volunteer opportunities while increasing access to pet owners in that entire region through transport services and mobile efforts. These results will greatly impact the pet overpopulation problem in Amarillo by lowering the intake of unwanted pets and helping to keep pets in the homes that love them.
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    Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship Intl
    PATH Intl Pre-Conference
    June 11, 2019
    Awarded: $3,800
    PATH International’s conference is the premier education event in equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) attracts an ever-growing group of professionals in EAAT. The 2019 event will feature an impressive array of education sessions presented by industry and outside-the-industry subject matter experts, including sessions on equine adoption. Full-day, preconference workshops are offered as an add-on for attendees who look forward to benefiting from an immersive day of education on site and at a local equine facility. This year the preconference will be held at Denver Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center.
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    Heartline
    Festival of Hope
    June 10, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    HeartLine has a 47-year history of providing around-the-clock, compassionate, nonjudgmental listening, information and referral, crisis intervention and suicide prevention. The most widely used programs include: 2-1-1 information and referral (40 counties); the State and National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (in 76 Oklahoma counties) and Lifeline Chat (text); the Reachout Hotline (mental health and substance abuse); the Oklahoma Problem Gambling Helpline (statewide); the Youth Crisis Mobile Response line (statewide for children 0-24 in crisis); and, in the event of a natural or man-made disaster, 2-1-1 becomes the non-emergency lifeline between the public and available community resources, providing one number to call for the latest information.
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    Parent Promise
    Integris Right Track Program & Exchange Parent Aide
    June 6, 2019
    Awarded: $224,000
    The Labor and Delivery Unit at INTEGRIS Baptist has been one of Parent Promise’s largest referral sources for several years. The social services staff at the hospital understands the value of in-home visitation and support and has been a close ally of Parent Promise. This project will assign a trained Parent Promise parent educator to the hospital to work closely with the Labor and Delivery Unit to introduce new families to in-home parent education and support services. Families will receive an in-hospital visit and care/resource package from the parent educator, and an appointment will be set up to make a home visit to that family within one week of hospital dismissal.
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    Sunbeam Family Services
    Shine a Light
    May 28, 2019
    Awarded: $39,100
    Sunbeam helps children, families and seniors learn, grow, heal and thrive. Founded in 1907, Sunbeam Family Services is one of Oklahoma’s longest serving nonprofits, providing help, hope and the opportunity to succeed to people of all ages and all stages of life in central Oklahoma through Early Childhood, Counseling, Foster Care and Senior Services. The annual Shine a Light gala provides Sunbeam with operational support and increased awareness of their services.
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    Sisu Youth
    Increasing Capacity
    May 20, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    Sisu provides drop in services and emergency shelter for youth experiencing homelessness or unstable housing. Youth may access the clothing closet and food pantry, eat a hot meal and receive resource connection from an encouraging adult during drop in. Additionally, youth staying in shelter have access to a care coordinator to help them create and achieve a plan of action to move towards becoming stably housed. Sisu provides these services with very low barriers working to provide resources to all young people that need assistance.
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    Oklahoma Policy
    Data-driven Criminal Justice Policy Research and Advocacy
    May 20, 2019
    Awarded: $35,000
    Oklahoma Policy Institute (OK Policy) is a non-partisan independent policy think-tank that promotes adequate, fair, and fiscally responsible funding of public services and expanded opportunity for all Oklahomans by providing timely and credible information, analysis, and ideas. OK Policy believes that Oklahoma can be a great state, one that ensures prosperity for all our citizens through good schools, good jobs, good health, strong families and strong communities. To make the best policy decisions that lead us to this better future, policymakers and citizens need good, factual information.
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    Safe Families
    It's My Community Initiative
    May 14, 2019
    Awarded: $10,000
    The focus of Safe Families is to reduce the number of children in foster care; prevent child abuse and neglect; and support families in crisis. Safe Families, Oklahoma will expand current operations by adding a Social Worker. This additional staff member will allow Safe Families to expand our capability of recruiting and training new host families, handling new referrals, and encourage the Family Coach volunteers who walk with the bio-families during this time.
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    Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled
    Compassionate Citizen of the Year
    May 13, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    OKFD is a not-for-profit social services organization established in 1960 that provides high quality and activity-oriented adult day health services for adults with developmental disabilities in central Oklahoma. Their mission is to improve the quality of life of developmentally disabled central Oklahoma adults by providing them with high quality and transformative learning programs and services that include life skills training, recreational activities and socialization opportunities in a safe, caring and compassion-focused environment.
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    Tulsa Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
    On-Site Medical Clinic
    May 3, 2019
    Awarded: $353,000
    In November of 2018 Tulsa Animal Welfare (TAW), Humane Society of Tulsa (HST) and the Tulsa Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tulsa SPCA) announced the creation of the Coalition for Tulsa Pets. The coalition is a collaborative effort to develop and execute a community plan aimed at increasing the live release rate at Tulsa Animal Welfare as well as providing comprehensive and sustainable services for the pets in our Tulsa community. TAW, HST and the Tulsa SPCA provide services to the community in the combined areas of: sheltering, adoption, protection and enforcement, spay/neuter and other veterinarian services, transport, keeping pets in homes, community outreach and education. As a founding partner Tulsa SPCA will provide the vital component of increased access to affordable spay/neuter and veterinary services to the community and help to reduce shelter intake.
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    Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance
    Battle on the Rockies
    April 29, 2019
    Awarded: $7,500
    As a mission-focused project to reduce the number of horses in transition, Battle on the Rockies is a horse show exclusively designed to showcase and promote the adoption of rescue horses. The event unites Colorado’s equine rescues and trainers in identifying, selecting and training horses in transition, and then featuring them in a competition before equine enthusiasts and prospective adopters. In 2019, ten Colorado horse rescues collaborated to showcase the versatility of adopted and adoptable horses.
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    Love this Horse-Equine Rescue
    Adoption Showcase
    April 26, 2019
    Awarded: $12,500
    Misperceptions about rescued horses often prevent horse owners from considering adoption to get their next competitive mount. To dispel these myths, Love this Horse Equine Rescue in Acton, California looks to increase visibility for their adoptable horses by showing their adoptable horses in local competitions. They will increase the frequency of hunter/jumper shows and endurance races that they attend and expand their presence to Western events.
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    West Virginia Horse Network
    Adoption Academy
    April 26, 2019
    Awarded: $12,500
    The West Virginia Horse Network will expand an existing program designed to engage and educate first-time horse owners interested in adopting. The program will contain a ten-month course with formal lectures and demonstrations on veterinary care, training, farrier work and other basic horse knowledge. Graduates of the program will receive a $500 voucher to adopt a horse from the West Virginia Horse Network.
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    Drifter’s Hearts of Hope
    The Annie Project
    April 26, 2019
    Awarded: $25,000
    Drifter’s Hearts of Hope of Franktown, Colorado brought a well-trained, sweet mare into their care after finding her at a local auction. Her name was “Annie;” she wore the brand of a local dude ranch and helped forge a relationship between the two groups. The new partnership led to 35 retiring dude ranch horses safely transitioning into new homes through Drifter’s program as an alternative to auction. Drifter’s Hearts of Hope looks to expand the program, called The Annie Project, to encompass all 55 Colorado-based dude ranches and is laying the groundwork to expand the program nationally.
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    New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program
    Louisiana Satellite
    April 23, 2019
    Awarded: $100,000
    New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program was founded in 1992 to offer retiring racehorses a safe-haven, rehabilitation, and continued education through placement in experienced, caring homes. It has been New Vocations’ long-term goal to expand its capacity by opening additional satellite facilities and they now have locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and New York, helping over 400 horses safely transition in 2018. Over the last year, the program was made aware of some issues in Louisiana concerning horses going directly from the racetrack to livestock auctions. In researching the issue, it was found that there were not many aftercare options for the racetracks and racehorse owners in Louisiana. Utilizing their successful model New Vocations has partnered with Rosie Napravnik, a former jockey and ambassador for retired racehorses, to expand their aftercare services into Louisiana. The program expects to transition 50-100 horses retiring from Louisiana racetracks in the first twelve months and continue to grow its capacity with increased funding and awareness.
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    Pivot
    One Eighty
    April 11, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    Pivot provides programs and services for youth that focus on meeting housing and basic needs; education and job assistance; mentoring and life skills development; prevention and intervention services; and therapeutic care. Pivot takes a youth-driven, strengths based, trauma responsive approach to empowering youth to transition into self-sufficient adults. One Eighty is an annual event that raises vital funding to support the many programs and services provided by Pivot.
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    Oklahoma Lawyers for Children
    Celebrating Families Block Party & Masquerade 5K
    April 9, 2019
    Awarded: $4,000
    Oklahoma Lawyers for Children (OLFC) is a team of volunteer lawyers and citizen volunteers protecting and supporting children in the foster care system. The 5K run raises awareness of the importance of healing and reunifying broken families. The Block Party is a collaboration between OLFC, court personnel, agencies and providers who each provide fun, family friendly activities for families who have been reunified, are in trial reunification, or who are just beginning to work service plans.
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    Oklahoma City Animal Welfare
    Behavior and Enrichment Program
    April 3, 2019
    Awarded: $150,000
    Since 2007, Oklahoma City Animal Welfare and the Central Oklahoma Humane Society have partnered together with a goal of ending the needless euthanasia of healthy adoptable pets in Oklahoma City. The partnership has made great progress since 2007, when an initial live release goal of 75% was established. Together they have increased the live release rate from 25% in 2007 to 86% in 2018. The current goal is to reach a 90% live release rate in 2019. In 2018, a 90% live release rate was achieved for all categories of cats and dogs with the exception of medium to large mix breed adult dogs. Many of these dogs have minor behavior issues, are high energy, or are never taught basic manners, making them more difficult to place. These dogs typically spend longer periods in the shelter cooped up in their kennel and as a result their behavior can change for the worse. Enrichment in the form of exercise and training is needed to keep them healthy during their stay and to make them become more adoptable. Oklahoma City Animal Welfare will utilize established behavior and enrichment programs such as Dogs Playing for Life and behavior modification to help decrease unwanted behaviors and increase the adoptability of the target population.
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    Community Transportation Association of America
    Transportation Innovation Grant
    March 28, 2019
    Awarded: $1,000,000
    Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) is the winner of the $1 million Transportation Innovation Grant focused on improving transportation for families in Oklahoma County who have children in the foster care system. CTAA, in partnership with EMBARK and the Oklahoma Transit Association, will develop a pilot program that increases parent-child reunifications in Oklahoma County through innovative transportation delivery.
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    Oklahoma City Police Athletic League
    Time out for PAL Luncheon
    March 21, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Oklahoma City Police Athletic League (OKC PAL) is a nonprofit organization that exists, in partnership with the Oklahoma City Police Department, to serve students and schools in Oklahoma City. Four full time police officers run athletic programs, leadership skills training, and service opportunities to the students and schools involved in PAL programs. Additionally, afterschool mentoring and martial arts programs, as well as elementary athletic leagues, take place after school and on weekends during their respective seasons.
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    The Education and Employment Ministry
    TEEM Transformation
    March 8, 2019
    Awarded: $500,000
    The Education and Employment Ministry, also known as TEEM, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking cycles of incarceration and poverty through education, personal development and work readiness training. Since its inception in 1987, TEEM has served over 16,000 Oklahomans, most in the Oklahoma City Area. TEEM works to keep as many individuals from being incarcerated as possible and also seeks to empower those incarcerated become self-sufficient, productive citizens. TEEM takes a holistic approach to breaking cycles of incarceration and poverty in Oklahoma by assisting individuals impacted by incarceration with education; social service supports; job training, job search, and job placement. The Transformation Capital Campaign will provide TEEM the opportunity to continue to expand and grow programs and utilize more space in their facility.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    March 7, 2019
    Awarded: $35,000
    The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits is a 501(c)3 organization equipping and strengthening the Oklahoma nonprofit sector through training, consulting, advocacy, membership, networking and awards. Their mission is “building better communities through effective nonprofits.”
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    OKC Metro Alliance
    Women’s Firstep Community Kitchen
    March 7, 2019
    Awarded: $607,110
    The OKC Metro Alliance provides an opportunity for individuals to recover from substance abuse through programs leading to sobriety including Firstep, a residential work-therapy program. The Women’s Firstep Community Kitchen project will provide the program with a new culinary facility and dining room. The goals of this new facility are to improve access and consumption of nutritious food by creating a Community Kitchen that will provide a structured resource for women in recovery and substance abuse treatment to prepare healthy meals, learn new cooking skills, share diverse cultural recipes and build relationships. In addition, the Community Kitchen will allow the women to explore new skillsets and business opportunities to support their new, healthy lifestyle following treatment.
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    Oklahoma City Family Justice Center
    Palomar Kennel Project
    March 6, 2019
    Awarded: $12,500
    Oklahoma faces many social service obstacles including poverty, lack of education, mental illness, substance abuse and violence/incarceration. Palomar is a group of service-oriented agencies that came together in 2016 with the vision to create a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary service model where teams of professionals come together under one roof to provide coordinated services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, bullying, and human trafficking. Through a partnership with the Oklahoma Humane Society they have recently established an onsite Animal Advocate to immediately care for the animal(s) caught in the middle of family violence while the Palomar agencies take care of the people affected. Animal care includes vaccinations, spay/neuter, temporary kenneling, and a foster home until the family can be reunited with their pet(s). The addition of kennels will provide the temporary housing space for animals that come into Palomar, providing peace of mind to the families in need of assistance.
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    Big Friendly Enterprises
    Sasquatch Shaved Ice Expansion
    March 1, 2019
    Awarded: $174,000
    Big Friendly Enterprises is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and sustaining employment-based social enterprise programs in Oklahoma City. The first program of Big Friendly Enterprises is Sasquatch Shaved Ice, a snow cone business that employs low-income, homeless and former foster youth in Oklahoma City. Sasquatch Shaved Ice is the first and only supportive employment opportunity targeting low-income teens and transition-aged youth in Oklahoma City, despite a growing need for these services in the community.
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    Oregon Horse Rescue
    Be Mine Equine Training Grant 2019
    February 26, 2019
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Oregon Horse Rescue (OHR) is a rescue and sanctuary that focuses on helping, healing and re-homing at-risk horses in the Pacific Northwest. With the Be Mine Training grant funds, OHR will launch the Second Chance Seniors program, providing training to up to 14 horses currently considered sanctuary residents that require groundwork and in-hand skills to become ready for adoption. Many of these horses require special care due to physical limitations, vision impairment, or age, but could be excellent candidates for adoption into private homes with the right training.
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    New Mexico Horse Rescue
    Be Mine Equine Training Grant 2019
    February 26, 2019
    Awarded: $10,000
    The New Mexico Horse Rescue operates out of Walkin’ in Circles Ranch, Inc in Edgewood, NM. The New Mexico Horse Rescue at WNCR rehabilitates and finds homes for abandoned, abused and neglected horses and averages up to 60 horses in their care at any time. The Be Mine Training Grant will fund the hiring of an assistant trainer to work with novice to intermediate volunteers weekly throughout the spring in preparation for the WNCR In Hand Training Competition. At the competition’s end they expect to graduate 20-25 confident, successful volunteer horse handlers to show 20-30 well-mannered, safe horses ready to find their right homes this spring and summer.
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    The American Saddlebred Legacy Foundation
    Be Mine Equine Training Grant 2019
    February 26, 2019
    Awarded: $10,000
    The American Saddlebred Legacy Foundation (ASLF), located in Eminence, KY, promotes and protects the American Saddlebred breed by assisting owners and creating a network for horses to safely transition into new homes. ASLF has seen a rise in young, un-started horses falling at-risk and requiring transition assistance. With the Be Mine training grant, they will hire a part time trainer to give young horses a correct foundation to excel in any discipline, providing training skills that will increase their adoptability and help keep them safe in their next home and throughout their entire lives.
