
Advisory Board
Chair – Hannibal B. Johnson, Author, Attorney & Consultant
Vice Chair – Eunice Tarver, Vice President of Student Success & Equity, Tulsa Community College
Secretary – Ashley Harris Philippsen, Deputy Director, ImpactTulsa
Glenda Love Williams, Ret. President & CEO, Ronald McDonald House and Nonprofit Consultant
Moises Echeverria, President & CEO, Foundation for Tulsa Schools
Wilson Pipestem, Partner, Pipestem Law
Joseph Bojang, Owner, Web Champs
Danny Williams, Attorney, Frederic Dorwart Lawyers
Jessica M. Lozano-Alvarez, Latino Community Outreach Specialist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma
Staff Members
Courtney Knoblock
Program Director, The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation
cknoblock@zarrow.org
Joshua J. Knowles
Zarrow Fellow, The Commemoration Fund
jknowles@zarrow.org
The Commemoration Fund
Our Mission
We support bold and innovative efforts to correct social, political and economic injustices that impact Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and People of Color in our community. Our grantmaking addresses disparities rooted in white supremacy and systemic racism with sustainable, collaborative solutions.
The Commemoration Fund grant cycle was open through Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. For grantee or applicant questions, please contact the interim staff team: Courtney Knoblock, Program Director at cknoblock@zarrow.org or Joshua J. Knowles, Zarrow Fellow for The Commemoration Fund at jknowles@zarrow.org.
If you have previously applied to a Zarrow Foundation online, please log in using your existing applicant account. If you are a new applicant, you will be prompted to create an account upon beginning your application. Once you have begun your application, you can return to it by using the Account Log In button.
Background
The Zarrow Families Foundation was originally established as a corporate charitable giving vehicle that evolved into a fund where brothers Henry and Jack Zarrow could do collaborative grantmaking outside their well-known individual foundations.
Current trustees honor their fathers by directing all future grantmaking to positively impact Black, Indigenous, Latinx and People of Color.
As an organization dedicated to equity and dismantling oppression in its many forms, the Commemoration Fund supports the use of Latinx as a model of the forward-working and inclusive trend in spoken and written language and affirms individuals of different gender identities.
Founders
Mr. Henry Zarrow, 1916-2014
Mr. Jack Zarrow, 1925-2012
Mr. Scott Zarrow, 1958-2012
Trustees
Ms. Judy Kishner
Ms. Gail Richards
Mr. Stuart Zarrow
Grant Application Guidelines
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The Commemoration Fund grant cycle is now closed for 2023.
-
- For inquiries, please email Courtney Knoblock at cknoblock@zarrow.org and Joshua J. Knowles at jknowles@zarrow.org.
- Grants will support work that is innovative in correcting social, cultural, political, or economic injustices impacting Black, Indigenous, Latinx, or other People of Color in our community.
- There is special interest in grants focusing on the following areas: Justice, Health Equity, Education Enrichment, Advocacy, and Leadership Development.
- Grants may support: 1) general operations, 2) a specific program or facility, 3) equipment or vehicle purchase, 4) consulting, 5) planning or training activity, 6) a research project, or other efforts that aim to address a disparity rooted in white supremacy and systemic racism.
- Grants will NOT be considered for dinners, runs/walks, special events, political events, or fundraisers. Grants will not be made directly to a church unless an independently governed 501c3 public charity is in place.
- Eligible requests may range from $3,000 to $100,000.
- Preference will be given to one-year grants. Multi-year grants will be considered, up to three years, but must demonstrate substantial and transformative impact.
- Applicants should be able to identify how efforts will be sustained beyond the term of the grant.
ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS WILL…
-
- Have 501(c)3 public charity status, with an IRS determination letter that is either permanent or provisional
- Operate in Tulsa County
- Be able to demonstrate programs and/or services focusing on Black, Indigenous, Latinx, or other People of Color
- Be able to demonstrate budget and financial management necessary to administer and account for grant funds. Audited or CPA-prepared financial statements are preferred if available, but not required.
