//
Work at this foundation?
Claim this profile to manage it and see interest from grant seekers.
Arnall Family Foundation Inc. is a private corporation based in OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. The foundation received its IRS ruling in 2015. The principal officer is Arnall Family Foundation. It holds total assets of $27.7M. Annual income is reported at $19.5M. Total assets have grown from $607K in 2015 to $27.7M in 2024. The foundation is governed by 3 officers and trustees. Tax records are available from 2015 to 2024. The foundation primarily funds organizations in Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area and Northeast Oklahoma City. According to available records, Arnall Family Foundation Inc. has made 288 grants totaling $120.6M, with a median grant of $17K. Annual giving has decreased from $14.7M in 2020 to $682K in 2023. Grantmaking activity was highest in 2021 with $90.2M distributed across 66 grants. Individual grants have ranged from $750 to $31.6M, with an average award of $419K. The foundation has supported 132 unique organizations. The foundation primarily supports organizations in Oklahoma, New York, Kentucky, which account for 91% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 12 states. Contributions to this foundation are tax-deductible.
## Grantmaking Approach & Strategy
The Arnall Family Foundation operates as a proactive, invitation-only grantmaker — a deliberate strategic choice that distinguishes it from most Oklahoma foundations. Rather than reviewing unsolicited proposals, the foundation's staff actively identifies potential partners within their defined focus areas: criminal justice reform, youth welfare and justice, homelessness, and northeast Oklahoma City revitalization.
Founded in 2015 by Sue Ann Arnall — an energy industry veteran and Giving Pledge signatory — the foundation has deployed nearly $350 million in its first decade. This places it among the most significant private philanthropic forces in Oklahoma history. The foundation's theory of change centers on systemic transformation rather than incremental service delivery. Each major initiative is designed to address root causes: the Diversion Hub tackles recidivism through coordinated services rather than incarceration, the Arnall Community Funds create sustainable statewide grantmaking infrastructure through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, and the northeast OKC investments target decades of structural disinvestment.
The foundation emphasizes public-private partnerships as a core strategy. The Oklahoma County Diversion Hub exemplifies this: the Arnall Family Foundation provided a $20 million operational endowment while Oklahoma City's MAPS 4 program committed $17 million for the physical facility. This leveraged model multiplies impact and creates shared accountability between government and philanthropy.
Leadership is concentrated, with Sue Ann Arnall serving as President, supported by directors Jane Lerum and Hilary Honor Hamm. This lean governance structure enables rapid decision-making and deep engagement with grantee partners.
## Funding Patterns & Financial Analysis
The Arnall Family Foundation's grantmaking has shown significant variability in recent years, reflecting a strategic shift from many smaller grants to fewer, larger strategic investments:
The dramatic reduction from 62-66 grants annually (2020-2021) to just 6 in 2024 reflects the foundation's strategic pivot toward larger, more concentrated investments. The single largest recorded grant reached $4,383,000, while the smallest was $249, demonstrating extreme range.
Asset base: $27.7 million (2024), down from $22.2 million in total revenues in 2019. However, this figure understates the foundation's true philanthropic capacity, as the $85 million Arnall Community Funds contribution was structured through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation rather than direct grants.
The foundation's grant size typically ranges from $1,000 to $750,000, with a median around $10,000. This bimodal distribution reflects two distinct grantmaking tracks: smaller community-level grants and large-scale systemic investments. Priority categories by NTEE classification include Education, Human Services, Philanthropy/Voluntarism, and Youth Development.
The overall trajectory suggests the foundation is consolidating around fewer, higher-impact partnerships rather than distributing funding widely — a pattern consistent with their invitation-only model and systems-change philosophy.
## Peer Comparison
| Dimension | Arnall Family Foundation | Inasmuch Foundation (OKC) | Kirkpatrick Foundation (OKC) | Schusterman Foundation (Tulsa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assets | $27.7M | ~$800M | ~$60M | ~$3B |
| Annual Giving | $832K (2024) + $85M via OCCF | ~$30M | ~$5M | ~$100M |
| Focus Areas | Criminal justice, youth welfare, homelessness | Arts, social services, education | Arts, animal welfare, environment | Education, community, Jewish life |
| Geography | Oklahoma City metro | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City | Tulsa, national, Israel |
| Application | Invitation-only | Accepts proposals | Accepts proposals | Mixed (some invitation-only) |
| Approach | Systems change, public-private partnerships | Broad community support | Arts & culture anchor | National policy + local community |
| Founded | 2015 | 1982 | 1955 | 1987 |
The Arnall Family Foundation occupies a distinctive niche in Oklahoma philanthropy. While smaller in reported assets than peers like Inasmuch or Schusterman, its cumulative giving of nearly $350 million and the $85 million OCCF endowment make it one of the most impactful foundations in the state by total deployment. Its exclusive focus on criminal justice and youth welfare — areas that many larger Oklahoma foundations treat as secondary — gives it outsized influence in these policy domains. The invitation-only model is relatively rare among Oklahoma foundations of this size, reflecting a venture-philanthropy mindset more common among coastal funders.