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    Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation
    All Hands Raised Luncheon 2019
    February 18, 2019
    Awarded: $2,500
    Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation mission is to advance excellence, create champions and build strong community support for lasting change in Oklahoma City Public Schools. This fundraising luncheon features a first-hand opportunity to hear from inspirational students, remarkable educators, and district leaders. All Hands Raised also provides the opportunity to educate the community about the current work and long-term goals of the Foundation.
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    Pivot, A Turning Point for Youth
    Transition to Success
    February 13, 2019
    Awarded: $66,500
    Pivot, A Turning Point for Youth, works with young people who are often homeless or couch-homeless, engaged with the child welfare system, disconnected or otherwise at-risk. The Transition to Success program is focused on the youth served through Pivot's Family Junction Emergency Youth Shelter ("Family Junction".) Teens are provided clean, warm beds and nutritious meals; counseling and emotional support; treatment for health issues; ability to attend school and get tutoring; life skills training and practice; vocational opportunities; recreational and socialization activities; and most importantly, the continuity of care with trauma informed staff that are engaged and invested in the youth they care for every day.
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    CARE Center
    Brave Ball 2019
    February 6, 2019
    Awarded: $10,000
    Brave Ball raises awareness and critical funds for the services CARE Center provides including forensic interviews, family advocacy, medical exams, counseling, and abuse prevention education. Each of these services are critical in helping children find hope and healing after abuse and empowering children and adults to end child abuse.
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    Humane Society of Tulsa
    Humane Society of Tulsa
    February 4, 2019
    Awarded: $229,400
    In November of 2018 Tulsa Animal Welfare (TAW), Humane Society of Tulsa (HST) and the Tulsa Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tulsa SPCA) announced the creation of the Coalition for Tulsa Pets. The coalition is a collaborative effort to develop and execute a community plan aimed at increasing the live release rate at Tulsa Animal Welfare as well as providing comprehensive and sustainable services for the pets in our Tulsa community. TAW, HST and the Tulsa SPCA provide services to the community in the combined areas of: sheltering, adoption, protection and enforcement, spay/neuter and other veterinarian services, transport, keeping pets in homes, community outreach and education. As a founding partner HST serves as the Transport HUB to facilitate the movement of Tulsa animals annually to destination partners throughout the country that have available space and community demand for adoptable pets.
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    Heartline
    2-1-1 Database Specialist
    January 29, 2019
    Awarded: $55,850
    HeartLine 2-1-1 Community Resource line is a free, phone, online and text service that provides Oklahomans access to vital information. Through a comprehensive resource database of more than 7,000 available health and human service organizations and programs, HeartLine 2-1-1 answers calls from Oklahoman's in need. The Database Specialist will be tasked with updating the robust database and adding new services specific to Oklahoma County. Additionally, this position will be the point of contact for Oklahoma County courthouse staff working with defendants in seeking resources to support alternatives to incarceration.
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    Mutt Misfits Animal Rescue Society
    Medical Fund 2019
    January 29, 2019
    Awarded: $7,000
    Mutt Misfits exists to help unwanted animals in situations that could lead to harm or euthanasia. They primarily focus on animals with major medical issues that are often overlooked. They work to end the euthanasia of adoptable pets in Oklahoma shelters by providing lifesaving services to pets in need. By partnering with the shelters and the public, they promote responsible pet ownership, spay and neuter, and the adoption of special needs pets.
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    Thomas N Lynn Institute for Healthcare Research
    Count Me In 4 Kids Inventory of Children’s Services
    January 28, 2019
    Awarded: $125,000
    Since the organization’s founding in 2012, Count Me In 4 Kids has acknowledged the need to develop a comprehensive list of children’s services and resources. The goal of this project is to develop a complete and accurate statewide inventory of children’s services that is easily accessible, comprehensive, fluid, up-to-date across all technology platforms, and user-friendly that encompasses information that will be valuable to many audiences including providers, agencies, parents of foster, adoptive, and juvenile justice children, grandparent/relative/kinship caregivers of children, educators, churches, health professionals, and the public at large.
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    Mutt Misfits Animal Rescue Society
    Saving Misfit Animals
    January 27, 2019
    Awarded: $10,000
    Mutt Misfits exists to help unwanted animals in situations that could lead to harm or euthanasia. They primarily focus on animals with major medical issues that are often overlooked. They work to end the euthanasia of adoptable pets in Oklahoma shelters by providing lifesaving services to pets in need. By partnering with the shelters and the public, they promote responsible pet ownership, spay and neuter, and the adoption of special needs pets.
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    Reach Out and Read
    Rx for Early Literacy
    January 16, 2019
    Awarded: $5,000
    Reach Out and Read is a pediatric literacy program that partners with doctors to “prescribe” books and encourages families to read together. Tragically, children from low-income families often enter school less prepared to learn, and many of them never catch up. Therefore, Reach Out and Read efforts target these children from economically disadvantaged homes.
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    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries
    Equine Accreditation Program - Capacity Building Through Adoption Support
    January 2, 2019
    Awarded: $73,625
    Since its inception, the GFAS Equine Program has grown tremendously, now supporting 117 certified equine sanctuaries, located across 30 states, and providing care for more than 10,000 equines at any one time. Strategic planning has identified building capacity at equine rescues and sanctuaries as a crucial element to increasing equine welfare across the US. Data analysis from GFAS-accredited equine facilities identified the area of increased adoptions as a logical and profound way to achieve this goal. Promoting the adoption of equines into private homes, riding programs, therapy facilities, and other appropriate facilities, and providing resources to assist accredited groups to remove barriers to adoption and to increase the proportion is a vital way for GFAS to have a greater impact on many more animals. The grant will enable GFAS to expand its equine accreditation program by 50% annually over two years.
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    University of Tulsa
    Arnall Scholars Endowment Fund
    December 31, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000,000
    The University of Tulsa is a private, independent, doctoral-degree-granting institution whose mission reflects these core values: excellence in scholarship, dedication to free inquiry, integrity of character, and commitment to humanity. The Arnall Scholars Endowment Fund provides academic scholarships to African-American students enrolled at the University. The Endowment seeks to eliminate barriers that prevent students from pursuing higher education and further promote the values of the University.
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    Kentucky Humane Society
    LOVE 120
    December 21, 2018
    Awarded: $1,241,030
    To create real and systemic change for companion animals across Kentucky, the Kentucky Humane Society has developed a 3-year pilot program called “LOVE 120.” This program will provide resources and support to struggling but aspiring rural communities to help them create their own long-term, sustainable solutions to improve animal welfare and to inspire other communities to do the same. LOVE 120 is a 10-year strategy to positively impact all 120 Kentucky counties. To ensure the greatest reach, the pilot program of this state-wide initiative is divided into three regions: Eastern Kentucky (Letcher County), Western Kentucky (Graves County) and Central Kentucky (Breckinridge County). The poverty rate in these rural counties is high and accessible veterinary care and adequate sheltering resources is lacking.
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    Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform
    Alternatives to Prison
    December 20, 2018
    Awarded: $100,000
    Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR) to expand its influence as a statewide organization dedicated to enacting significant criminal justice reform. With this foundation, OCJR can provide education, research and advocacy necessary to improve public safety by reducing the incarceration rate, making better use of taxpayer dollars, invest in alternatives, and strengthen families.
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    NorthCare
    SafeCare Expansion
    December 19, 2018
    Awarded: $198,268
    SafeCare® is an in-home, skills-based parenting program with demonstrated support for child maltreatment prevention, along with positive parent behavior change across a series of studies .This structured, behavioral skills training program focuses on teaching, modeling, and practicing objective parenting skills to the point of mastery. Parent-child bonding, child health, and home safety are the core modules of SafeCare®’s National program.
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    Fund for Animals
    Plan 4 Progress Equine Adoption Training Network Expansion
    December 3, 2018
    Awarded: $275,000
    Forever Foundation provides equine rescue organizations across the United States with access to the Plan 4 Progress Equine Adoption training program, produced by Carter Ranch Horse. This comprehensive program has assisted over 7,000 equines by delivering hands-on training, interactive support and online learning and tracking that integrates with the daily practices of participating organizations. Program expansions will allow an additional 25 organizations to benefit from the training program, impacting thousands more horses annually.
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    Be the Change
    Coordinated Case Management for Youth and Families
    November 27, 2018
    Awarded: $50,000
    The Coordinated Case Management for Youth and Families project is a rapid rehousing program for transition age youth. The project is a part of the Journey Home OKC housing first initiative and is a collaborative effort between Be The Change, the Homeless Alliance and additional partners that provide support services for vulnerable and at-risk youth.
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    National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
    Liichokoshkomo' Admission for Oklahoma Foster Families
    November 27, 2018
    Awarded: $30,000
    The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is among the nation's premier institutions focusing on the art, history, and cultures representing the West. The institution’s mission is “to preserve and interpret the evolving history and cultures of the American West for the education and enrichment of its diverse audiences of both adults and children.” In support of this mission, the Museum is undertaking a new initiative to teach children and families the important, diverse stories while incorporating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education. This unique experience is called Liichokoshkomo’! (the Chickasaw term for “Let’s Play!”). Liichokoshkomo’ combines multidisciplinary, thematic STEAM education with core values meant to strengthen the foundation of future generations through immersive environments.
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    United Way of Central Oklahoma
    Annual Campaign 2018
    November 26, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    United Way of Central Oklahoma currently funds 119 strategic and impactful programs administered through 58 local nonprofit Partner Agencies that are making a lasting difference. United Way of Central Oklahoma has raised funds annually through workplace campaigns, corporate donations, individual gifts and foundation grants since 1923.
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    Corporation for Supportive Housing
    Scaling Supportive Housing for High-Risk Transition-Age-Youth
    November 19, 2018
    Awarded: $75,000
    The mission of the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) is to advance solutions that use housing as a platform for services to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people, maximize public resources and build healthy communities. To further their mission CSH is exploring opportunities in Oklahoma City to plan and implement a supportive housing demonstration for high-risk transition-age-youth in Oklahoma. The ultimate goal of this project is to set the stage for bringing this initiative to scale through Pay for Success (PFS), an innovative approach to addressing and solving societies most persistent and pressing issues.
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    Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Foundation
    Early Childhood Research Symposium
    November 16, 2018
    Awarded: $3,000
    The 2019 Early Childhood Research Symposium is a one-day event focused on "Promoting Equity: Comprehensive Early Childhood Strategies." With an estimated 300 policy makers, state agency leaders, early childhood providers, non-profits, donors and parents in attendance, this event will bring Oklahoma's attention to state and national research on effective, comprehensive strategies that successfully increase equity in the areas of health, early care and learning and family support for children and families.
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    Homeless Alliance
    Coordinated Case Management for Youth and Families
    November 2, 2018
    Awarded: $100,000
    Coordinated Case Management for Youth and Families provides wraparound case management as well as financial assistance such as temporary rental assistance, security deposits, and utility deposits and payments for homeless and at-risk families with children and unaccompanied youth. Coordinated Case Management (CCM) is an initiative of the Homeless Alliance that brings together dozens of partner agencies through weekly meetings, leveraging the collective resources and services of the entire group. Using this model, they are able to assist clients with multiple barriers to overcome their individual obstacles. Youth and families in Oklahoma City can become homeless for a variety of different reasons, and it is often very difficult for them to get back into stable housing because of expenses such as security deposits, utility deposits, utility payments, and first/last month rent in addition to a myriad of issues that may be contributing to the episode of homelessness. Coordinated Case Management (CCM) is just one of the solutions spearheaded by Homeless Alliance to achieve their mission to ending long-term homelessness in the community.
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    Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma County
    Great Futures Start Here
    November 2, 2018
    Awarded: $200,000
    SafeCare® is an in-home, skills-based parenting program with demonstrated support for child maltreatment prevention, along with positive parent behavior change across a series of studies .This structured, behavioral skills training program focuses on teaching, modeling, and practicing objective parenting skills to the point of mastery. Parent-child bonding, child health, and home safety are the core modules of SafeCare®’s National program.
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    Poteau Valley Humane Society
    LeFlore County Community Cat Program
    October 31, 2018
    Awarded: $7,000
    Poteau Valley Humane Society (PVHA) identified the need for a community cat program to better serve the animals in LeFlore County in Oklahoma. This program will allow PVHS to identify feral or stray cats to be trapped and delivered to area vets for spaying/neutering, along with rabies vaccinations. Over time this program will reduce the number of free-roaming cats in the county.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Rural Outreach-Statewide Initiative
    October 22, 2018
    Awarded: $1,114,100
    Eleven years ago, when the Central Oklahoma Humane Society (OK Humane) was founded, the ultimate goal was to drop the "Central" and become the Oklahoma Humane Society, the premier animal welfare non-profit in the state of Oklahoma. OK Humane is designed to care for all of Oklahoma. Currently, OK Humane is called weekly, sometimes daily, to assist rural areas that do not have the infrastructure to make effective change. The proposed outreach effort will be multi-dimensional and is modeled after an innovative strategy, piloted by Charleston Animal Society, which will aim to significantly mitigate the rural crisis in Oklahoma. The OK Humane Rural Initiative will leverage the capacity for care that currently exists within the communities and help build a self-sustaining framework in each community. OK Humane will work collectively with each target community to increase the care of companion animals, increase shelter effectiveness, enhance outreach services so the targeted area is prepared for growth, decrease pet overpopulation, assist in adoption events, set up mobile spay + neuter and vaccination clinics and reduce shelter intake in the target areas through a plethora of programs.
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    Arts Council of Oklahoma City
    Arts Partnership for Oklahoma City Public Schools
    October 20, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    Responding to large cuts in Oklahoma City Public Schools visual and performing arts staffing that dropped programs in 39 of 54 elementary schools, Arts Council Oklahoma City convened community arts groups to establish shared data, goals and a short-term strategy to serve OKC students with arts education. Collaboratively the Arts Partnership for OKCPS bridges the gap temporarily in 21 OKC elementary schools for the 2018-2019 year by pairing community arts partners with these high poverty, under-served schools.
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    Oklahoma Autism Center Foundation
    MESA Project Expansion
    October 19, 2018
    Awarded: $150,000
    For over 20 years, the MESA Project (formerly Project PEAK) at the Oklahoma Autism Center (OAC) has provided consultation and professional development to educators and professionals who work with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The OAC team brings together the combined experience of certified special education teachers, general education teachers, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, board certified behavior analysts, and psychologists. The goal is to build capacity in the public school system to support children with autism. This is done by teaching evidence-based practices through statewide trainings and workshops as well as through consultation with individual school teams.
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    Horses Without Humans
    Increasing Capacity
    October 3, 2018
    Awarded: $200,000
    Horses Without Humans Rescue Organization (HWH) is currently serving as the transitional home to more than 20 formerly at-risk horses. Increasing capacity includes building facilities and soliciting the equine community, as well as the general public, for financial support to be the transitional home for up to 100 at-risk horses annually. HWH has created a proven and differentiated Equine Adoption Organization that uniquely lends itself to the marketing and promotion of horses in transition.
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    The Education and Employment Ministry
    Oklahoma County Jail Pre-Trial Release Initiative
    September 28, 2018
    Awarded: $363,200
    The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) assists women and men through the Oklahoma County Jail Pre-Trial Release Initiative, a collaborative community program providing immediate access to community support, education, job training, legal assistance, case management services, and job placement services through TEEM’s self-sufficiency and work readiness service model. In addition, the program connects participants with appropriate levels of substance abuse treatment and mental health care. Members of this collaboration include TEEM, the Oklahoma County Public Defender’s Office, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, members of the Oklahoma County Judiciary, and other community partners.