For Applicants, preference will be given to:
-
- Nonprofits with minority leadership at the executive and board level
- Nonprofits headquartered and operating in minority-majority communities of Tulsa County
Additional Application Documentation to include the following:
-
- A copy of the organization’s IRS 501c3 public charity determination letter
- A copy of the applicant’s latest 990 tax filing, including all attachments
- A listing of the applicant’s Board of Directors (including Board Composition)
- A listing of the applicant’s Leadership Team (including Team Composition)
- Financial Information, including:
- Most Recent Audited Financial Statements and/or Fiscal-Year-Ending Financial Statements
- Final Operating Statement including Actual Expenditures vs. Budget
- Organization’s budget for the current fiscal year
- A budget for the specific project or program, with grant request identified if only part of a larger budget
- A list of major donors from last fiscal year with grant amounts
- A copy of the strategic plan (if available)
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants will have the opportunity to 1) apply and submit electronically, or 2) print and send a completed copy to:
Commemoration Fund
401 S. Boston Ave, Ste 900, Tulsa, OK 74103
For grantee or applicant questions, please contact the interim staff team: Courtney Knoblock, Program Director at cknoblock@zarrow.org or Joshua J. Knowles, Zarrow Fellow for The Commemoration Fund at jknowles@zarrow.org.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The Commemoration Fund requires that all nonprofit entities receiving grants adhere to an Equal Employment Opportunity statement that includes non-discrimination regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), disability, political affiliation, genetic information, or religious belief.
2022 Grant Recipients
Toward addressing disparities rooted in white supremacy and systemic racism, the Commemoration Fund is proud to announce 2022 grants in support of:ACT TULSA
Accelerator program aimed at cultivating black and brown-led technology start-up companies located in Tulsa.
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF OKLAHOMA
Toward litigation and public education to help address critical issues impacting historically disenfranchised communities.
BIRTHRIGHT LIVING LEGACY
A grassroots effort providing supportive parenting services for justice-involved fathers.
BLACK TECH STREET
Capacity building to help build an inclusive, collaborative, and equitable Black-tech ecosystem based on the entrepreneurial foundation of Black Wall Street.
CASA DE LA CULTURA
Facility renovation and program support for a local nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Latin/Hispanic culture and arts.
CROSSOVER COMMUNITY IMPACT
Expansion of a successful healthcare initiative to reduce uncontrolled diabetes in North Tulsa patients using education and locally-sourced fresh foods.
GIRL SCOUTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA
A pilot program providing professional counseling and wrap-around support for daughters connecting with incarcerated fathers.
GREENWOOD CULTURAL CENTER
Community support and education around public issues that have birthed and continue to support systemic racism.
GREENWOOD RISING
Internships for long underrepresented students of color to pursue careers in the museum profession.
HISPANIC-AMERICAN FOUNDATION
Scholarships providing Tulsa-based Latinx students the resources to continue pursuing higher education at Oklahoma-based institutions.
HORTON RECORDS
Production of an original short film and soundtrack spotlighting creatives of color in Tulsa.
JEWISH FEDERATION OF TULSA
Field trip support for Sherwin Miller Museum’s exhibit that invites students to explore the role of white supremacy in the Jewish holocaust, the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and the tragic
events of today.
JUST THE BEGINNING
Programs empowering justice-involved women with programs, resources, and support to successfully reach esteem, wholeness, and self-sufficiency.
LA COSECHA
Program support for food, clothing and basic needs services for economically under-resourced LatinX residents in Tulsa.
LEADERSHIP TULSA
Expansion of the after-school development program focused on building the next generation of diverse civic and community leaders.
MARTHA’S FOUNDATION
New van for this nonprofit serving teen mothers and their children.
MEALS ON WHEELS OF METRO TULSA
Toward a food delivery and healthcare prevention program in North Tulsa, to reduce hospitalizations and skilled nursing stays.
MET CARES FOUNDATION
Staff capacity to expand economic development initiatives and homeownership opportunities in
North Tulsa.
MISS WEARYS FOUNDATION
Scholarships to provide comprehensive, accessible healthcare training to underserved students of color.
NEW HOPE OKLAHOMA
Support for camps and after school programs aiming to break the cycle of generational incarceration for Tulsa youth experiencing
parental incarceration.
REVITALIZE T-TOWN
Safety and security repairs for low-income homes, contributing to improved housing values in North Tulsa neighborhoods.
SMILES OF FAITH
Toward new free and accessible dental
services to the North Tulsa community.
SUPPORTERS OF FAMILIES WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE
Support for a comprehensive service
continuum of care for a disease that impacts African-Americans at disproportionate rates.
THEATRE NORTH
A long-established North Tulsa, Black-led theatre program that stages and presents plays reflecting the African American experience.
THE OASIS PROJECTS
New delivery and passenger truck to improve the accessibility of fresh foods for North Tulsa residents with limited access to transportation.
TRI-CITY COLLECTIVE
Award-winning professional broadcast journalism effort that engages the local public on issues important to communities of color.
TULSA DREAM CENTER
Distance learning and after-school programs at a high-performing and minority-led community organization in North Tulsa.
URBAN CODERS GUILD
A creative after-school tech-training program targeting middle and high school students of color to develop a more inclusive tech ecosystem.
URBAN INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Program support for the North Tulsa Construction School, providing justice-involved men with in-class training and journeyman apprenticeships.