## Recent Activity & Developments (2024-2026)
10th Anniversary (2025): The Arnall Family Foundation celebrated a decade of grantmaking in 2025, marking nearly $350 million in cumulative giving — an extraordinary pace for a foundation less than 10 years old.
Diversion Hub Expansion: The Oklahoma County Diversion Hub, the foundation's flagship criminal justice initiative, broke ground on a new state-of-the-art facility in early 2024 backed by $17 million from MAPS 4 and a $20 million operational endowment from the foundation. In 2024, nearly 6,000 individuals and families participated in the Hub's 11 programs and initiatives. Recidivism data shows just 16.77% of Hub clients received new criminal filings after services, significantly below Oklahoma County averages.
$85 Million OCCF Contribution: The foundation made an extraordinary $85 million contribution to the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to create the Arnall Community Funds. These funds provide ongoing grants to nonprofits statewide working on animal welfare, child welfare, and criminal justice reform, with OCCF staff managing administration and OCCF Trustees making grantmaking decisions. In 2024 alone, OCCF awarded more than $8.9 million through these funds.
LiveFree OKC: The foundation continues to support the LiveFree OKC initiative, addressing gun violence prevention in Oklahoma City through community-based intervention strategies.
Declining Violent Crime: The foundation highlighted research showing violent crime is declining in Oklahoma City, attributing part of this trend to the collaborative justice reform infrastructure they helped build, including the Diversion Hub and related programs.
Strategic Consolidation: The shift from 62+ grants annually to 6 in 2024 indicates a strategic consolidation phase, focusing resources on fewer, higher-impact partnerships with proven track records.
## Application Tips & Guidance
Critical: This is an invitation-only foundation. The Arnall Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. However, there are strategic approaches for organizations seeking to enter their orbit:
1. Build relationships through current grantees. Network with organizations already funded by the foundation — Oklahoma County Diversion Hub, Homeless Alliance, Sisu Youth Services, Positive Tomorrows, and Peace City. Collaborative projects with existing grantees are the strongest pathway to foundation attention.
2. Align with systemic change, not service delivery. The foundation prioritizes initiatives that transform systems rather than provide ongoing services. Frame your work in terms of policy impact, institutional change, or infrastructure building.
3. Demonstrate Oklahoma-specific impact. Nearly all funding stays within Oklahoma, with heavy concentration in Oklahoma City metro and specifically northeast OKC. Out-of-state organizations have minimal prospects unless partnering with Oklahoma-based entities.
4. Emphasize equity and racial justice framing. The foundation explicitly prioritizes "equitable access to services" and focuses on "most-vulnerable populations." Applications that clearly articulate how work addresses systemic racial and socioeconomic inequities align with foundation values.
5. Consider the Arnall Community Funds pathway. Organizations that don't fit the foundation's direct investment model may qualify for grants through the Arnall Community Funds administered by the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. These funds accept applications through OCCF's standard process and cover animal welfare, child welfare, and criminal justice.
6. Contact strategically. While cold outreach rarely works with invitation-only funders, the foundation does maintain a contact form and phone line (405-546-5076). Brief, targeted inquiries that demonstrate deep alignment with their focus areas and familiarity with their existing work may open doors.
7. Focus on data and outcomes. The foundation tracks and publicizes recidivism data, program participation numbers, and community impact metrics. Organizations with strong evaluation frameworks and measurable outcomes are more likely to attract attention.
Create a free Granted account to download this report — includes application checklist, full financial data, and all grantees.
Already have an account? Sign in to download.
Reducing incarceration rates and racial disparities through expanded access to human and social services, diversion programs, and public-private partnerships including the Oklahoma County Diversion Hub, a $20 million endowment-backed facility providing coordinated life stabilization services.
Supporting Oklahoma's most vulnerable children, especially those in the foster care system, through initiatives like Functional Family Therapy expansion, Sisu Youth Services, and Positive Tomorrows K-12 education for homeless children.
Addressing homelessness by connecting individuals to justice system alternatives and supporting organizations like Homeless Alliance, City Rescue Mission, and Urban Bridge.
Targeted investments in historically under-resourced communities in northeast Oklahoma City to address systemic disinvestment and promote equitable access to services.
An $85 million contribution administered through Oklahoma City Community Foundation providing grants to nonprofits statewide working to improve outcomes in animal welfare, child welfare, and criminal justice systems.
## Funding Patterns & Financial Analysis The Arnall Family Foundation's grantmaking has shown significant variability in recent years, reflecting a strategic shift from many smaller grants to fewer, larger strategic investments:.
Arnall Family Foundation Inc. has distributed a total of $120.6M across 288 grants. The median grant size is $17K, with an average of $419K. Individual grants have ranged from $750 to $31.6M.
## Grantmaking Approach & Strategy The Arnall Family Foundation operates as a proactive, invitation-only grantmaker — a deliberate strategic choice that distinguishes it from most Oklahoma foundations. Rather than reviewing unsolicited proposals, the foundation's staff actively identifies potential partners within their defined focus areas: criminal justice reform, youth welfare and justice, homelessness, and northeast Oklahoma City revitalization.