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    Oklahoma Christian University
    Complex Dialogues with Bryan Stevenson
    September 21, 2018
    Awarded: $15,000
    Oklahoma Christian University (OC) and George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) will host Complex Dialogues with Bryan Stevenson in February 2019. The conference will be the university's second, statewide convening of leaders for discussion of Oklahoma's criminal justice systems and reform. Mr. Stevenson is nationally recognized for his work fighting poverty and challenging racial discrimination in the criminal justice system.
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    OKC Metro Alliance
    Public Inebriate Alternative (PIA)
    September 20, 2018
    Awarded: $22,320
    PIA is an Oklahoma City Police Department program that provides an alternative to jail and court system for adults who have been detained for public intoxication but who are not committing any other crime. OKC Metro Alliance manages this program in collaboration with the OKC Police Department. At the discretion of the detaining police officer, persons can be brought to PIA for a ten (10) hour detention period. During the ten-hour detention, individuals are provided food and are able to “sleep it off” in a clean safe environment. After the ten-hour detention, the individual is released without criminal charges, court dates or a record of arrest.
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    OKC Black Chamber
    Building a Stronger Community
    September 18, 2018
    Awarded: $25,950
    The Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit business and individual partnership organization. Formally known as the Capitol Chamber of Commerce, the chamber was incorporated in May 1989. In November 2011, the Capitol Chamber of Commerce changed its name and rebranded as the Oklahoma City Black Chamber. What followed was a refocused initiative to truly becoming the catalyst of support for economic growth in Northeast Oklahoma City and beyond. From small business training, educational programming, leadership development and young professional engagement, the Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce has set its Mission/Vision to build, champion and serve the communities in Central Oklahoma.
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    Calm Waters
    Under the Big Top
    September 13, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    Calm Waters offers free grief and divorce support groups for families with children 3 to 18 years of age. In the state of Oklahoma approximately 1 in 11 children will lose a parent or sibling before the age of 18 years-old. In Fiscal Year 2017, Calm Waters served over 4,000 people in the community working through some form of loss. The Under the Big Top event serves as our largest fundraiser of the year providing critical funds which directly benefit support programs and services.
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    Angels Family Foster Network
    Annual Storytelling Gala
    September 13, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    Angels Foster Family Network OKC, Inc.’s mission is to rescue abused, abandoned, and neglected children, match them with a select group of trained resource parents and ensure the maximum emotional, social, and intellectual development of each child. The Angels method of fostering has become a new standard for foster care advocates across the country.
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    Midwest City Fraternal Order of Police
    Cops and Community 3v3 Youth Basketball Tournament
    September 13, 2018
    Awarded: $16,454
    The Cops and Community 3v3 Youth Basketball Tournament is an annual event hosted by Midwest City Police Officers to help bring at-risk youth in lower income areas along with other youth that live in Midwest City limits together with their families for a community basketball tournament. The Police department believes this will continue their mission of community-oriented policing and allow citizens to see a different side of police officers.
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    Jazz in June
    Jazz in June
    September 11, 2018
    Awarded: $7,500
    Jazz in June will celebrate its 36th annual festival in 2019. Beginning as a single concert in 1984, Jazz in June has grown into a regional jazz and blues festival which serves an audience of 150,000 through concerts and radio broadcasts. Today Jazz in June reaches far beyond its three-day festival to include jam sessions, educational workshops, a mini-concert series, and a statewide public radio broadcasts.
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    P.E.T.S. Satellite Clinic
    Pets Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic
    September 11, 2018
    Awarded: $50,000
    P.E.T.S. Clinic opened a satellite clinic in Graham, Texas at the Young County Animal Shelter (YCHS). This satellite clinic offers low-cost spays, neuters and preventative care to all of Young County and surrounding communities. This is a very rural and economically disadvantaged area and many people have little to no access to veterinary care. P.E.T.S. Clinic, in Wichita Falls, is one hour away and while they offer financial aid many pet owners cannot afford to lose a day of work or the gas money to utilize the existing clinic. By opening a satellite clinic in Graham, they can eliminate these issues and ensure all pet owners in the area have access to affordable spays, neuters and preventative care.
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    Nexus Equine
    The Spencer Project
    September 10, 2018
    Awarded: $50,000
    The Nexus Equine Spencer Project is a program with a major emphasis on education. It is estimated that over 40% of residents in Spencer are horse owners. This project will provide multiple educational opportunities to both youth and adults on proper care, safety and housing of horses. Provision of some resources will be available for fencing, housing, hay, supplies and tack to assist owners in retention of their horses. Nexus will work with the City of Spencer to facilitate these learning opportunities and care clinics with the goal of increased participation, engagement and trust. Specific clinics will consist of veterinary clinics for vaccines, de-wormer, illness and microchip, farrier clinics and hoof care, and horsemanship clinics to educate on proper handling and behavior as well as development of riding skills.
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    3 Girls Animal Rescue
    Adoption and Transport Facility
    September 7, 2018
    Awarded: $84,000
    3 Girls Animal Rescue (3GAR) is a small, but growing, animal rescue working to save the animals of local municipal shelters and transport them to areas of higher adoption demand. To meet the needs of the Poteau community, 3GAR has identified a facility with a long-term lease that will give them the space to house and treat local animals while they await adoption or transport to destination partners. 3GAR projects to assist almost 800 animals annually by utilizing the new facility and their expansive foster network.
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    Oklahoma City Metro Literacy Coalition
    Scrabble Showdown
    August 24, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    Oklahoma City Metro Literacy Coalition’s (OKCMLC) mission is to lead a collaboration of literacy providers and supporters to strengthen services and present a united voice for literacy in Metropolitan Oklahoma City. The Scrabble Showdown is OKCMLC’s annual fundraiser that features an amateur Scrabble tournament where teams of two compete at one of three skill levels—Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced. The event includes food, drink, a silent auction, and plenty of “word cheats” for sale, all for a good cause.
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    Poteau Valley Humane Society
    Spay/Neuter Program
    August 24, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    Poteau Valley Humane Society (PVHS) is dedicated to relieving the pain and suffering of animals through educational efforts as well as direct intervention. Through a collaborative partnership with local rescues and veterinary service providers PVHS is dedicated to providing low cost sterilization to all companion animals in their community. The overall goal of the Spay/Neuter Program is to reduce the number of animals entering the shelter thereby ultimately decreasing the need to transport pets out of state for adoption.
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    Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
    Shelter Medicine Veterinary Development Initiative
    August 23, 2018
    Awarded: $1,144,675
    The School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet) has a long-standing reputation as a global leader in veterinary medicine education, research, and clinical care, with a tradition of compassionate clinical expertise, intellectual rigor and the pursuit of innovative thinking. The Shelter Medicine Veterinary Development Initiative intends to inspire veterinary students to pursue the shelter medicine field, encourage veterinarians to engage with shelters, facilitate shelters to productively engage with the veterinary field, and provide continuing support for the veterinary shelter community. The initiative will help to bring the shelter medicine community together, integrating students early into this collaboration and encourage systematic, multifocal veterinary support for the shelter medicine field. Penn Vet will also develop a consortium with Cornell University and Tufts University to collaborate with the goal to improve knowledge of sheltering and student education in shelter medicine.
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    Shelter Animals Count
    Platinum Sponsor
    August 13, 2018
    Awarded: $50,000
    In 2011, animal welfare agencies created a national shelter database to provide statistical measurement of progress in animal welfare, to inspire life-saving collaboration, and to have a positive impact over pet homelessness. In 2012, Shelter Animals Count (SAC) was incorporated to share a national database of sheltered animals that provides facts to help better direct companion animal lifesaving efforts. SAC uses the Basic Data Matrix developed by the National Federation of Humane Societies. The matrix contains data points such as species, age, intake-type, intake, and outcomes of animals that come under the care of a welfare agency.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    Visions: A Celebration of Nonprofit Leadership
    August 10, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits launched the Visions awards to recognize and celebrate the exemplary service of Oklahoma’s nonprofit leaders. The honorees selected for recognition at Visions have dedicated their lives and careers to ensure the success of nonprofit organizations essential to Oklahoma’s communities.
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    Pet Food Pantry of Oklahoma City
    Pet Food Pantry of Oklahoma City
    August 7, 2018
    Awarded: $15,000
    Pet Food Pantry of Oklahoma City (PFPOKC) provides free pet food and supplies to low-income seniors, veterans, homeless and those in domestic violence shelters so they can feed their pets. By helping them feed their pets, PFPOKC gives them opportunity to focus on their own food and medical needs. The pantry assists approximately 800 pets per month.
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    Citizens for Juvenile Justice
    Literacy Initiative and TBRI Training
    July 31, 2018
    Awarded: $12,500
    Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) is a non-profit citizens advisory committee established to aid in the effective administration of the law relating to youth. CJJ provides counsel, advice and assistance to the Oklahoma County Juvenile Bureau (OCJB) for the purpose of enhancing services to at-risk youth, in part by applying for grants to help fund projects and programs that will benefit the community and the cause of juvenile justice.
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    Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma County
    Flight for Futures 2018
    July 25, 2018
    Awarded: $7,500
    The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County is part of a nationwide affiliation of local, autonomous organizations through Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) working to help youth of all backgrounds – with special concern for those from disadvantaged circumstances – develop the qualities they need to become responsible citizens and leaders.
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    Oklahoma Policy Institute
    OK Policy 10th Anniversary Gala
    July 17, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    Oklahoma Policy Institute (OK Policy) is a non-partisan independent policy think-tank that promotes adequate, fair and fiscally responsible funding of public services for Oklahoma residents by providing timely and credible information, analysis, and ideas. OK Policy believes that Oklahoma can be a great state, one that ensures prosperity for all citizens through good schools, good jobs, good health, strong families and strong communities.
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    Smart Start Central Oklahoma
    Charity Polo Match
    July 17, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    As the beneficiary of the OKC Charity Polo Match, Smart Start Central Oklahoma is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring all children in Oklahoma County receive the smart start they need and deserve. School readiness enables a child to engage at school and benefit from learning experiences.
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    Altus Animal Welfare Association
    Altus Animal Welfare Association Clinic
    July 17, 2018
    Awarded: $73,217.33
    The mission of Altus Animal Welfare Association is to advocate for animals of the Altus Animal Shelter as well as animals within Southwest Oklahoma and to provide access to low-cost preventative care and spay/neuter services in a kind and compassionate environment to all Southwest Oklahoma pet owners. In partnership with the City of Altus, AAWA will provide spay/neuter services to shelter animals prior to release for adoption and perform trap/neuter/release services within the city of Altus.
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    Oklahoma City Ballet
    Ballet Ball and Patron Events
    July 15, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    Oklahoma City Ballet has been the city’s professional ballet company since 1972, when it was founded by Yvonne Chouteau and Miguel Terekhov. As the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City Ballet currently boasts 45 dancers from around the world. The company produces four main-stage productions per season in Oklahoma City, in addition to touring across Oklahoma and surrounding states.
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    Oklahoma Heart Gallery
    Finding Forever Homes Through Photography
    July 15, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    On any given day, there are between 500 to 600 children available for adoption in the Oklahoma Department of Human Services' (DHS) care. Oklahoma Heart Gallery assists Oklahoma youth, teens, siblings and developmentally or physically disabled children in DHS who are available for adoption.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Animal Advocate at Palomar Family Justice Center
    July 12, 2018
    Awarded: $87,500
    The Central Oklahoma Humane Society (OK Humane) is the largest private animal welfare organization in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma faces many social service obstacles including poverty, lack of education, mental illness, substance abuse and violence/incarceration. Animals can and are a unifying factor, but often times the animals are subjected to violence as well.
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    Ok2grow Foundation
    It Starts Here
    June 29, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    It Starts Here: Trauma-Informed Instruction will feature experts in childhood trauma and healing. In partnership with state agencies, tribal nations and nonprofits that serve children and families, the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s in-depth event will target educators who are often the first to encounter trauma in individual children.
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    Love this Horse - Equine Rescue
    Trainer Resources
    June 20, 2018
    Awarded: $20,112
    Love this Horse - Equine Rescue is committed to increasing the number of horses they successfully place into new homes each year. To obtain this goal, they recognize the need to provide more training resources for horses in transition. With the addition of a riding/training arena Love this Horse projects they will be able to double their adoption rate and place a total of 80 horses into new homes each year.
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    Sunbeam Family Services
    Shine a Light Gala
    June 15, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    For 108 years, Sunbeam has been a vital support to individuals and families in the community and is known as Oklahoma City’s longest serving nonprofits. The Shine a Light gala serves to raise unrestricted funds to support programs in Early Childhood, Foster Care, Counseling, and Senior Services serving more than 10,000 vulnerable children, families, and seniors each year.
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    NorthCare
    Parent Partners
    May 29, 2018
    Awarded: $56,000
    Many parents entering the child welfare system feel scared, hopeless, angry, and overwhelmed.  These experiences have been noted nation-wide, including feedback from a recent parent focus group conducted by the Children and Family Council of Oklahoma County.  To strengthen the foundation for parent engagement and successful child outcomes, NorthCare developed a Parent Partner program.  Parent Partners are individuals who have previous involvement with child welfare and have successfully overcome their challenges. 
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    Petco Foundation
    Innovation Showdown
    May 23, 2018
    Awarded: $50,000
    The Innovation Showdown is a collaborative project bringing the nation’s top animal welfare organizations together to invest in lifesaving innovation. Three finalists were selected to pitch live on stage at HSUS’s Animal Care Expo to the Innovation Investors representing the country’s top animal welfare organizations. Each showdown participant faces unique obstacles to implementing their innovative idea including capacity limitations, funding barriers, and logistical concerns. With input and guidance from the investors, their ideas have been shaped to implementable, scalable, and efficient projects.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Hero Awards
    May 22, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Central Oklahoma Humane Society’s primary goal is to end the needless euthanasia of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats in central Oklahoma. Since founding in 2007, our programs have served nearly 110,000 pets. In their first 10 years we have made great strides toward this goal including increasing the live release rate from the Oklahoma City animal shelter from 25% in 2007 to 75% in 2017. Support of the Hero Awards enables the expansion of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society’s innovative and life-saving programs benefiting pets in our community.
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    American Horse Council
    Equine Welfare Data Collective
    May 18, 2018
    Awarded: $20,000
    The Unwanted Horse Coalition has teamed up with several equine organizations including The Right Horse Initiative, the American Association for Equine Practitioners, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to form an alliance to gather information and data as it relates to equine welfare. This project is critical to understanding the current state of the equine welfare segment and how the industry as a whole can continue to help horses in transition. Funding for this new project will support the dissemination of surveys and various data gathering tools, oversee input of the data into the database, manage the data in terms of upkeep and integrity, as well as be able to effectively coordinate and communicate equine welfare information to the team and alliance.
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    Oklahoma City University
    Women in Leadership Conference
    May 15, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    For 108 years, Sunbeam has been a vital support to individuals and families in the community and is known as Oklahoma City’s longest serving nonprofits. The Shine a Light gala serves to raise unrestricted funds to support programs in Early Childhood, Foster Care, Counseling, and Senior Services serving more than 10,000 vulnerable children, families, and seniors each year.
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    University of Central Oklahoma Foundation
    Fostering Success
    April 20, 2018
    Awarded: $154,000
    The Fostering Success at the University of Central Oklahoma program offers a full-time case manager position on campus to support the more than 150 foster alumni in their efforts to attain a college degree. This case manager will serve as an advocate, social and clinical resources expert, and mentor for the former foster youth. Frequent meetings between the case manager and the students will create a relationship to ensure successful navigation of whatever obstacles may occur during their college experience. Success of the program will be measured by student retention rates.
