The Jerome Westheimer Family Foundation concentrates philanthropic support in Ardmore and southern Oklahoma, funding large-capital and programmatic investments in local cultural institutions and youth services. Their giving emphasizes performing and visual arts infrastructure (including a school performing arts center), historic preservation, and community youth programs, favoring substantial, impactful awards to a small number of regional organizations.
Jerome Westheimer Family Foundation’s largest recent award was a $1,555,000 grant to Ardmore City Schools for a performing arts center, a clear signal that major capital projects sit at the center of its philanthropy. The foundation backs local institutions that shape cultural life and youth services in Ardmore and southern Oklahoma, with awards that often support facilities, general operations, and program delivery. Its 2023 and 2024 grants include $1,400,000 to the Goddard Center for Visual and Performing Arts for general support and $666,668 to the Dornick Hills Historical Foundation for general support, alongside substantial support for community-based organizations serving children and families. The portfolio also includes grants to the Southern Oklahoma Library System for renovations, the Hardy Murphy Coliseum Authority, and the Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma, showing a mix of arts infrastructure, preservation, and youth-oriented community services. The foundation’s giving pattern is local and concentrated, with every listed grant going to Oklahoma recipients.
Performing arts infrastructure is a defining theme. In 2024, the foundation gave $1,555,000 to Ardmore City Schools for a performing arts center, and it also supported the Hardy Murphy Coliseum Authority with $28,100 for general support. Visual and community arts appear in other grants as well, including $27,000 to Southern Oklahoma Community Arts Inc for general support and $21,000 to Ardmore Little Theatre Inc for general support. Youth services form another major thread. The foundation awarded $400,000 to Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma for general support in 2024 and $91,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Carter County for support of children programs. Education and literacy are represented through $40,000 to A Reading Incorporated and $100,000 to the Southern Oklahoma Library System for renovations to three locations.
Typical grant size is mid-sized to large for a local foundation: the 25th percentile is $9,000, the median is $20,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. That distribution sits below the foundation’s largest capital awards, which are outliers rather than the norm. The recent record shows repeated support for some recipients across more than one year, including Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma, Texoma Autism & Behavioral School, A Reading Incorporated, Ardmore Little Theatre Inc, Southern Oklahoma Community Arts Inc, and Broadway House. The foundation appears to give from a family foundation structure, and the available data show grantmaking rather than individual assistance or program-related investments.
$2.7M
$42.4M
$5.4M
$3M
Most grants fall between $9K and $50K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$50K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Very concentrated giving: a small number of large grants (>$400k each), primarily one-time or capital-focused awards to regional cultural and youth organizations rather than many small grants or broad geographic diversification.
Notable grantees: Ardmore City Schools, Goddard Center for Visual and Performing Arts, Dornick Hills Historical Foundation, Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma
All listed grants in the recent sample went to U.S. recipients, and every grant went to Oklahoma. Ardmore is the clear center of activity, with multiple awards to organizations in that city, including local schools, arts groups, youth service providers, and civic institutions. Beyond Ardmore, the grants reach nearby Oklahoma communities such as Marietta, Wilson, Moore, Stonewall, Ringling, Overbrook, and Carter County. The geographic pattern is local rather than statewide or national, with 100% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s home state of Oklahoma.
The foundation supports performing arts organizations and facilities, youth services, historic preservation, and community institutions. Recent grants include support for a performing arts center at Ardmore City Schools, general support for the Goddard Center for Visual and Performing Arts, and general support for Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma.
Typical grants are in the tens of thousands of dollars. The 25th percentile is $9,000, the median is $20,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. Larger capital grants also appear in the recent record, including a $1,555,000 award for a performing arts center.
Its giving is local and entirely concentrated in Oklahoma. The recent grant list shows 100% of grants to Oklahoma recipients, with Ardmore appearing most often and additional awards in cities such as Marietta, Wilson, Moore, Stonewall, Ringling, and Overbrook.