Arnall Family Foundation Inc. is headquartered in OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. While based in OK, the foundation distributes grants to organizations across 12 states.
| Name | Title | Compensation | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilary Honor Hamm | Director | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Jane Lerum | Director | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Sue Ann Arnall | President | $0 | $0 | N/A |
Total Giving
N/A
Total Assets
$27.7M
Fair Market Value
N/A
Net Worth
$27.7M
Grants Paid
N/A
Contributions
N/A
Net Investment Income
N/A
Distribution Amount
N/A
Total Grants
288
Total Giving
$120.6M
Average Grant
$419K
Median Grant
$17K
Unique Recipients
132
Most Common Grant
$10K
of 2023 grantees were first-time recipients
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shine FoundationSummer Ice Cream refreshments for low income neighborhoods. | Oklahoma City, OK | $750 | 2023 |
| Planned ParenthoodIncreasing regional access to sexual and reproductive health care. | Oklahoma City, OK | $100K | 2023 |
| Nexus Equine IncEquine rescue and adoption programs. | Oklahoma City, OK | $100K | 2023 |
| Homeless AllianceLand Acquisition | Oklahoma City, OK | $98K | 2023 |
| Community Transportation Assn Of AmClimb Ride--mobility and social service programs for OKC Child Welfare System. | Washington, DC | $86K | 2023 |
| American Friends Of HaruvHaruv training programs | Tulsa, OK | $25K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma Dental FoundationThree day dental care event at DHS. | Oklahoma City, OK | $24K | 2023 |
| Midwest City Fraternal Order Of PolCops & Community Basketball Tournament | Midwest City, OK | $24K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma County Diversion HubGift Cards and Bus Passes to help individuals in the criminal justic system. | Oklahona City, OK | $20K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma Center For NonprofitsSponsorship of Professional Fundraising Certification Program. | Oklahoma City, OK | $20K | 2023 |
| Ywca OkcBuilding C Tear Down and Purple Sash Gala sponsorship | Oklahoma City, OK | $20K | 2023 |
| The Third Space FoundationJuneteenth on the East program | Oklahoma City, OK | $15K | 2023 |
| Shred The StigmaHarm Reduction Kits and Volunteer Mileage Reimbursement. | Oklahoma City, OK | $15K | 2023 |
| The Hair InitiativeHair care resources for at risk youth and children in the criminal justice system. | Oklahoma City, OK | $15K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma City Innovation DistrictSponsorship of Oklahoma Innovation Week. | Oklahoma City, OK | $13K | 2023 |
| Angels Foster Family NetworkPrograms to support children and families in the foster care system. | Edmond, OK | $10K | 2023 |
| Allied Arts Of OklahomaAdvancement of Arts Programs | Oklahoma City, OK | $10K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma Black Caucus FoundationAC Hamlin Banquet sponsorship | Oklahoma City, OK | $10K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma WatchGeneral Operations Support. | Oklahoma City, OK | $10K | 2023 |
| Sunbeam Family ServicesShine A Light Gala sponsorship | Oklahoma City, OK | $10K | 2023 |
| Midwest City Fraternal Order Of PoliceRefreshnents for organized event to create partnerships between communities and the police. | Midwest City, OK | $9K | 2023 |
| Nondoc MediaWriters Fund 2022. | Oklahoma City, OK | $7K | 2023 |
| A Chance To ChangeCelebrations Sponsorship | The Village, OK | $5K | 2023 |
| Urban League Of Greater OkcExpungement Services | Oklahoma City, OK | $5K | 2023 |
| Pivot IncTiny Home Community, 50th Anniversary Gala and EMDR training. | Oklahoma City, OK | $5K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma City Pride AllianceSponsorship of 2022 OKC Pridefest. | Oklahoma City, OK | $5K | 2023 |
| HeartlineFestival of Hope Gala sponsorship | Oklahoma City, OK | $5K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma School Of Science MathematGeneral Operations Support for 2023. | Oklahoma City, OK | $5K | 2023 |
| Calm Waters Center For ChildrenGrief support program for OK County Jail inmates. | Oklahoma City, OK | $5K | 2023 |
| Okc Public Schools FoundationT-Up fundraiser | Oklahoma City, OK | $3K | 2023 |
| City Of Oklahoma CityRefreshments for Oklahoma County Warrant Clearing Event. | Oklahoma City, OK | $2K | 2023 |
| Oklahoma City Community FoundationRefreshments for OK Justice Circle Breaking Bread luncheon to create awareness of experiences of racial and ethnic minorities in OK. | Oklahoma City, OK | $1K | 2023 |
| The Education And Employment MinistPretrial Release Initiative 2022 | Oklahoma City, OK | $425K | 2022 |
| 3 Girls Animal RescueEquine Rescue and Adoption | Poteau, OK | $203K | 2022 |
| Freedom Center Of OkcGeneral Operating Support | Oklahoma City, OK | $175K | 2022 |
| Sisu Youth ServicesYouth Homelessnes Demonstration Program initiatives | Oklahoma Cit, OK | $79K | 2022 |
TULSA, OK
ARDMORE, OK
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK