TULSA, Okla. — The Commemoration Fund announced Tuesday it will invest $1 million into Tulsa organizations working to reduce racial disparities and expand opportunities for marginalized communities.
The initiative includes $700,000 in grants for 14 Tulsa organizations and another $300,000 for a new nonprofit capacity-building program called Capacity X.
The Commemoration Fund now operates as a grantmaking program under the Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation.
Funding Strategy Centers Tulsa’s Equality Indicators
Fund leaders said this year’s investments align with the six themes outlined in the City of Tulsa’s Equality Indicators, which track disparities in areas such as education, public health, economic opportunity, and the criminal justice system.
“We are inspired by the vision and commitment of this year’s grant recipients, whose work reflects both urgency and possibility for Tulsa’s future,” said Dr. Eunice Tarver, chair of The Commemoration Fund Board.
Tarver said the board believes the selected organizations can create measurable progress across Tulsa communities.
“With the addition of Capacity X, we are investing not only in programs, but in the people and leadership that sustain this work for the long term,” Tarver added.
Fund Emerged From Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial
The Commemoration Fund launched in 2020 during the centennial commemoration of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Organizers created the fund to help address racial disparities that have impacted Tulsa communities for generations.
Its advisory board includes Black, Indigenous, and Latino leaders from across Tulsa.
Since its founding, the fund has awarded 160 grants to 72 organizations and community programs.
“From the beginning, we set out to invest in solutions rooted in community voice and lived experience, and we’ve done just that,” said Moises Echeverria, vice chair of The Commemoration Fund Advisory Board.
“While we are proud of what has been accomplished, we are even more energized about what lies ahead,” Echeverria added.
$5 Million Investment Strengthens Fund’s Future
Leaders with the Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation said the organization committed an additional $5 million to The Commemoration Fund after reviewing its community impact.
The new investment also formally establishes The Commemoration Fund as a standalone program within the foundation.
“We are deeply grateful for the foundation’s continued commitment and trust,” said Jen Loren, secretary of The Commemoration Fund Board.
“By aligning our investments with the Equality Indicators, we are helping Tulsa move forward in a more coordinated and accountable way,” Loren said.
2026 Grant Recipients
Economic Opportunity
Supporting and leading efforts to build a sustainable tech-based workforce in Greenwood
Providing roof replacement and home repairs for Tulsa homeowners
Education
Recruiting and enlisting community support and business assistance in providing resources and opportunities for Tulsa Public Schools
Providing career success programing for high school students
Providing after-school tech-training program for middle and high school students
Justice
Advancing community investment and advocacy through voter mobilization and other efforts
Providing bail assistance in addition to pretrial and supportive services
Public Health
Offering basic needs assistance for children 5 years old or younger
Providing access to locally grown produce to participants alongside controlled diabetes management tools
A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) committed to meeting the lifelong health care needs of northeast Oklahoma
Services and Culture
Educating attendees about the historic Greenwood District, the Tulsa Race Massacre, and Black Wall Street
Offering programming focused on Indigenous heritage preservation and celebration
Serving various populations with an emphasis on health equity, immigration and refugee services, and homelessness
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