T H E S TAT E | P H I L A N T H R O P Y
A Community for All
Nancy Anthony came to the Oklahoma City Community Foundation in 1985 with only a bookkeeper. Photo courtesy OCCF
Nancy Anthony has significantly increased the philanthropic capital in central Oklahoma.
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s president of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, Nancy Anthony is seriously driven and committed to improving the lives and infrastructure of OKC. She’s fully aligned with the nonprofit’s mission: to serve the philanthropic needs of donors and the community by the development and administration of endowment and other charitable funds, with the end goal of preserving capital and enhancing its value to support the community. “Everyone in a community has something to offer, and our job as a community foundation is to engage all of them in helping to make all parts of it great,” she says. “We want everyone to participate and benefit.” Anthony’s history with OCCF is lengthy. “I started here in 1985 as the executive director with a bookkeeper,” she says. “The foundation started in 1969 and had about $19 million in funds, primarily generated by its founder, John Kirkpatrick. I was looking for an opportunity to be involved in the community beyond just serving on a non-profit board. OCCF was a chance to develop an organization that could play an important role in promoting philanthropy in the community. It was a great opportunity to develop something in the community.” OCCF operates with a variety of grants and donations. “Because we work with donors who
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2021
the funds given after the bombing of the advise a wide range of gifts, as well as the Murrah Building in 1995, and we have had grants that our trustees make, we make a very lasting impact on park and public more than 5,000 grants a year to more space beautification in than 1,000 different charOklahoma City.” ities,” she says. “AdditionOver her 30+ years ally, we will have approxiof service, Anthony mately 800 students who believes the OCCF has receive a scholarship “established a strong from one of our scholarstandard for charitable ship funds. Probably 90% All of us can help endowment manageof these funds remain in improve our communiment, for the adminisOklahoma.” ties, and it doesn’t tration of scholarships Since taking the reins, have to cost anything. to benefit students, and Anthony has witnessed Anthony encourages developed programs and spearheaded some interested parties to do that have expanded and amazing changes: “The some snooping: check improved parks and foundation has grown out social media pages public spaces throughfrom $19 million in 1985 and local community out the community. We to $1.5 billion today,” she organizations for ophave a strong commitsays. “We have developed portunities and needs. ment to help donors a significant endowment Then volunteer, help accomplish their chariprogram for charities, your neighbors and table goals.” a large scholarship neighborhoods, and enSo, what’s next? Anprogram that supports courage young people to thony says she’s looking students statewide, and think about their futures. for to the opportunity we have a very large Participate in elections, to “work with donors group of donors who and encourage others to to help them be more have been able to expand do the same. effective, and to preserve their philanthropic “The opportunities their legacy in the comimpact. I would say to give back will come munity. we have significantly best from our personal “The benefit,” she says, increased the philaninvolvement in our com“will be for the whole thropic capital in central munities,” she says. community.” Oklahoma. Additionally, CAROL MOWDY BOND we administered many of
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