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    University of Tulsa
    TU Law Hall of Fame Gala
    April 19, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    Every year the TU College of Law, its alumni and friends come together to recognize outstanding alumni and friends of TU Law and to induct a select few into the TU Law Hall of Fame. This year, in collaboration with the honorees, Mike Turpen and Stuart Price, the event will benefit the scholarship program.
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    OKC Metro Alliance
    Beans and Cornbread Luncheon
    April 18, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    The mission of OKC Metro Alliance is to assist Oklahomans who want to recover from substance abuse by providing long-term residential work recovery and to offer alternatives to incarceration. The Annual Beans and Cornbread Celebrating Freedom from Addiction: It’s Worth Celebrating Luncheon benefits residential programs that assist Oklahomans who want to recover from substance abuse.
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    The Education and Employment Ministry
    Domestic Violence Offender Treatment Program
    April 11, 2018
    Awarded: $425,000
    The Education and Employment Ministry, also known as TEEM, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking cycles of incarceration and poverty through education, personal development, and work readiness training.  The purpose of domestic violence offender treatment is to increase victim and community safety by reducing offender risk of recidivism.   Research indicates that most domestic violence offenders are themselves victims of unresolved past trauma & typical Batterer’s Intervention Programs (BIPs) in Oklahoma do not address these past traumas by operating with a one-size-fits-all model of treatment.
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    Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter
    PAAS Ride to Rescue
    April 10, 2018
    Awarded: $203,932
    Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter, PAAS, launched the Ride to Rescue program in 2016 to address pet overpopulation in rural Oklahoma. The Ride to Rescue program is a network of nearly 50 partners representing municipal shelters and rescues to collaborate on filling a weekly transport of adoptable animals to intake partner Dumb Friends League in Denver, CO. Since inception almost 3,000 animals have been saved through this innovative approach to rural sheltering issues. PAAS anticipates to transport over 2,000 in 2018. The long-term goal of the program is to promote collaborations in animal welfare, help smaller, more isolated organizations improve operations to include best practices, address overpopulation through transport, spay/neuter and humane education programs and provide quality, adoptable pets to communities in high demand.
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    Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
    241: Two Events for One Great Cause
    April 9, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, OMRF, was founded as a non-profit organization in 1946 with the mission of conducting basic biomedical research to help people live longer, healthier lives. OMRF’s 241 – Two Events for One Great Cause – is a two-day event benefiting medical research at OMRF. All proceeds from this year’s event will aid OMRF researchers in the quest for new discoveries and treatments for diseases that affect so many such as cancer, autoimmune disease, heart disease and diseases of aging.
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    Patrons of Oklahoma City Animal Shelter
    Community Cat Program
    April 4, 2018
    Awarded: $120,000
    Oklahoma City Animal Welfare has partnered with Central Oklahoma Humane Society to implement a full-scale community cat program to increase the live release rate for cats in Oklahoma City. The program focus is on spay/neuter of all stray, or community, cats entering the shelter and returning them to the area where they were living. Sterilization and release programs have been proven as effective for managing community cat populations and the project anticipates service to 4,000 cats over the next two years.
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    Dumb Friends League
    Harmony Equine Center Managed Admissions Program
    April 4, 2018
    Awarded: $600,000
    In 2016 the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center implemented a successful pilot program to increase the number of equine adoptions and qualified equine adopters. Committed to continuing the existing annual operations long term, Harmony Equine Center will continue to transition at least 200 equines from law enforcement and trusted shelter partners each year. In 2018 Harmony Equine Center will launch a managed admission pilot program to open their doors to owner-relinquished horses. The pilot will include a mobile unit that will be available for in the field evaluation and transition services to include training, adoption or end of life options. The pilot program projects to assist 300-400 horses over the next two years.
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    Horses’ Haven
    Transitioning a Sanctuary into an Adoption Agency
    March 26, 2018
    Awarded: $50,000
    As winners of the Madi Memorial Grant, Horses’ Haven will be piloting the concept of transforming from a sanctuary to a full-scale adoption program. Grant monies will allow their trained volunteer force of 80 the space and facilities they need to put quality time into each horse in transition, moving them out of lifetime care at the agency and into good homes - thereby freeing up space to help many more horses in transition. The Madi Memorial Grant will empower Horses’ Haven to nearly triple adoptions in the first year. Horses’ Haven’s new workspace, to be named the Madi Patrick Memorial Arena, will honor Madi’s legacy by serving local youth groups such as 4-H, Pony Club, and Detroit Horse Power while simultaneously increasing the visibility of adoptable horses. Horses’ Haven is poised to inspire other sanctuaries nationwide to find innovative ways to place horses previously considered unadoptable and transform into successful adoption agencies. 
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    Center for Reproductive Rights
    Oklahoma Programs
    March 22, 2018
    Awarded: $15,000
    For more than 20 years, the Center for Reproductive Rights has used the law to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfill. Reproductive freedom lies at the heart of the promise of human dignity, self-determination and equality embodied in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Center works toward the time when that promise is enshrined in law in the United States and throughout the world.
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    Myriad Gardens Foundation
    Splendor in the Gardens
    March 20, 2018
    Awarded: $8,420.61
    The Myriad Gardens Foundation is a 501(c)(3) which supports the Myriad Botanical Gardens by providing capital and operating funding, increasing public awareness and support and promoting the highest of horticulture, education and administrative standards. The Splendor in the Gardens event hosts 375 guests and serves to raise funds that help support the gardens and grounds, Crystal Bridge Conservatory and educational and special event programming at the Gardens.
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    Homeless Alliance
    Homeless Youth Resource Center
    March 18, 2018
    Awarded: $4,907.50
    The Homeless Youth Resource Center is a service hub that provides safe refuge, support services to meet immediate and long-term needs, and comprehensive educational and vocational training programs. The facility will provide 24-hour assessment and access to short-term emergency shelter. “Drop in” services will be available to meet the immediate needs of street youth including hot meals, showers, laundry, internet access, clothing, hygiene supplies, emergency food packs and other survival resources. Critical health and wellness services will be provided on site by the 14 partner agencies contributing resources to the project. These services include physical health care, mental health care, substance abuse counseling, legal services, anti-trafficking intervention, sexual assault services, and HIV/STI testing.
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    Nexus Equine
    The Oklahoma 4-H Equine Makeover
    March 16, 2018
    Awarded: $50,000
    The Oklahoma 4-H Equine Makeover is a collaboration of Nexus Equine, the horse industry and Oklahoma State University/4-H Extension. Nexus Equine will provide horses in transition to 4-H youth participants for a 90 to 120 day training period, culminating in two different showcase events. The program consists of hands-on development of horsemanship skills and incorporates educational requirements in the form of written and verbal tasks, promoting a more well-rounded and meaningful leadership opportunity for participating 4-H youth. The showcase will allow Nexus to increase adoptions by a projected 91% in their third year of operations, increasing adoptability of horses in transition and providing constructive educational opportunities to developing horsemen and women.
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    Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation
    All Hands Raised Luncheon
    March 15, 2018
    Awarded: $2,500
    Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation mission is to advance excellence, create champions and build strong community support for lasting change in Oklahoma City Public Schools. This fundraising luncheon features a first-hand opportunity to hear from inspirational students, remarkable educators, and district leaders. All Hands Raised also provides the opportunity to educate the community about the current work and long-term goals of the Foundation.
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    Oklahoma Policy
    Criminal Justice Policy Research and Advocacy
    March 15, 2018
    Awarded: $40,000
    Oklahoma Policy Institute (OK Policy) is a non-partisan independent policy think-tank. Expanding their research and advocacy on the strong local reforms underway in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, OK Policy will produce analyses of the outcomes of changes to pretrial release programs, and failure to pay warrants and policies in need of further consideration, as well as engaging in advocacy to replicate these changes in other jurisdictions. Additionally, OK Policy is pioneering a method to collect and analyze publicly available court documents in order to better understand key aspects of local justice systems.
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    Charleston Animal Society
    Helping Hands for Rural Paws (HHRP)
    March 9, 2018
    Awarded: $726,660
    Charleston Animal Society (CAS) will not rest until every companion animal in the county and, ultimately the state, is cared for and pet owners have access to supportive resources and veterinary care. The two most prevalent barriers to veterinary care are accessibility and affordability, especially in South Carolina’s rural communities.  This is consistent with the plight of rural communities across the South and the Nation.  Many “forgotten” communities in outlying rural areas of Charleston County cannot access the sheltering system, veterinarians or even animal control.  By the time animal control officers respond to calls, if they are called, animals are often in critical condition.
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    Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs
    International Symposium on Non-Surgical Contraceptive Methods of Pet Population Control
    March 6, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs (ACC&D) mission is to advance non-surgical fertility control so as to effectively and humanely reduce the number of unwanted cats and dogs. Since 2000, ACC&D has served as a unique bridge between the animal welfare, scientific, veterinary, and pharmaceutical communities. They strive to bring all parties together with an aligned purpose: the betterment of companion animal health and welfare by expanding options for controlling feline and canine reproduction. ACC&D strives to be a catalyst for action in the field of non-surgical sterilization, always basing their work on sound science.
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    SPCA of Texas
    Equine Expansion Program
    February 28, 2018
    Awarded: $1,503,000
    The SPCA of Texas serves the Dallas/Fort Worth and greater North Texas area as an intake and holding facility resource for horses seized from neglect and abuse investigations. Recognizing the need in equine welfare to provide better support to horse owners, the SPCA must expand their current operations and facilities to include managed admission for horses in need of transition. Expanding the SPCA of Texas Equine Program will offer options for owners to surrender horses before they fall at risk, and for potential adopters to be matched with trained horses that fit their needs. Working in partnership with The Right Horse Initiative, the SPCA projects to increase adoptions and transfers from 75 to 330 horses annually at the end of the three-year project.
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    Potts Family Foundation
    Resiliency Summit
    February 26, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Resilience Summit is a daylong conference addressing the science of resilience in overcoming the challenges of adverse childhood experiences. A diverse lineup of experts from various disciplinary backgrounds present on the topic of resilience and the role it can play in strengthening Oklahoma communities. The conference emphasizes efforts in five major areas including education, health, legal, social services, and faith-based organizations.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    February 26, 2018
    Awarded: $25,000
    The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits is a 501(c)3 organization equipping and strengthening the Oklahoma nonprofit sector through training, consulting, advocacy, membership, networking and awards. Their mission is “building better communities through effective nonprofits.”
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    Institute for Human-Animal Connection, University of Denver
    Measuring the One Health Impacts of the Pets for Life Program
    February 21, 2018
    Awarded: $400,000
    The Pets for Life as a One Health intervention research project is a collaboration between the University of Denver's Institute for Human-Animal Connection and Humane Society of the United States' Pets for Life. The Pets for Life programs will be run through mentorship agreements with four local organizations: Seattle, WA by Seattle Humane; Madison, WI by Dane County Humane Society; Granger, WA by Yakima Humane Society; and Wilder, ID by Idaho Humane Society. The community-based Research Assistants will be housed by each Pets for Life organization but will report directly to the University of Denver research team. The research will require data collection from local and state governmental and non-profit organizations, including animal shelters, animal recues and public health organizations.
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    Mother Huggers
    BALTO Week
    February 15, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    Since 1995, Edmond North High School has raised over $3.5 million dollars for BALTO recipients. They have raised money for child cancer patients, brain tumor patients, special education students, premature babies and many more worthy causes. BALTO Week is a week full of all sorts of exciting student-led activities. All of its events and activities are done strictly for the benefit of the recipient. As the BALTO recipient, Mother Huggers, Inc. will use funds for Anna's House Foundation and Pepper's Ranch to build a home in the Anna's House community and build a health center for Pepper's Ranch.
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    Dumb Friends League
    Equine Welfare Development Pilot Program
    February 12, 2018
    Awarded: $100,000
    The equine welfare development program is a pilot program designed to create a strategic model for donor acquisition, stewardship and gift acquisition that nonprofit equine welfare agencies can apply to ensure that they receive adequate program funding to sustain an impactful equine welfare organization.
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    Oklahoma State University
    Oklahoma State University
    February 9, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university that prepares students for success. Through leadership and service, OSU prepares students for a bright future — building a brighter world for all. As Oklahoma's only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people throughout Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research, and outreach.
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    A Chance to Change
    Celebration of Recovery
    February 7, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    The ninth annual Celebration of Recovery is a Chance to Change's only annual major fundraiser, raising 20 percent of the agency’s revenue. Proceeds from the event help provide financial assistance to child, adults and families in need of critical counseling services for mental health and addiction related disorders, but without the ability to pay. This counseling keeps families together, helps reduce trauma and has the ability to stop generational cycles of addiction and untreated behavioral health disorders.
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    CARE Center
    Brave Ball
    February 2, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    Brave Ball raises awareness and critical funds for the services Care Center provides including forensic interviews, family advocacy, medical exams, counseling, and abuse prevention education. Each of these services are critical in helping children find hope and healing after abuse and empowering children and adults to end child abuse.
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    Oklahoma City University
    Cat House Art Project
    January 29, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Cat House project will invite local artists and designers to build winter cat shelters in response to Oklahoma City’s feral cat population. Working in tandem with students of Oklahoma City University’s School of Visual Arts (OKCU SVA) and the Central Oklahoma Humane Society (OK Humane), five selected artists will be commissioned for two components of the project. Following training provided by OK Humane on best practices for the creation of the shelters, artists will lead students for two workshops each. During these 10 total workshop days, students will complete 25-50 A-frame shelters under the instruction of the artists. Students will have the benefit of learning new methods, styles, and techniques from professional artists, as they individualize each shelter with its own creative design.
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    Oklahoma City Police Athletic League
    Charity Fight Night
    January 29, 2018
    Awarded: $10,000
    For over 10 years, OKC Charity Fight Night has been thrilling guests with fast-paced Boxing, MMA and Kickboxing action, Celebrity Guests and enthusiastic comradery amongst the Who’s Who of OKC and beyond. Started in 2005 with merely 100 guests, today Fight Night has grown to become the most anticipated event in the Metro area with over 670 in attendance. Today, PAL serves over 2,000 Oklahoma City youth in 36 of 52 elementary schools. With the influence of PAL in these young lives, the children served by PAL experience fewer absences in school and fewer disciplinary infractions, making for happier, healthier students and a safer community for all!
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    Saving Misfit Animals
    Saving Misfit Animals
    January 10, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    Mutt Misfits exists to help unwanted animals in situations that could lead to harm or euthanasia. They primarily focus on animals with major medical issues that are often overlooked. They work to end the euthanasia of adoptable pets in Oklahoma shelters by providing lifesaving services to pets in need. By partnering with the shelters and the public, they promote responsible pet ownership, spay and neuter, and the adoption of special needs pets.
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    Oklahoma Israel Exchange
    OKIE’s 25th Anniversary Gala
    January 5, 2018
    Awarded: $5,000
    Oklahoma Israel Exchange held its annual gala at the Oklahoma City Civic Center in November, drawing several hundred supporters to a fine evening meal and a series of award presentations. After the awards program, gala participants attended the Oklahoma City Philharmonic’s classics concert, which featured members of the Israeli Philharmonic as guest performers.
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    Days End Farm Horse Rescue
    Client Focused Adoption Project
    December 31, 2017
    Awarded: $250,000
    Since its founding, Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) has gone from a small non-profit sheltering a few horses to a full-scale, well-respected national rescue and rehabilitation facility sheltering 110 to 150 horses annually. All horses come through animal protection agencies from across Maryland and surrounding states. After their rehabilitation, the horses are evaluated and provided the training needed to best prepare them for adoption. DEFHR utilizes principles of natural horsemanship in an effort to help each horse realize its full potential as an equine partner.
