Cultural experiences have the power to enrich lives, expand knowledge, foster collaboration, and bring communities together around shared interests. Oklahoma’s rich cultural heritage encompasses a diverse array of traditions, artistic expressions, social practices, historical and intellectual achievements, and unique local cultures. Our goal is to support projects that celebrate and preserve these important elements of Oklahoma’s cultural fabric.
| Grant application opens: | Monday, May 15, 2023 |
| Grant information meeting | Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 3:00 pm (Register here) |
| Deadline to request application access: | Friday, June 23, 2023 at 5:00 pm |
| Grant Application Deadline: | Friday, June 30, 2023 at 5:00 pm |
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
Projects must take place within CANADIAN, CLEVELAND, OKLAHOMA and/or LOGAN counties
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located in CANADIAN, CLEVELAND, OKLAHOMA and LOGAN counties.
- Nonexempt organizations that qualify for the use of charitable dollars such as schools, local government agencies, or state/city-connected agencies may apply as long as the funding request is for public programs that take place in eligible Oklahoma counties.
- Organizations should be able to provide three years of board-approved financials upon request.
HOW TO APPLY
1. Complete a Letter of Intent
To gain access to the official application, all potential applicants must fill out the online LOI form no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 23, 2023. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will receive an email granting you access to the application.
To complete an LOI, go to our online grant portal (click here) and refer to the instructions on the homepage to log in. Once you have logged in, you will select the “Apply” icon in the top left-hand corner of your screen and input the access code CULTURE23. Please direct all login and access questions to Keaton Van Sickle at k.vansickle@occf.org.
2. Complete an Official Application
If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will receive an email granting you access to the official application. The deadline to apply is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 30, 2023. *Applicants will be notified of a decision by the end of August 2023.
GRANT INFORMATION MEETING
The Oklahoma City Community Foundation is hosting a Culture & Community iFund grant information meeting on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. at our offices on 1000 N. Broadway in Oklahoma City, OK 73102. The meeting is open to all interested applicants. Attendance is not required. Register here.
RECENT AWARDS
2022
| Organization | Project | Project Summary | Amount |
| Chickasaw Foundation | Inchokkaalaali’ (I’m Visiting) Assistance Program | An educational program that offers financial assistance for K-12th grade schools in central Oklahoma to take a field trip to the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma where students learn about Oklahoma’s indigenous history and the Chickasaw tribe. | $15,000 |
| deadCenter Film Festival | deadCenter Continuum: Year-Round Educational and Cultural Programming | Continuum connects audiences to films that explore a variety of cultures/populations that are underrepresented on the big screen. Activities include screenings, film discussions, education, and community gatherings presented in partnership with organizations representing specific Oklahoma City cultural communities, such as OKC Latino Young Professionals, the OKC Pride Alliance, First Americans Museum, and Freedom Oklahoma. | $20,000 |
| Oklahoma Children’s Theatre | Cultural Theatre Productions | The production of two family-friendly, culturally relevant shows celebrating Oklahoma’s cultural diversity: 1) “Tomás and the Library Lady”, the true story of a young Mexican immigrant’s journey to the US, and 2) “Little Loksi”, a stage adaptation of a children’s novel by author Trey Hays that tells the story of Loksi the turtle using Chickasaw language and imagery. | $26,000 |
| Oklahoma City Ballet | Unboxed | A new performance in collaboration with Oklahoma Contemporary that pairs internationally acclaimed artists with Oklahoma artists to create innovative works inspired by Oklahoma culture. The premiere of “Unboxed” will take place on June 23-25, 2023, and will feature works by visual artist Yatika Starr Fields and choreographer Rena Butler. A free family matinee and movement workshop led by Founder of the Groovemeant Community and expert in street dance culture, Alfonso Pulé, will also be offered. | $30,000 |
| Oklahoma City Community College Foundation | Fiestas Patrias | OCCC organized a free public festival celebrating Fiestas Patrias, a national holiday rooted in Latin cultures and celebrated as an independence holiday in Mexico, Chile, Panama, Peru and Guatemala. The festival featured the food, music, dance and heritage of the region’s growing Hispanic community. The event featured 100 performers and hosted 23 service providers and 27 vendors. OCCC provided technical assistance to many minority-owned businesses to become first-time vendors for the event. | $25,000 |
| Oklahoma City Public School District, Native American Student Services | Native Knowledge OKC | OKCPS Native American Student Services (NASS) showcased and celebrated Native culture by organizing three engaging events for Oklahoma City residents. These events included an OKCPS Pow-wow, an OKCPS Stompdance, and a Native American Student Art Show. | $15,000 |
| Oklahoma Humanities Council | “Let’s Talk About It” Reading and Discussion Program | A literature-based reading and discussion program that consists of scholar-led book discussions hosted by libraries, veterans’ centers, senior centers, prisons, and other nonprofits. Each program features books from one of 39 discussion themes that explore diverse Oklahoma cultural identities such as the Immigrant Experience, Civil Rights and Equality, The Modern Indigenous Experience, The Cowboy, and more. | $25,000 |
| RACE Dance Collective | RACE’s Hip Hop Nutcracker – Spanish Immersion | Each year, RACE collaborates with Oklahoma City Public School District dance programs, to produce a performance that retells the traditional story of the Nutcracker through an urban lens. For the first time in its 13-year history, RACE launched a Spanish-language version of the performance alongside its English performance that was made available at no cost to the public. RACE worked with eight public school dance programs and 96 students to produce the 2023 performances. | $15,000 |
| University of Oklahoma Foundation | Five Moons Dance Festival | The OU School of Dance held its 2nd Five Moons Dance Festival celebrating the five Native American ballerinas from Oklahoma known as the Five Moons. As part of the event, NYC-based choreographer Sidra Bell taught a master class for seven Native American dance students from Osage County. Sidra is the first black female choreographer commissioned by the NYC Ballet and her critically acclaimed work has been seen throughout the US and internationally. | $12,000 |
FAQ
- My organization has a current grant through one of the other iFund opportunities. Am I eligible to apply for the Community & Culture iFund grant?
Yes, but only if it is for a different project. We will not consider funding the same project with two different iFund grants. - Are applications submitted online?
Yes, after submitting an Letter of Intent (please refer to the guidelines). If your proposed project meets the guidelines, you will receive access to the online application. - Will the organizations that apply receive notification if they are not approved?
Yes, all organizations that apply will be notified of funding decisions.