Charles W Harris Foundation

The Charles W Harris Foundation operates as a private grantmaking foundation established in 2010 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with assets of approximately $10.2 million. Named after its founder Charles W Harris, the foundation operates through professional management with a small paid staff (President Elizabeth A Kersey and Secretary Robyn Owens). The foundation does not publish open calls for proposals; its grantmaking appears to be relationship-driven and invitation-based, consistent with many family foundations of its size. Revenue is derived entirely from investment returns (dividends, interest, and asset sales), and the foundation gives out roughly $500,000–$550,000 annually across 25–31 grants. The multi-state focus (Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Kansas) suggests the founder had ties or interests across these regions. The foundation maintains a modest but consistent grantmaking pace and does not appear to solicit public applications.

The foundation has demonstrated remarkably stable giving patterns since ramping up around 2022. Annual disbursements held steady at $512,000–$553,500 from 2022–2024, with 25–31 grants per year. This implies an average grant size of roughly $17,000–$22,000, though the stated range of $1,500–$225,000 suggests a bimodal distribution: several large anchor grants alongside many smaller awards. Focus areas include Education (likely the largest category), Human Services, Arts and Culture, and Philanthropy/Voluntarism. Prior to 2022, giving was dramatically lower ($21,900–$44,500/year from 2019–2021), suggesting a major strategic shift or endowment event around 2021–2022 that enabled the current scale of grantmaking.

Compared to peer private foundations in the Tulsa area with similar asset sizes and focus areas:

The Charles W Harris Foundation is mid-sized by Tulsa standards. Unlike peer foundations such as The Cuesta Foundation (which has public application cycles) or The Gelvin Foundation (which has an open process), Charles W Harris Foundation does not appear to maintain a public application portal, placing it in the invitation-only category common among smaller family foundations.

As of early 2026, the Charles W Harris Foundation maintained its active grantmaking pace with 30 grants in 2024 totaling $512,000. The foundation's 990 data was last updated January 4, 2026, confirming continued operations. The foundation has no live grant opportunities listed on major grant discovery platforms (Instrumentl, Candid Foundation Directory), consistent with its non-public application stance. Total assets declined slightly from $11.2M (2020) to $10.2M (2024), reflecting a period where distributions exceeded investment returns. The foundation's giving scaled dramatically around 2022, from under $50,000/year to over $500,000/year, indicating a deliberate strategic decision to increase philanthropic impact, possibly tied to a change in leadership or endowment structure.

1. Relationship-first approach: The Charles W Harris Foundation does not appear to accept unsolicited grant applications. Nonprofit leaders should focus on cultivating relationships with President Elizabeth A Kersey or Secretary Robyn Owens at their Tulsa office (5319 S Lewis Ave, Suite 206). 2. Target the right sectors: Organizations in education, human services, arts and culture, or philanthropic infrastructure in Oklahoma, Wisconsin, or Kansas are most likely to align with funding priorities. Lead with quantifiable community impact data. 3. Geographic alignment matters: Oklahoma-based organizations have the strongest alignment, but nonprofits in Wisconsin and Kansas have historically received funding, suggesting founder personal connections to those states. 4. Right-size your ask: With an average grant in the $17,000–$22,000 range and a maximum of $225,000, first-time applicants should consider requesting in the $10,000–$30,000 range to establish a relationship before seeking larger awards. 5. Monitor 990 filings for grantee intelligence: Since the foundation does not publish grantee lists publicly, review annual 990-PF filings via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (EIN 26-4536771) to identify past grantees and inform your outreach strategy.