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    American Horse Council Foundation
    Operation Chip
    December 18, 2017
    Awarded: $15,000
    Horses in transition can be vulnerable to getting lost in the pipeline. Ensuring these horses have a way to be tracked and either their previous, or current, owner located is critical to ensuring they lead long, safe lives, and have the opportunity to have a second (or third or fourth) career. Additional data also suggests that the demand for chips has increased 100% each year for the past four years, and 70% of respondents surveyed by The Jockey Club agreed that the U.S. should adopt microchips as means of identification for equines.
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    Maryland Horse Council
    Maryland Equine Transition Services (METS)
    December 14, 2017
    Awarded: $750,000
    The Maryland Horse Council (MHC), in collaboration with Days End Farm Horse Rescue, The Right Horse Initiative and other key stakeholders in the Maryland horse industry, is piloting a unique statewide equine assistance network program. The Maryland Equine Transition Services (METS) project will create a statewide safety for horses and their owners when in need of assistance, resources, surrender or end of life services. The METS program will consist of a mobile team and a network of equine veterinary and welfare professionals who will provide at home/barn assessments, assist with owner surrender or transitions, provide assistance in veterinary or end of life services as well as be an overall resource to the equine community of Maryland. The METS pilot program will be assessed over a three year period and expects to assist over 500 horses in that time.
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    Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center
    Capital Campaign
    December 7, 2017
    Awarded: $45,000
    Since 1989, Oklahoma Contemporary has fueled active engagement with art. They serve their mission by offing free exhibitions, performances, events, workshops and lectures that engage all Oklahomans. Dedicated to providing low cost, high quality art classes for adults and youth, as well as innovative camps for children and teens. Oklahoma Contemporary embraces all forms of art and creativity, advancing the power of collaboration to unlock creative energy.
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    3 Girls Animal Rescue
    Training and Education
    December 6, 2017
    Awarded: $7,500
    3 Girls Animal Rescue is a small, but growing, foster based animal rescue working to save the animals of local municipal shelters and transport them to areas of higher adoption demand. As any young nonprofit, 3GAR recognizes the need for further training and education in nonprofit management and animal welfare and will invest in their future with the courses and conventions that will give them the opportunity to learn and grow.
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    Angels Family Foster Network
    Annual Storytelling Gala
    December 5, 2017
    Awarded: $20,000
    Angels Foster Family Network’s mission is to rescue abused, abandoned, and neglected children, match them with a select group of trained resource parents and ensure the maximum emotional, social, and intellectual development of each child. The Angels method of fostering has become a new standard for foster care advocates across the country.
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    Be The Change
    Homeless Youth Resource Center
    November 27, 2017
    Awarded: $115,000
    The Homeless Youth Resource Center is a service hub that provides safe refuge, support services to meet immediate and long-term needs, and comprehensive educational and vocational training programs. The facility will provide 24-hour assessment and access to short-term emergency shelter. "Drop in" services will be available to meet the immediate needs of street youth including hot meals, showers, laundry, internet access, clothing, hygiene supplies, emergency food packs and other survival resources.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Fall Animal Well Fair
    November 21, 2017
    Awarded: $1,215
    The Central Oklahoma Humane Society is the largest animal-related charity in the state of Oklahoma with the goal of eliminating euthanasia in our community. The Fall Animal Well Fair was an off-site adoption event held on October 1, 2017. Fifteen animals were offered for adoption at a reduced rate and nine of them found homes.
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    The Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Foundation
    2nd Annual Early Childhood Research Symposium
    November 21, 2017
    Awarded: $3,000
    The mission of the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Foundation is to lead Oklahoma in coordinating an early childhood system focused on strengthening families and school readiness for all children. The Symposium is a one-day event on January 25, 2018 at the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond. The Symposium features state and national researchers who will present current findings on best practices for engaging families of young children in programs and supports designed to strengthen the family and improve child outcomes.
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    United Way of Central Oklahoma
    Annual Fundraising Campaign
    November 20, 2017
    Awarded: $10.000
    United Way of Central Oklahoma is committed to improve the health, safety, education and economic well-being of individual families in need in central Oklahoma by connecting community resources with responsive and accountable health and human services agencies. The United Way of Central Oklahoma is an important institution in the Oklahoma City region that encourages local businesses and individuals to give back to their community.
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    Kentucky Humane Society
    T.R.O.T (Transport Relocation Operations Team)
    November 15, 2017
    Awarded: $150,000
    The Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) T.R.O.T Program is the winner of the first Right Idea Innovation Grant Challenge. To connect good people with good horses, KHS will create a transportation network to ensure that there is a diversity of available horses in various markets. For example, Kentucky has a large number of gaited horses, Saddlebreds and Thoroughbreds; other regions of the country have a heavy influence of other breeds.
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    Positive Tomorrows
    Building Success Capital Campaign
    November 8, 2017
    Awarded: $250,000
    Positive Tomorrows is Oklahoma's only elementary school specifically serving homeless children and their families. The school is one of three in the nation serving only homeless children and their families, but Positive Tomorrows is the only privately funded school of its kind providing extensive wrap-around services moving the family towards self-sufficiency and stability.
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    ReMerge
    Capital Campaign
    November 8, 2017
    Awarded: $750,000
    ReMerge is a comprehensive female diversion program designed to transform pregnant women and mothers facing incarceration into productive citizens. Oklahoma is currently ranked number one for female incarceration per capita in the United States. Serving Oklahoma County, ReMerge provides a holistic alternative to incarceration. ReMerge’s opportunities for treatment and rehabilitation are provided to participants to help reduce Oklahoma’s female incarceration rates and generational poverty, as well as providing helping participants secure stable housing, employment, education, healthcare, and more.
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    Target Zero
    Oklahoma City Region Animal Sheltering Best Practices Assessment and Fellowship
    November 7, 2017
    Awarded: $41,892
    Target Zero helps municipal animal shelters achieve a 90% or greater save-rate through a well-established process involving a shelter and community assessment followed by a multi-year Fellowship with the goal of increasing the live release rate of animals in Oklahoma County. They will work with Oklahoma City Animal Welfare and Central Oklahoma Humane Society to identify key target areas for site visits and introductions of best practices.
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    Nexus Equine
    Equine Angel Fund
    November 7, 2017
    Awarded: $50,000
    The Nexus Equine Angel Fund Program exists to financially assist Oklahoma horse owners with the provision of veterinary care and other health services that are not financially feasible. The Angel Fund Program allows horses to receive the necessary care and as a result, are retained in their homes. This program will allow horse owners the option of keeping their horse and horses will not be put in at-risk situations, including but not limited to auction environments, neglect, suffering and even death. Nexus collaborates with equine health professionals to establish a team approach for the well-being of each horse in the program.
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    Get Your Pet
    Get Your Pet
    November 1, 2017
    Awarded: $750,000
    Animal shelters and pet rescues do wonderful work, but the current, shelter-based system for pet adoption is in crisis, and it needs our help. Get Your Pet is a simple, smart and humane way to keep pets out of shelters, one that also increases shelters’ ability to care for the homeless and abused animals that really need them.
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    LeadLearnLive
    Post-Secondary Programs for Students with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
    October 5, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    LeadLearnLive is creating the first comprehensive and inclusive college program in Oklahoma completely developed for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) who are currently unable to be accepted and be successful at a college or university without...
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    Canterbury Voices
    Canterbury Ball
    October 4, 2017
    Awarded: $4033.3
    Canterbury Voices' 11th annual gala, Canterbury Ball, was held on September 22, 2017. This special event was co-chaired by Lisa and Greg Love, held at Meinders Hall of Mirrors at the Civic Center Music Hall. The proceeds from Canterbury Ball support the vital music education and artistic programs of Canterbury Voices, reaching 77 schools in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and impacting thousands of Oklahomans each year.
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    Parent Promise
    Exchange Parent Aide Home Visitation Program
    October 2, 2017
    Awarded: $25,000
    The Exchange Parent Aide Program is a home visitation program that serves families with children between ages 0-12. The program provides a professionally trained parent educator to go into the homes of families on a regular, voluntary basis and provide parent education and resources to help families in the areas of child safety, improved parenting skills, improved problem-solving skills for both parents and children and enhanced social support systems. The program is an expansion of the current program provided by Parent Promise, which serves families with very young children between 0-5.
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    Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania - New Bolton Center
    Equine Health and Welfare Lecture Series
    October 2, 2017
    Awarded: $25,000
    Penn Vet's New Bolton Center has a deep commitment to Equine Health and Welfare, and recently received a gift which we have designated towards a Professorship in Equine Health and Welfare. This Professor will be an expert in this area, and will instruct future equine veterinarians and guide the equine community as a whole in addressing some of the horrific and complex welfare issues facing horses in our geographical location and beyond. To begin to raise awareness of some of these issues, educate the Penn Vet community about the depth and breadth of the subject of welfare, and have an opportunity to meet and learn more about the candidates and their areas of expertise, they will be holding a 7-part lecture series. Each candidate, as well as the chairs of the Professorship Search Committee will give a lecture describing their work, their philosophies, areas of research and clinical work, as well as discuss their ideas on program implementation should they be appointed as Professor.
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    Jazz in June
    Jazz in June Festival
    September 29, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    Jazz in June will celebrate its 35th annual festival in 2018. Beginning as a single concert in 1984, Jazz in June has grown into a regional jazz and blues festival which serves an audience of 150,000 through concerts and radio broadcasts. Today Jazz in June reaches far beyond its three-day festival to include jam sessions, educational workshops, a mini-concert series, and a statewide public radio broadcasts.
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    EQUUS Film Festival
    EQUUS Film Festival New York City Sponsor
    September 27, 2017
    Awarded: $5,000
    The EQUUS Film Festival festival was created to highlight and award the diverse and creative efforts of those who artistically pay homage to the horse. The festival empowers storytellers to show the rich history and diverse tapestry of horses in human culture through equestrian content. They have feature films, documentaries, shorts, music videos, commercials, training educational materials, art and literature. As home to the storytellers of the horse world, the EQUUS Film Festival, November 17-19, 2017 in New York City, is the first event of its kind dedicated to equestrian-themed film, fine art and authors. The EQUUS Panels, EQUUS Pop-Up artist, filmmaker and literary gallery, Free Saturday family films and fun fest, Sunday tours of the Carriage Horses Stables, and a FRIDAY evening VIP Party, winding up with the WININE Award Ceremony, are all part of the festival event program.
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    American Cancer Society
    Cattle Baron’s Ball
    September 22, 2017
    Awarded: $1,461.55
    The American Cancer Society Cattle Baron's Ball on Friday, September 22, 2017 is a "party with a purpose" to save lives and create a world with more birthdays! Incredible local cuisine, live country music, midway games and spectacular auction items are the hallmarks of this signature western-themed philanthropy gala. Through the contributions of the gala's generous corporate partners and patrons, the American Cancer Society can continue its mission to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.
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    Midwest City Fraternal Order of Police
    Cops and Community 3v3 Youth Basketball Tournament
    September 15, 2017
    Awarded: $16,570
    This will be the first tournament that will be hosted and ran by Midwest City Police Officers to help bring at-risk youth in lower income areas along with youth that live in Midwest City limits together with their families for a basketball tournament. This will continue their mission of community-oriented policing and allow citizens to see a different side of police officers.
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    The Education and Employment Ministry
    Oklahoma County Jail Pre-Trial Release Initiative
    September 15, 2017
    Awarded: $208,500
    The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) assists women and men through the Oklahoma County Jail Pre-Trial Release Initiative, a collaborative pilot program providing immediate access to education, job training, legal assistance, case management services, and job placement services through TEEM's self-sufficiency and work readiness service model. In addition, the program connects participants with appropriate levels of substance abuse treatment and mental health care. This initiative serves to demonstrate improved outcomes for selected pre-trial participants in Oklahoma County Jail which will, in turn, highlight the value of treatment and assistance over incarceration for certain individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. This model equips and empowers low-level offenders with the skills necessary to become productive members of society.
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    Certified Horsemanship Association
    Horse Rehoming to Certified Riding Instructors and Accredited Equine Facilities
    September 13, 2017
    Awarded: $14,000
    Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) completed a member survey in 2016 and found that one of their members' biggest needs right now is finding good school horses for their lesson programs. Their members' primary concerns about purchasing a rehomed horse from a facility are: not having enough information on the horse's background, making sure that the horse is ready for a beginner to ride, and lastly, not having the funds to ship the horse from a different state or another part of a large state. Through a collaborative partnership with Colorado State University and Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center CHA programs will have access to a large group of horses in transition. Through this pilot program Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center will assess horses as candidates for training and Colorado State University students will be assigned qualifying horses for training.
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    Colorado State University Foundation
    Regional Training Center for Horses in Transition
    September 12, 2017
    Awarded: $508,080
    Building on the success of the initial pilot program Colorado State University’s (CSU) Temple Grandin Equine Center is piloting an expansion of the Regional Training Center model. The partnership with CSU will work in collaboration with the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center and Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) and will focus on training transition horses for placement in equine-assisted therapy, beginner horsemanship programs or other placement opportunities. The goal of this project is to create an infrastructure in which transition horses receive the care and training required for them to be prime candidates for non-traditional adoption or placement opportunities in therapy and/or beginner riding programs. With replication on a national scale this model has the potential to move a large number of horses through transition, allowing adoption agencies to increase their capacity to help more horses in need.
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    Youth Services for Oklahoma County
    Transition to Success
    September 5, 2017
    Awarded: $219,345
    Youth Services for Oklahoma County, Inc. works with young people who are often homeless or couch-homeless, engaged with the child welfare system, disconnected or otherwise at-risk. There are young people in the Oklahoma County community who need a safe and secure transitory place to stay. The Transition to Success program will focus on the youth served through Youth Services' Family Junction Emergency Youth Shelter.
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    Oklahoma Autism Center Foundation
    MESA Project Expansion
    August 22, 2017
    Awarded: $220,909
    The MESA Project of the Oklahoma Autism Center Foundation (OACF) provides professional development and technical assistance services which are tailored to the needs of each individual school or district. The scope of these services includes support to the district through a consultation for a single student, program design, or district-wide program development and implementation.
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    Mississippi Horses
    The Safe Horse Auction and Equine Fair
    August 22, 2017
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Safe Horse Project is a partnership of equine organizations and volunteers who want to make a difference in the welfare of horses in Mississippi. In a collaborative effort to change the way the horse industry buys and sells horses they are providing a new, innovative venue to help facilitate the movement of horses in transition. The Safe Horse Auction and Equine Fair is a one-day event that will provide a safe auction for horse owners to sell or buy as well as include local adoption agencies to offer horses for adoption. This all-day event will also include training demonstrations, a flea market, silent auction, as well as basic services including- microchipping, NIP registry, veterinary consultation, dentistry, and farrier. The event will run in conjunction with a One Day Open Shelter to provide resources or services to many horses in transition throughout the state.
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    LeFlore County NAACP
    Dr. John Montgomery Scholarship
    August 21, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    The LeFlore County chapter of NAACP scholarship was established in honor of Dr. John Montgomery, retired LeFlore County veterinarian, who helped organize the local NAACP and was instrumental in ending segregation and bridging racial gaps that existed in the mid-1900s. The scholarship is open to LeFlore or Sequoyah County high school graduates with a minimum 2.5 GPA and 20 ACT.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    Visions: A Celebration of Nonprofit Leadership
    August 2, 2017
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits launched the Visions awards to recognize and celebrate the service of Oklahoma’s extraordinary nonprofit professionals. The honorees selected for recognition at Visions have dedicated their lives and careers to ensure the success of nonprofit organizations that are essential to Oklahoma’s communities.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Hero Awards
    July 20, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Central Oklahoma Humane Society’s primary goal is to end the needless euthanasia of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats in central Oklahoma. Since founding in 2007, our programs have served nearly 110,000 pets. In their first 10 years we have made great strides toward this goal including increasing the live release rate from the Oklahoma City animal shelter from 25% in 2007 to 75% in 2017. Support of the Hero Awards enables the expansion of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society’s innovative and life-saving programs benefiting pets in our community.
