“The arts, quite simply, nourish the soul. They sustain, comfort, inspire.” —GORDON GEE
John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick’s early investments in the arts and culture of Oklahoma City continue to live strong. Noteworthy arts and cultural organizations, large and small, contribute to the very fabric of a thriving, vibrant city. The key component of Kirkpatrick Foundation giving reflects tangible quality-of-life issues for the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. From theater and dance to museums, film festivals, and exhibits, we strive to support a variety of cultural and arts programs for all of central Oklahoma’s citizens and visitors to enjoy.
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
Kirkpatrick Foundation has long supported education in Oklahoma City, making efforts to sustain the stakeholders of pre-K-12, university-level, and out-of-school programming. Kirkpatrick Foundation’s investment in the future of Oklahoma is made clear in our grants to educational programs that impact countless lives throughout the city. Whether arts programs in summer camps, or continuing education for teachers, our reach in Oklahoma’s educational environment is diverse and strong.
“By loving and understanding animals, perhaps we humans shall come to understand each other.” —Louis J. Camuti
From its earliest years, Kirkpatrick Foundation has been concerned with the wellbeing of animals. That concern has grown into a major commitment to ensure animals in Oklahoma are treated well wherever they live. Support has been provided for state-of-the-art veterinary equipment and supplies, medical care for search dogs and zoo animals, and emergency and disaster preparedness. The vision of Kirkpatrick Foundation is to make Oklahoma the safest and most humane place to be an animal by the year 2032.
Thinking about how you can help animals in your community?
View the Safe & Humane Brochure
Read the Eight Year Report covering the Safe & Humane initiative
“Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” —John Muir
The foundation has supported programs designed to build awareness about the natural environment including soil health and freshwater protection. Programs also supported have been for conservation education for teachers and landowners, strategies to protect fauna, and making natural habitats more accessible for all citizens. The health of every community is directly tied to the quality of the environment in which we live, and the foundation seeks to support efforts to ensure that quality.
“We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.”
— Winston Churchill
Historic Preservation is an area of foundation interest that is a tradition of several generations. Foundation efforts have included partnerships that allowed Oklahoma nonprofit property owners to have feasibility studies done for sites of historic significance. These studies outline architectural improvements and detailed structural repairs and restoration strategies needed to maintain a historic designation. Conferences and workshops to educate the public on recognized standards of practice that preserve the history of Oklahoma’s built environment are also supported.