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    Family TREE
    Pauline E. Mayer Shelter Repurposing Initiative
    June 29, 2017
    Awarded: $1,474,924
    Following the announcement of the closure of the Pauline E. Mayer Shelter, the Children and Family Council of Oklahoma County (CFC) appointed a committee in partnership with Department of Human Services (DHS) and key stakeholders to steer the development of a plan for the repurposing of the shelter. Based on data and input from various community partners, stakeholders and services providers, the CFC identified the need to strengthen quality family time for families and early, mental, behavioral, development and educational assessment interventions for children and families involved in the child welfare system.
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    Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
    241: Two Events for One Great Cause
    June 27, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s 241 -- two events for one great cause -- is a two-day event benefiting medical research at OMRF. All proceeds from this year's event will aid OMRF researchers in the quest for new discoveries and treatments for diseases that affect so many such as cancer, autoimmune disease, heart disease and diseases of aging. With celebrities, fine wine and top-notch golf, it is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some of Oklahoma's finest recreation, entertainment and dining while supporting one of Oklahoma's most established nonprofits.
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    OCU Meinders School of Business
    Bloomberg Terminal Computer Lab
    June 22, 2017
    Awarded: $66,420
    Bloomberg Terminals have proven to be an important tool for teaching finance and economics. The software system is considered to be the most advanced information and analysis tool in the field of finance. The Meinders School of Business requires that every business student become Bloomberg Certified before they are allowed to complete their degree requirements and graduate.  This requirement makes our graduates much more employable than the normal college graduate. Ninety five percent of the students who graduate from the Meinders School of Business are employed in their field of interest, or go on to graduate/law school, within three months of graduation.  Providing professional training while in college transforms students and their lives. Having familiarity with Bloomberg Terminals is almost a necessity for anyone seeking advanced employment opportunities in the finance industry.
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    Angels Family Foster Network
    Increasing Service Capacity
    June 22, 2017
    Awarded: $250,000
    Angels Family Foster Network’s goal is to form deep community involvement, volunteerism, and cultivate the best foster homes available for infants, toddlers, and children. Angels prides itself on relationships from Foster Parent to Child, Caseworker to Parent, and all of the people in between. Angels works to create the very best support for families and the children we care for. All ages need love, and because of this, Angels can place up to age 18. The grant will allow Angels to increase staff capacity by adding six new case workers, which will increase the service capacity to 90 additional families served. This project will also include TBRI training to ensure the best possible outcomes for every case they manage.
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    Oklahoma City Ballet
    The Turning Pointe Campaign
    June 14, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    Since re-forming as Oklahoma City Ballet in 2008 under the artistic vision and leadership of Robert Mills, the trajectory of growth for the organization has been unstoppable. The size of the professional company and the school has steadily grown, and the Summer Intensive Program more than doubled in size from 2015 to 2016, leading to a need for more space. Oklahoma City Ballet’s new home will increase the organization’s available space from 8,000 square feet and three studios to almost 29,000 square feet with the potential for eight studios. The iconic architecture and natural light will match the beauty and grace of Oklahoma City Ballet’s product.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    Early Childhood Business Summit
    May 31, 2017
    Awarded: $2,000
    This year’s conference will highlight the successes of the Oklahoma Early Childhood Coalition, with special emphasis on four areas of impact to families with children, birth to five. Those areas are: Pay for Success, as a strategy for achieving measurable outcomes; children’s health maladies and remedies, adverse childhood experiences, and a two generation approach to reducing poverty. The keynote speaker, as well as the breakout session presenters, will focus on impact as well as proven strategies that have led to positive outcomes. Oklahoma is no stranger to low rankings; conference experts will share how we as a state can reverse those trends.
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    Oklahoma Heart Gallery
    Finding Forever Homes Through Photography
    May 30, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    Oklahoma's Heart Gallery assists Oklahoma disadvantaged youth who are waiting to find forever homes. Often these children are developmental disabled as well as physically or emotionally challenged. To address this need, photography shoots are held four times a year to photograph and video children who are in the Department of Human Services (DHS) care and are available for adoption. The portraits are continuously placed on the Heart Gallery website and on five displays that travel throughout Oklahoma.
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    Myriad Gardens Foundation
    Art of Flowers
    May 19, 2017
    Awarded: $2,019
    Myriad Gardens Foundation presented an elegant luncheon to celebrate the art of floral arranging while helping to support the Gardens. Co-chaired by Annie Bohanon and Dannie Bea Hightower, guests enjoyed a garden-to-table seasonal lunch prepared by Chef Kamala Gamble in the Park House Events Center. Dundee Butcher, a master floral arranger and owner of the fashionable Russian River Flower School in Napa Valley, California, demonstrated how to create gorgeous floral arrangements for special occasions or everyday enjoyment.
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    Oklahoma City Ballet
    Patron Events Sponsor
    May 15, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    Oklahoma City Ballet has been the city’s professional ballet company since 1972, when it was founded by Yvonne Chouteau and Miguel Terekhov. As the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City Ballet currently boasts 45 dancers from around the world. The company produces four main-stage productions per season in Oklahoma City, in addition to touring across Oklahoma and surrounding states. In addition to main-stage productions and touring, Oklahoma City Ballet offers classes for youth and adults through The Dance Center at Oklahoma City Ballet, as well as multiple outreach programs to provide arts experience and education to students across the state.
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    AutismOklahoma
    Reaching More, Meeting More Needs and Thinking Differently
    May 4, 2017
    Awarded: $250,000
    AutismOklahoma is a non-profit organization that believes that every person with autism is unique and important. Their organization helps individuals with autism reach their full potential, helps families thrive, and helps communities understand and embrace differences. In 2017 they hope to enhance what was started with their 2016 animal program, enhance their work with parents, develop a new merchandising arm of AutsimOklahoma, and take the next steps in the Invisible Layers Film program.
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    Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma County
    Flight for Futures
    May 1, 2017
    Awarded: $7,500
    The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County is part of a nationwide affiliation of local, autonomous organizations through Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) working to help youth of all backgrounds – with special concern for those from disadvantaged circumstances – develop the qualities they need to become responsible citizens and leaders. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County serves over 800 young people daily, has over 3,600 registered members and offers programs at four locations.
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    Oklahoma Policy Institute
    Public Policy Education
    April 14, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    Oklahoma Policy Institute (OK Policy) is a non-partisan independent policy think-tank that promotes adequate, fair, and fiscally responsible funding of public services and expanded opportunity for all Oklahomans by providing timely and credible information, analysis, and ideas. OK Policy believes that Oklahoma can be a great state, one that ensures prosperity for all our citizens through good schools, good jobs, good health, strong families and strong communities. To make the best policy decisions that lead us to this better future, policymakers and citizens need good, factual information.
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    INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center
    Digital X-Ray Machine for Neonatal Intensive Care
    April 14, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    At INTEGRIS, the physicians, employees and volunteers take their education and skills into the community to make a difference in the lives of fellow Oklahomans. Their dedication, combined with our resources, helps accomplish a variety of things – from providing free clinical services, screenings and education programs to working with juvenile offenders and providing activities for senior citizens. support the purchase of a Digital X-Ray Machine for our NICU at INTEGRIS Children's. This machine drastically reduces the exposure of infants to radiation by up to 80%less compared to conventional x-rays. This new technology also allows our clinicians to receive a reading within a matter of seconds. Our current method of x-ray may take up to 15 to 20 minutes to develop. Every second matters and it is especially true for our neonatal patients.
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    Pet Angels Rescue
    New Adoption Center - Increasing Capacity Project
    April 10, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    Pet Angels Rescue Increasing Capacity Project is to utilize the brand new adoption center to its fullest capacity by saving many more animals each year. Pet Angels collaborates with a network of animal welfare groups, rural animal welfare operators, city and county shelters and passionate individuals dedicated to helping rural shelters with no available space and high euthanasia rates, to save more animals lives. A critical need for more quality shelters is highlighted by the findings of "The Oklahoma Animal Study," a recent two year research conducted by the Kirkpatrick Foundation.
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    Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation
    All Hands Raised Luncheon
    March 17, 2017
    Awarded: $2,500
    Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation mission is to advance excellence, create champions and build strong community support for lasting change in Oklahoma City Public Schools. This fundraising luncheon features a first-hand opportunity to hear from inspirational students, remarkable educators, and district leaders. All Hands Raised also provides the opportunity to educate the community about the current work and long term goals of the Foundation.
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    Center for Reproductive Rights
    Emergency Litigation Fund
    March 10, 2017
    Awarded: $15,000
    For more than 20 years, the Center for Reproductive Rights has used the law to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfill. Reproductive freedom lies at the heart of the promise of human dignity, self-determination and equality embodied in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Center works toward the time when that promise is enshrined in law in the United States and throughout the world. Over the next four years, the courts will be a critical check and balance on the executive and legislative branches. The Center for Reproductive Rights will use all of their resources to bring the full force of the Constitution and the law to bear in strategically defending hard won gains and safeguarding access to reproductive healthcare.
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    HALO Project
    Oklahoma TBRI Collaborative
    March 3, 2017
    Awarded: $250,000
    The Oklahoma TBRI® Collaborative will utilize Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) as a hands-on application of strategies encompassing Connecting Strategies, Empowering Strategies, and Correcting Strategies to achieve a culture of trauma-informed care. This pilot program will show the effectiveness of the Oklahoma TBRI® Collaborative in a smaller subset of child welfare populations with the hope of future expansion to all of Oklahoma County's child welfare system. The overall result of a trauma-informed child welfare system is faster permanency, more stable placements and healing for children, families and child welfare organizations.
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    CARE Center
    Brave Ball
    March 1, 2017
    Awarded: $10,000
    The CARE Center’s annual black-tie fundraiser, Brave Ball will be held Saturday, April 1, 2017, at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City. The children who receive services at the CARE Center have experienced abuse and are involved in an active investigation where CARE aims to provide hope and healing. This special night celebrates their ongoing healing. The 2017 Brave Ball will feature amazing cuisine and prize pulls and live auctions.
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    CASA of Oklahoma County
    Expanded Recruitment, Training, Supervision and Retention
    February 18, 2017
    Awarded: $204,529
    CASA of Oklahoma County, Inc. (CASAofOKCO) serves as a voice for some of the most vulnerable children in Oklahoma County. CASAofOKCO works to diminish the challenges faced by children in foster care by recruiting, training, supervising, and retaining community volunteers who advocate for the best interests of abused or neglected children in the juvenile court system. There are approximately 11,000 children in the Oklahoma Foster care system, with a monthly average of nearly 2,000 children in Oklahoma County alone. During FY 2016, 245 CASA volunteers represented 736 children in 326 cases, or approximately one-third of the children in care in Oklahoma County.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Live Release Project Step-Down Challenge Grant
    February 13, 2017
    Awarded: $100,000
    The purpose of the Oklahoma City Live Release Project was to introduce two new programs that would continue to increase the percent of animals leaving the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter alive. To this end, the relocation and bottle baby nursery programs were introduced in 2016. The goals for each of these programs were: 1) Relocation -- 1,500 dogs transported in year one and 1,800 in year two, and, 2) Bottle Baby Nursery -- 250 neonates in year one and up to 2,000 in year two. Both programs were designed to address populations that were at risk of being euthanized at the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter.
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    Horse Plus Humane Society
    National 1-Day Open Door Shelter Project
    February 8, 2017
    Awarded: $156,000
    Horse Plus Humane Society will expand on their pilot program-One Day Open Shelters/Last Act of Kindness Clinics and will hold twelve (12) 1-Day Open Door Shelters at various locations across the United States throughout 2017. Surrendered horses will be evaluated for adoptability. There will be no charge to horse owners for surrendering their horses. If found adoptable, the horses will be transferred to adoption partners. Surrendered horses that are deemed unadoptable will be humanely euthanized by a veterinarian.
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    Denver Dumb Friends League
    Increasing Horse Placement Capacity and Qualified Adopters
    February 3, 2017
    Awarded: $393,736.40
    This being year two of a pilot program to increase equine placements, the Harmony Equine Center will continue to work with qualified partner organizations and fine tune our program for the transfer, training and adoption of horses in transition. In addition, Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center will explore and evaluate the opportunities presented by working with Departments of Agriculture in Colorado and neighboring states as well as evaluating a partnership with the "One Day Open Shelter" events to expand the scope of the program and impact more horses in transition.
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    Mental Health Association Oklahoma
    Building Oklahoma, Building Lives Capital Campaign
    February 3, 2017
    Awarded: $84,450
    Mental Health Association Oklahoma (the Association) has been advocating for Oklahomans impacted by mental illness and homelessness since 1955. The Association currently owns and manages 1,470 units of affordable housing in Tulsa within 27 apartment complexes across ​20 Tulsa neighborhoods and 32 units within one Oklahoma City apartment complex. Current programs include mental health education, support groups, pro bono counseling, mental health screening and referral, suicide prevention, peer-to-peer recovery services, employment readiness, community health and wellness initiatives, and criminal justice advocacy.
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    NorthCare
    Family KINnections
    February 1, 2017
    Awarded: $587,688
    Family KINnections provides home-based care coordination services to kinship foster families in Oklahoma County with formal Child Welfare involvement. The goals of the Family KINnections program are to increase the stability and permanency of kinship foster care placements while also promoting effective partnerships among public and private stakeholders to ensure kinship caregiver families are well supported to provide safe, nurturing homes for their children.
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    Angels Foster Family Network OKC
    Annual Storytelling Gala
    February 1, 2017
    Awarded: $20,000
    Angels Foster Family Network OKC, Inc.’s mission is to rescue abused, abandoned, and neglected children, match them with a select group of trained resource parents and ensure the maximum emotional, social, and intellectual development of each child. The Angels method of fostering has become a new standard for foster care advocates across the country. Angels Foster Family Network’s annual benefit event for 2017! Storytelling: Angels 2017 Gala, will take place on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at the Farmers Public Market in downtown Oklahoma City.
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    Horse Plus Humane Society
    Horse Trainer/Adoption Specialist
    January 18, 2017
    Awarded: $30,000
    In an effort to dramatically increase the number of horses adopted every year Horse Plus Humane Society recognized their need for an on staff trainer. The trainer's duty is to evaluate and train horses available for adoption and work with potential adopters to find the right horse their needs. With an on staff trainer adopters will have access to complimentary sessions with the trainer and their new horse to ensure capability and reduce potential returns to the shelter.
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    Horse Plus Humane Society
    California 1-Day Open Door Shelter for Horses
    January 12, 2017
    Awarded: $12,000
    Event will be held at Placer County Fairgrounds in Roseville, California. Event date is scheduled for February 19 & 20, 2017. Surrendered horses will be evaluated for adoptability. There will be no charge to horse owners who surrender a horse. If found adoptable, the horses will be available to pre-approved adopters the day of the event, or adopters can fill out an application to adopt the horse and make adoption arrangements. Surrendered horses that are deemed unadoptable by the licensed veterinarian will be humanely euthanized by a veterinarian the following day as part of the Last Act of Kindness program.
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    The Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Foundation
    Early Childhood Research Symposium
    January 10, 2017
    Awarded: $3,000
    The Symposium is a one-day event to be held on February 9, 2017. Presentations on research conducted in Oklahoma and across the US on improving outcomes for young children in the child welfare system will be featured. We expect an attendance of over 200 policy leaders and practitioners. The day will conclude with a poster session reception in the evening. The goal of the event is to serve as a catalyst for change in policies and practices in supporting young children in the child welfare system.
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    Santa Fe Family Life Center
    JFK Community Service Award
    December 21, 2016
    Awarded: $5,000
    The John F. Kennedy Community Service Award is presented by the Santa Fe Family Life Center (SFFLC) in recognition of Oklahomans who, through their philanthropic efforts, have served our community in lasting and meaningful ways. The Lifetime Achievement recognizes individuals making a profound contribution. Proceeds from the JFK Community Service Award dinner benefit the charitable programs offered at SFFLC, a nonprofit health and wellness center serving disadvantaged youth and people with disabilities located in Oklahoma City.
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    University of Tulsa
    The Janet K. Levit Endowment Scholarship
    December 7, 2016
    Awarded: $20,000
    Provides scholarship funds to qualified law students at the University of Tulsa College of Law.
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    CARE Center
    ROAR Child Abuse Prevention Program
    December 1, 2016
    Awarded: $250,000
    The CARE Center is a unique, non-profit organization serving Oklahoma County children, ages 2-17, who are in an active and substantiated abuse investigation. Continued care is available to our victims for the life of their case. As the only child advocacy center in Oklahoma County, for the past 25 years, they have successfully provided immediate care and response services to children who have suffered abuse.
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    Allied Arts
    Campaign for the Arts
    December 1, 2016
    Awarded: $10,300
    The Allied Arts campaign is a community-wide drive to raise vital funds to ensure quality cultural programming, arts education in classrooms, after school sites and neighborhood centers, outreach into underserved communities, and healing arts initiatives for the sick and disabled. Campaign funds are directed primarily to 26 member agencies headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma City and Shawnee but impacting the lives of people statewide.
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    Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter
    Expanding the Solution to Pet Over-Population in Rural Oklahoma
    November 18, 2016
    Awarded: $224,964
    In April 2016 Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter was awarded a $200,000 grant to address pet over-population in rural Oklahoma. Due to their success, as well as a continued need, PAAS has been awarded additional funds to continue to expand their pet relocation program. Through partnerships and collaborations of several rescue groups in Oklahoma, PAAS has led the ongoing effort to relocate adoptable pets to other areas of high demand, including their partner Denver Dumb Friends League. They are projecting the transport of approximately 2,000 dogs in 2017.
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    New Vocations
    Pony Club Challenge
    November 11, 2016
    Awarded: $230,000
    New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program has partnered with the US Pony Club creating an educational, incentive based challenge for Pony Club students that will increase both adoption awareness and the number of retired racehorses being moved into homes. The goal is for New Vocations to provide up to 100 free retired racehorses over a two and half year period to pre-approved Pony Club students or Pony Club Riding Centers and provide a stipend to help cover expenses associated with the care each horse.
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    Horse Plus Humane Society
    1-Day Shelter for Horses Additional Funding
    November 10, 2016
    Awarded: $6,704.79
    In October 2016 Horse Plus Humane Society held a 1-Day Open Shelter for horses in Colfax, WI. Due to a much greater need than anticipated, a higher number of horses were surrendered than originally projected. A total of 56 horses were surrendered, resulting in added veterinary, euthanasia and other costs.
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    Family TREE
    Pauline E. Mayer Shelter Repurposing Initiative
    October 31, 2016
    Awarded: $52,500
    Following the announcement of the closure of the Pauline E. Mayer Shelter, the Children and Family Council of Oklahoma County (CFC) appointed a committee in partnership with DHS and key stakeholders to steer the development of a plan for the re-purposing of the shelter. Based data and input from various community partners, stakeholders and services providers, the Council identified the need to strengthen quality family time for families involved with the child welfare system and early, mental, behavioral, development and educational assessment interventions with children and families who become involved in the child welfare system.
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    Oklahoma City Ballet
    Ballet Ball
    October 27, 2016
    Awarded: $5,917.28
    The Ballet Ball is Oklahoma City Ballet's largest annual fundraising event and its proceeds benefit programs throughout the year. The Ballet Ball will be held on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at the Chevy Bricktown Events center. The evening includes open bar, a seated dinner, live and silent auctions, dancing, plus a very special performance by the Oklahoma City Ballet.
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    Sunbeam Family Services
    Infant Mental Health Program
    October 18, 2016
    Awarded: $739,450
    Early intervention can change the odds for infants and toddlers, leading to significant cost savings over time through reductions in child abuse and neglect, school failure, criminal behaviors, welfare dependence, substance abuse as well as medical care for the chronic diseases, both mental and physical, that are common among adults who were maltreated as children. The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study shows stressful or traumatic childhood experiences result in social, emotional and cognitive impairments. The study further demonstrates early stress as a strong factor in the development of many of the diseases Oklahomans face: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, mental illness and Oklahoma's high rate of drug and alcohol addictions.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    Visions: A Celebration of Nonprofit Leadership
    October 18, 2016
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits launched Visions to recognize and celebrate the exemplary service of Oklahoma's nonprofit professionals. The honorees selected for recognition at Visions have dedicated their careers to ensure the success of nonprofit organizations essential to Oklahoma's communities. Their commitment to the betterment of life in Oklahoma deserves the highest of accolades and Visions offers sincere appreciation for their leadership and hard work.
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    Oklahoma Lawyer’s for Children
    Venetian Ball
    October 6, 2016
    Awarded: $7,500
    The Venetian Ball is Oklahoma Lawyers for Children's annual fundraising gala. Proceeds from the Venetian Ball support OLFC's programs providing pro bono legal services to abused and neglected children in Oklahoma County.
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    Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Foundation
    Cello Purchase for the Orchestra
    October 5, 2016
    Awarded: $2,500
    The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Foundation is a non-profit fostering excellence in K-12 science and mathematics education throughout Oklahoma by supporting OSSM’s outreach projects, programs, development, students, staff, and faculty. Together with caring, concerned individuals and organizations, we are strengthening Oklahoma’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) resources through the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics. This gift will enable them to purchase two cello’s for the school orchestra.
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    Jazz in June
    Jazz in June Festival
    September 26, 2016
    Awarded: $7,500
    Who We Support Awards Jazz in JuneAward Date: March 25, 2016 Awarded: $7,500 Visit Organization Website Jazz in June 2017 will be the 34th annual offering of this Oklahoma cultural tradition. The 2017 programming will reach far beyond the three-day festival to include a 4-6 concert series, two pre-festival community jam sessions and three public radio broadcasts covering 2/3 of the state. The festival brings some of the best in blues and jazz to a combined audience of 50,000 or more and reaches another 100,000 through its annual public radio programming.
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    McCalls Chapel School
    New Activity and Adult Day Care Center
    September 14, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    McCall's Chapel School, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in Ada, Oklahoma which has been providing an array of support services to individuals with intellectual disabilities for more than sixty years. McCall's teaches life, social, and vocational skills to one hundred forty-seven men and women of diverse backgrounds, ranging from 18 to over 70 years of age, who live on campus; and delivers in-home supports, including skilled nursing, to two hundred three individuals who live in community-based, residential settings, twenty-five of whom live in the Oklahoma City area. The construction and outfitting of a 10,000 square feet Activity/Adult Day Care Center on McCall's acreage will enrich the lives of three hundred fifty individuals with intellectual disabilities.
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    ASPCA
    Midwest Animal Relocation
    September 12, 2016
    Awarded: $2,207,948
    The ASPCA currently operates animal relocation programs along the East and West Coasts of the United States, which this year will afford an estimated 11,000 dogs and cats with a better chance at finding a safe, loving home. They have identified additional animal relocation routes from the Southeastern and South-central states to the Midwest which would increase the number of lives that can be saved. The ASPCA estimates that once the program's components have been fully established, it will enable them to relocate 12,000 animals over a three-year period.
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    Allied Arts
    OPUS IX
    August 31, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    Allied Arts believes, as an organization, that the arts should be accessible to all - especially children, and those who need it most. OPUS IX, Allied Arts' biennial fundraising gala, will be held on October 21, 2016. OPUS is designed to raise awareness for the work of Allied Arts and money for Allied Arts' programming, capacity-building small grants program, educational outreach grants program, and general operating budget. All of these contribute to growing the cultural landscape of central Oklahoma, bringing the arts into underserved and rural communities, and providing some 681,000 arts experiences for children annually.
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    Friends of the Mansion
    Septemberfest
    August 27, 2016
    Awarded: $1,000
    An annual family festival hosted by the state of Oklahoma's first family, Septemberfest is held in each September and includes attractions and activities as well as hands-on learning for children such as crafts and old-fashioned games. In addition, the popular event celebrates the history and heritage of Oklahoma with food, live entertainment and story-telling. On average, 30,000 to 40,000 people enjoy Septemberfest in Oklahoma City each year. The 20th Annual Septemberfest in Oklahoma City takes place on September 10th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Humane Hero Awards Sponsor
    August 23, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    OK Humane exists to save the lives of homeless pets, promote the well-being of animals and through them, enrich the communities they serve. Since 2007, OK Humane programs have served more than 100,000 pets. Their vision is to save all of the healthy and adoptable animals in their community. The funds raised through the Humane Hero Awards event will enable OK Humane to expand its innovative and life-saving programs in the community.
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    Angels Foster Family Network
    HALO Project Expansion
    August 15, 2016
    Awarded: $150,000
    The HALO Project was created due to the overwhelming emotional needs of children in foster care and the lack of successful interventions available in Oklahoma. In an effort to utilize community resources wisely and establish success, HALO Project partnered with Angels Foster Family Network, a nonprofit foster care agency. HALO Project addresses a systemic unmet need in the foster and adoptive community. They discovered the TBRI (Trauma Based Relational Intervention) method developed at Texas Christian University and brought it to Oklahoma.
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    Oklahoma Central Humane Society
    Foster Concierge Caretaker
    August 9, 2016
    Awarded: $35,000
    The Central Oklahoma Humane Society will intake over 4,000 dogs and cats for its adoption program in 2016. Approximately 60% of those animals will be assigned foster homes. OK Humane has approximately 600 foster homes that include full-time, relief and occasional homes. The organization currently has one Foster Coordinator who is responsible for assigning the animals into foster homes and communicating with all fosters through the point of pet adoption. The duties of the Foster Coordinator include initial placement, managing foster swaps, coordinating relief fosters for weekend and vacation coverage and re-assignment of returned animals.
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    Horse Plus Humane Society
    1-Day Open Door Horse Shelter and Adoption
    August 5, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    Event will be held at Pony Tales Refuge & Rehab, Inc., in Colfax, WI. Event date is scheduled for October 16 & 17, 2016. Surrendered horses will be evaluated for adoptability. There will be no charge to horse owners who surrender a horse. If found adoptable, the horses will be available to pre-approved adopters the day of the event, or adopters can fill out an application to adopt the horse and make adoption arrangements. Other horses may be available for adoption at this event from participating rescues. Surrendered horses that are deemed unadoptable by the licensed veterinarian will be humanely euthanized the following day as part of the Last Act of Kindness program.
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    Kirbas Institute
    Animals in the Kingdom
    August 2, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Kirbas Institute exists to build bridges of understanding, cooperation, respect and acceptance among diverse faith communities and between faith communities and the global marketplace of ideas, especially those related to science and biotechnologies. Their goal is not simply to educate, but to use educational tools and talents to facilitate a transformation of attitudes, opinions, and relationships for the betterment of society. Animals in the Kingdom is an eight week television series that has been aired in Oklahoma City and endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States.
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    Pet Angels Rescue
    Pet Angels New Shelter Project
    July 5, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    Pet Angels Rescue Inc. saves primarily dogs and cats from public shelters, or pets that can’t remain at their current homes & citizens that have taken in strays. They are dedicated to the sheltering and placement of animals, and public education of animal care and dedicated to bring people and animals together to enrich each other’s lives. They believe that with Pet Angels Rescue’s assistance, many animals can remain in their current homes instead of being admitted to animal shelters, while a new home is found. The new shelter will allow the organization to increase their capacity to help even more Oklahoma animals in need.
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    American Cancer Society
    Cattle Baron’s Ball Event Sponsorship
    June 29, 2016
    Awarded: $3,266.86
    The American Cancer Society "Cattle Baron's Ball" is a charity gala with western flair that features live and silent auctions, exciting midway games and live entertainment. Since the gala's inception, its dedicated volunteer committee has raised over $1.4 million to support Oklahoma's fight against cancer.
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    Allied Arts
    Annual Allied Arts Campaign
    June 24, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Allied Arts campaign is a community-wide drive to raise vital funds to ensure quality cultural programming, arts education in classrooms, after school sites and neighborhood centers, outreach into underserved communities, and healing arts initiatives for the sick and disabled. Campaign funds are directed primarily to 26 member agencies headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma City and Shawnee but impacting the lives of people statewide. Through allocations grants, member agencies utilize funds to not only meet administrative line items but also to underwrite performances and exhibits, keep admission prices affordable, provide free arts events and programming, and bring arts experiences to schoolchildren statewide.
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    Community Pet Care Clinic
    Community Pet Care Clinic
    June 6, 2016
    Awarded: $650,000
    An estimated 23 million pets live in poverty in America. Millions more are in homes that struggle daily to make ends meet. For many pet owners, even basic veterinary services are out of reach. CPCC believes that it is our responsibility to provide access to veterinary care for the millions of pets currently without that care. The first Community Pet Care Clinic facility will be located in Toledo, OH on a well-traveled street and in an area of low to moderate-income families. The clinic will offer a broad range of services that are considered "basic" or "first tier" services.
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    NEXUS Animal Welfare & Biodiversity Conservation
    Nexus Global Youth Summit
    May 27, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    The mission of Nexus is to catalyze new leadership and accelerate global solutions. Nexus is a global movement to bridge communities of wealth and social entrepreneurship. With thousands of members from 70 countries, they work to unite young investors, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists and allies to catalyze new leadership and accelerate global solutions. Founded in 2011, Nexus has hosted over 20 summits across six continents to connect young people from diverse backgrounds and link communities that would otherwise never meet. Nexus also conducts research and provides thought leadership to facilitate collaboration and build a global culture of philanthropy.
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    OCU Meinders School of Business
    Women in Leadership Scholarship
    May 23, 2016
    Awarded: $3,429.92
    The Meinders School of Business prepares graduate and undergraduate students to be socially responsible leaders in a global economy though teaching excellence and faculty scholarship in business practice and disciplines. Faculty and students engage with the business community, local government, and regulatory agencies as part of the teaching-learning process.
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    The Botanic Garden at OSU
    OSU Arboretum
    May 6, 2016
    Awarded: $2,500
    To support interdisciplinary research and provide educational programming and experiences that foster an understanding and appreciation for the flora, fauna and environmental systems comprising the natural and man-made landscape of Oklahoma, thereby inspiring visitors to explore their relationship with the land.
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    Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma County
    Flight for Futures Sponsorship
    April 29, 2016
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County is part of a nationwide affiliation of local, autonomous organizations through Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) working to help youth of all backgrounds – with special concern for those from disadvantaged circumstances – develop the qualities they need to become responsible citizens and leaders. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County serves over 800 young people daily, has over 3,600 registered members and offers programs at four locations. In 2015, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County created a new fundraising event with the purpose of recruiting support and friendships with young professionals.
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    Pasadena Community Foundation
    Enduring Heroes Memorial Fund
    April 19, 2016
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Enduring Heroes Memorial Fund is raising money to create a memorial statue to establish a meaningful, artistically impactful memorial to “Enduring Heroes” of the Iraq-Afghanistan Wars. The proposed site for this Memorial – a bronze figure of a soldier proudly carrying an American flag – is on the east side of Defenders Parkway West, a gateway to Pasadena.
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    OCU Meinders School of Business
    Meinders School of Business Dean's Excellence Fund
    April 14, 2016
    Awarded: $32,940
    The Meinders School of Business prepares graduate and undergraduate students to be socially responsible leaders in a global economy though teaching excellence and faculty scholarship in business practice and disciplines. Faculty and students engage with the business community, local government, and regulatory agencies as part of the teaching-learning process.
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    Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter
    Addressing Rural Overpopulation Through Transport
    April 13, 2016
    Awarded: $200,000
    Through collaboration with other shelters and rescues, Peaceful Animal Adoption Shelter (PAAS) will expand their aggressive program to strengthen and grow their role as a regional resource to address the area's critical animal over-population problem in rural Northeast Oklahoma, using out-of-state transport.
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    Concordia Summit
    Partnership with Concordia
    April 12, 2016
    Awarded: $1,000,000
    The Concordia mission is to identify new avenues of collaboration for governments, businesses and nonprofits through issue based campaigns, year round programming, and the Partnership Index. Concordia promotes effective public-private collaboration to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. A Concordia Campaign is a topic-driven initiative in which they narrow the programmatic, research, and networking efforts.
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    Myriad Gardens Foundation
    Splendor in the Garden
    April 8, 2016
    Awarded: $6,326.93
    The Myriad Gardens Foundation is a 501(c)(3) which supports the Myriad Botanical Gardens by providing capital and operating funding, increasing public awareness and support and promoting the highest of horticulture, education and administrative standards. The Splendor in the Gardens event hosts 375 guests and serves to raise funds that help support the gardens and grounds, Crystal Bridge Conservatory and educational and special event programming at the Gardens.
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    The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools
    All Hands Raised Luncheon
    April 8, 2016
    Awarded: $1,000
    The mission of the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools is to advance excellence, create champions and build strong community support for lasting change in Oklahoma City Public Schools. The Foundation works to develop and support programs that improve education for the children of Oklahoma City and to elevate its critical role in connecting the resources of the community to the needs of students and teachers in Oklahoma City Public Schools.
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    OCU Meinders School of Business
    Women in Leadership Scholarship
    April 4, 2016
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Meinders School of Business prepares graduate and undergraduate students to be socially responsible leaders in a global economy though teaching excellence and faculty scholarship in business practice and disciplines. Faculty and students engage with the business community, local government, and regulatory agencies as part of the teaching-learning process.
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    Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women
    Peace Through Business 10 for 10 Event
    April 1, 2016
    Awarded: $2,000
    PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS is a business training and mentorship program for women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda. The program is in it’s 9th year and is implemented through three major components —In-Country Education, Leadership Development, and Train the Trainer—which combine to create a continuing program to educate women, promote their business and leadership skills, build a strong public policy agenda in the women’s business community and to help build stable democracies.
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    OCU Meinders School of Business
    Meinders School of Business Dean's Excellence Fund
    March 28, 2016
    Awarded: $6,000
    The Meinders School of Business prepares graduate and undergraduate students to be socially responsible leaders in a global economy though teaching excellence and faculty scholarship in business practice and disciplines. Faculty and students engage with the business community, local government, and regulatory agencies as part of the teaching-learning process.
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    Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
    ONE Awards Sponsorship
    March 22, 2016
    Awarded: $5,000
    The ONE Awards annually honors 24 nonprofits of excellence and recognizes those nonprofits' impact on the state of Oklahoma. To date, the program has provided nearly $1.5 million in mini-grants to nonprofits that win awards.
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    Allied Arts
    Circle of the Arts
    March 11, 2016
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Allied Arts campaign is a community-wide drive to raise vital funds to ensure quality cultural programming, arts education in classrooms, after school sites and neighborhood centers, outreach into underserved communities, and healing arts initiatives for the sick and disabled. Campaign funds are directed primarily to 26 member agencies headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma City and Shawnee but impacting the lives of people statewide.
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    Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Foundation
    Quantum Experience
    March 9, 2016
    Awarded: $5,300
    The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Foundation is a non-profit fostering excellence in K-12 science and mathematics education throughout Oklahoma by supporting OSSM's outreach projects, programs, development, students, staff, and faculty. Together with caring, concerned individuals and organizations, we are strengthening Oklahoma's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) resources through the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics.
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    Association for Women in Communications
    Association for Women in Communications
    February 21, 2016
    Awarded: $1,500
    The Association for Women in Communications champions the advancement of women across all communications disciplines by recognizing excellence, promoting leadership and positioning its members at the forefront of the evolving communications era.
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    AutismOklahoma
    AutismOklahoma
    February 11, 2016
    Awarded: $250,000
    AutismOklahoma is a non-profit organization that believes that every person with autism is unique and important. Their organization helps individuals with autism reach their full potential, helps families thrive, and helps communities understand and embrace differences. This award is to help provide resources to expand their staffing and program reach.
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    Horse Plus Humane Society
    Last Act of Kindness Clinic
    February 10, 2016
    Awarded: $10,000
    1-Day Open Door Shelter & Last Act of Kindness (euthanasia) clinic for horses in Oklahoma. This will be a pilot program in the state of Oklahoma, but has been successfully done in California since 2008.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Multi-Agency Strategic Planning Session
    January 24, 2016
    Awarded: $2,500
    It has been many years since a five-year strategic plan was completed addressing animal homelessness in Oklahoma City and clearly identifying goals and strategies for the major partners of the Oklahoma City Shelter. A 5-Year Strategy session has been planned to develop new goals and strategies for 2016-2021 that will include the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter (OKCAW) and its two largest transfer partners, The Central Oklahoma Humane Society and the Bella Foundation SPCA. The new plan will provide a roadmap for continued improvement of the community live-release rate in OKC.
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    Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center
    Increasing Placement Capacity in Nonprofit Horse Facilities
    January 4, 2016
    Awarded: $442,500
    The Dumb Friends League will pilot and develop programs to increase the placement rates of horses. This will be accomplished by testing various intake processes including managed-admission and transfers from rescue groups into Harmony Equine Center. The plan would include hiring additional trainers and staff to expand their training and adoption programs. Additionally, they will pilot various advertising and promotion opportunities. The results of each program will be measured to identify success of the programs and costs associated.
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    Oklahoma City University
    Meinders School of Business
    December 31, 2015
    Awarded: $6,270
    The Meinders School of Business prepares graduate and undergraduate students to be socially responsible leaders in a global economy though teaching excellence and faculty scholarship in business practice and disciplines. Faculty and students engage with the business community, local government, and regulatory agencies as part of the teaching-learning process.
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    Prairie View A&M University
    Dr. John W. Montgomery Endowed Scholarship Fund
    December 31, 2015
    Awarded: $10,000
    The John Montgomery Endowed Scholarship was established to honor Dr. Montgomery's contributions to education and the community. Dr. Montgomery received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Agriculture from Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) in 1940. Funds from the John Montgomery Endowed Scholarship will provide scholarships and additional support for students participating in the PVAMU tennis program.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    December 30, 2015
    Awarded: $100,000
    The Central Oklahoma Humane Society (OK Humane) was founded in 2007 to help end needless euthanasia and was one of the first in the country to formalize a relationship with its city shelter whereby both entities would work in partnership to increase the city shelter’s live release rate. An initial live release goal of 75% was established and the partnership has made great strides, increasing the live release rate from 25.3% in 2007 to 66.7% by the end of 2014.
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    United Way of Central Oklahoma
    United Way Annual Fundraising Campaign
    December 30, 2015
    Awarded: $10,000
    United Way of Central Oklahoma is committed to improve the health, safety, education and economic well-being of individual families in need in central Oklahoma by connecting community resources with responsive and accountable health and human services agencies. The United Way of Central Oklahoma is an important institution in the Oklahoma City region that encourages local businesses and individuals to give back to their community.
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    University of Tulsa College of Law
    The Janet K. Levit Endowed Scholarship in Law
    December 21, 2015
    Awarded: $10,000
    Provides scholarship funds to qualified law students at the University of Tulsa College of Law.
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    University of Tulsa
    University of Tulsa Annual Fund
    December 21, 2015
    Awarded: $10,000
    Annual fund contributions provide the critical foundation of support the University needs to continue toward its goal of being recognized as one of the nation’s Top 50 institutions of higher education.
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    Boston Avenue United Methodist Church
    Sistema Tulsa
    December 18, 2015
    Awarded: $25,000
    Sistema Tulsa and its musical ensembles act as agents of social change--connecting children and their families to a musical experience which transforms the community, create opportunities for achievement across social strata, and instill a sense of self-worth into its participants.
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    ASPCA
    ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Weaverville, NC
    December 15, 2015
    Awarded: $750,000
    To meet the significant needs of extremely fearful and under socialized dogs, the ASPCA opened a groundbreaking Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Madison, NJ in 2013. This innovative facility develops and implements specialized behavior modification protocols to help dogs overcome their tremendous fear. They learn to become comfortable being a pet, including interacting with humans, going outdoors and walking on a leash.
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    Enid Arts and Sciences Foundation
    Leonardo’s Capital Campaign: Expanding the FUN of Art and Science
    December 4, 2015
    Awarded: $7,500
    Leonardo's Capital Campaign is an ambitious plan to completely renovate and expand Enid's beloved children's museum. This capital project is the first major renovation of the museum since 1995. The project will accomplish a complete renovation of the building exterior including a new entrance on the south side of the building for safety reasons and to better face the community.
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    Central Oklahoma Humane Society
    Oklahoma City Live Release Project
    December 1, 2015
    Awarded: $329,336
    The Central Oklahoma Humane Society (OK Humane) was founded in 2007 to help end needless euthanasia and was one of the first in the country to formalize a relationship with its city shelter whereby both entities would work in partnership to increase the city shelter's live release rate. An initial live release goal of 75% was established and the partnership has made great strides, increasing the live release rate from 25.3% in 2007 to 66.7% by the end of 2014.
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    Reach Out and Read
    Reach Out and Read: A Prescription for Literacy
    November 15, 2015
    Awarded: $10,000
    Reach Out and Read is a pediatric literacy program that partners with doctors to "prescribe" books and encourages families to read together. Tragically, children from low-income families often enter school less prepared to learn, and many of them never catch up. Therefore, Reach out and Read efforts target these children from economically disadvantaged homes.
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    Oklahoma Women's Coalition
    Voices of Change
    November 4, 2015
    Awarded: $2,500
    The Oklahoma Women’s Coalition is a statewide network of individuals and organizations working together to improve the lives of women and girls through education and advocacy. The Coalition promotes nonpartisan efforts, speaking with one voice, while addressing issues important to the progress of Oklahoma’s women and girls.
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    Keystone Adventure School and Farm
    Keystone Adventure School and Farm
    November 2, 2015
    Awarded: $2,500
    Keystone Adventure School and Farm is a working farm and art-based elementary school located in Edmond, Oklahoma serving children from 3 years old to 5th grade. The school and farm is located on 16 beautiful acres, with horses, llamas, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, homing pigeons, a pond, a creek, an organic garden and more. Keystone believes that all children are capable learners when the environment engages their curiosity, when teachers and peers demonstrate care for them, and when they are learning at an appropriate developmental level.
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    Oklahoma City University
    OCU Fund
    October 28, 2015
    Awarded: $5,000
    Oklahoma City University embraces the United Methodist tradition of scholarship and service and welcomes all faiths in a culturally rich community dedicated to student success. Men and women pursue academic excellence through a rigorous curriculum focused on students’ intellectual, moral, and spiritual development to prepare them to become effective leaders in service to their communities.
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    Animal Rescue Friends
    Animal Rescue Friends Pooch Parade
    October 23, 2015
    Awarded: $5,000
    Animal Rescue Friends, Inc. was organized with the support of Nichols Hills to assume responsibility for impounded animals after 7 days. ARF is a no kill rescue that vets & boards or fosters unclaimed animals until adoption. ARF is a completely volunteer organization dedicated to saving the lives of unclaimed, impounded animals in the City of Nichols Hills.
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    Jazz in June
    Jazz In June Festival
    October 15, 2015
    Awarded: $7,500
    Jazz in June is a 3-day festival in Norman, OK that brings some of the best in blues and jazz to a combined audience of 50,000 or more and reaches another 100,000 through its annual public radio programming.
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    Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Foundation
    Awesome Friends Membership and Luncheon
    September 30, 2015
    Awarded: $1,100
    The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Foundation is a non-profit fostering excellence in K-12 science and mathematics education throughout Oklahoma by supporting OSSM's outreach projects, programs, development, students, staff, and faculty. Together with caring, concerned individuals and organizations, we are strengthening Oklahoma's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) resources through the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics.
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    Concordia Summit
    Concordia
    July 10, 2015
    Awarded: $10,000
    The Concordia mission is to identify new avenues of collaboration for governments, businesses and nonprofits through issue based campaigns, year round programming, and the Partnership Index. Concordia promotes effective public-private collaboration to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. A Concordia Campaign is a topic-driven initiative in which they narrow the programmatic, research, and networking efforts. Each Campaign consists of a two to five-year commitment in order to advance a specific cause. By establishing public sector, corporate, nonprofit and academic partners, each Campaign employs the Concordia platform to drive focus and attention around a particular issue.
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    Youth Villages
    YVLifeset and the Intercept Program
    July 1, 2015
    Awarded: $4,747,347
    More than ¼ of the 1,639 youths who aged out of the Oklahoma child welfare system during the years 2009 and 2013 went on to experience some form of homelessness according to a new study by the DHS. Although in Oklahoma there are a few programs working to assist these special kids; there simply are not enough. The LifeSet program helps ensures kids a successful transition to adulthood. A successful transition to adulthood includes maintaining stable and suitable housing, remaining free from legal involvement, participating in an educational/vocational program and developing the life skills necessary to become a responsible citizen.
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    Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
    Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
    June 18, 2015
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Foundation is a non-profit fostering excellence in K-12 science and mathematics education throughout Oklahoma by supporting OSSM's outreach projects, programs, development, students, staff, and faculty. Together with caring, concerned individuals and organizations, we are strengthening Oklahoma's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) resources through the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics.
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    University of Tulsa College of Law
    The Janet K. Levit Endowed Scholarship in Law
    April 16, 2015
    Awarded: $25,000
    Provides scholarship funds to qualified law students at the University of Tulsa College of Law.
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    Jazz in June
    Jazz in June Festival
    March 2, 2015
    Awarded: $5,000
    Jazz in June is a 3-day festival in Norman, OK that brings some of the best in blues and jazz to a combined audience of 50,000 or more and reaches another 100,000 through its annual public radio programming.
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    Oklahoma City University
    Women in Leadership Scholarship
    February 23, 2015
    Awarded: $3,500
    Oklahoma City University embraces the United Methodist tradition of scholarship and service and welcomes all faiths in a culturally rich community dedicated to student success. Men and women pursue academic excellence through a rigorous curriculum focused on students’ intellectual, moral, and spiritual development to prepare them to become effective leaders in service to their communities. The Societies Awards were founded with the mission of recognizing women who provide outstanding volunteer leadership in our community.
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    Allied Arts
    Campaign for Central Oklahoma's Arts Landscape
    February 10, 2015
    Awarded: $5,000
    The Allied Arts campaign is a community-wide drive to raise vital funds to ensure quality cultural programming, arts education in classrooms, after school sites and neighborhood centers, outreach into underserved communities, and healing arts initiatives for the sick and disabled. Campaign funds are directed primarily to 26 member agencies headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma City and Shawnee but impacting the lives of people statewide.
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    OKC Community Foundation
    OK Humane Society Fund
    January 13, 2015
    Awarded: $11,500
    The mission of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, a nonprofit public charity, is to serve the charitable purposes of its donors and the charitable needs of the Oklahoma City area through the development and administration of endowment and other charitable funds with the goal of preserving capital and enhancing value. The Oklahoma City Community Foundation values integrity, stewardship and collaboration. It strives to be enlightened leaders with a long-term perspective of community issues and opportunities, and we encourage and assist donors’ philanthropy for the benefit of the community.