Yes. The recent grants list shows multiple organizations receiving support in more than one year, including Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma, Texoma Autism & Behavioral School, A Reading Incorporated, Ardmore Little Theatre Inc, Southern Oklahoma Community Arts Inc, and Broadway House.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MURRAY STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | TISHOMINGO, OK | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AMBULANCE SERVICE | ARDMORE, OK | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HFV WILSON COMMUNITY CENTER | ARDMORE, OK | $405,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YMCA ARDMORE | ARDMORE, OK | $340,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARDMORE CITY SCHOOLS | ARDMORE, OK | $300,000 | 2026 | GRANT FOR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER |
| SOUTHEASTERN FOUNDATION | DURANT, OK | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD AND RESOURCE CENTER | MOORE, OK | $70,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY YOUTH SERVICES OF SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA | ARDMORE, OK | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCACY | ARDMORE, OK | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| A READING INCORPORATED | ARDMORE, OK | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION | NORMAN, OK | $39,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA COMMUNITY ARTS INC | ARDMORE, OK | $27,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SARA'S PROJECT | ARDMORE, OK | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPRINGER PUBLIC SCHOOLS | SPRINGER, OK | $13,500 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN PROGRAMS |
| ARDMORE LITTLE THEATRE INC | ARDMORE, OK | $12,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARDMORE REGIONAL PARK TRUST AUTHORITY | ARDMORE, OK | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BROADWAY HOUSE | ARDMORE, OK | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GODDARD CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS | ARDMORE, OK | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | ARDMORE, OK | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARDMORE DAY NURSERY INC | ARDMORE, OK | $10,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN PROGRAMS |
| GREATER SOUTHWEST HISTORICAL MUSEUM | ARDMORE, OK | $8,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| INFANT CRISIS SERVICES | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $5,000 | 2026 | BABY MOBILE IN ARDMORE |
| GLORIA S AINSWORTH DAY CARE CENTER INC | ARDMORE, OK | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT OF CHILDREN PROGRAMS |
| 20TH DISTRICT DRUG COURT INC | ARDMORE, OK | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GENE AUTRY OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY | GENE AUTRY, OK | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARBUCKLE AREA COUNCIL #468 BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA | ARDMORE, OK | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY CHORALE INC | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $4,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BLAZE'S TRIBUTE EQUINE RESCUE INC | HARRAH, OK | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PLAINVIEW PUBLIC SCHOOLS | ARDMORE, OK | $3,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT OF CHILDREN PROGRAMS |
| GIRLS ON THE RUN | ARDMORE, OK | $1,500 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN PROGRAMS |
| OKLAHOMA EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION AUTHORITY | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AMBULANCE SERVICE | ARDMORE, OK | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MURRAY STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | TISHOMINGO, OK | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARDMORE CITY SCHOOLS | ARDMORE, OK | $300,000 | 2025 | GRANT FOR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. |
| ARDMORE LITTLE THEATRE INC | ARDMORE, OK | $230,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OMNIA INC | ARDMORE, OK | $190,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARDY MURPHY COLISEUM AUTHORITY | ARDMORE, OK | $137,800 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TEXOMA AUTISM & BEHAVIORAL SCHOOL | MARIETTA, OK | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD AND RESOURCE CENTER | MOORE, OK | $70,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARDMORE REGIONAL PARK TRUST AUTHORITY | ARDMORE, OK | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCACY | ARDMORE, OK | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NAOMI HOUSE INC | ARDMORE, OK | $37,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| A READING INCORPORATED | ARDMORE, OK | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA COMMUNITY ARTS INC | ARDMORE, OK | $27,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JOYCE HOUSE | ARDMORE, OK | $22,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SARA'S PROJECT | ARDMORE, OK | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARDMORE FAMILY LITERACY INC | ARDMORE, OK | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DEBBIE COLLINS DANCE FUND | ARDMORE, OK | $18,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
MURRAY STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA AMBULANCE SERVICE
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HFV WILSON COMMUNITY CENTER
$405,000GENERAL SUPPORT
YMCA ARDMORE
$340,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARDMORE CITY SCHOOLS
$300,000GRANT FOR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
SOUTHEASTERN FOUNDATION
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOOD AND RESOURCE CENTER
$70,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCACY
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
A READING INCORPORATED
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA COMMUNITY ARTS INC
$27,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SARA'S PROJECT
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SPRINGER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$13,500SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN PROGRAMS
ARDMORE LITTLE THEATRE INC
$12,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARDMORE REGIONAL PARK TRUST AUTHORITY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BROADWAY HOUSE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GODDARD CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARDMORE DAY NURSERY INC
$10,000SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN PROGRAMS
GREATER SOUTHWEST HISTORICAL MUSEUM
$8,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GLORIA S AINSWORTH DAY CARE CENTER INC
$5,000SUPPORT OF CHILDREN PROGRAMS
20TH DISTRICT DRUG COURT INC
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENE AUTRY OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARBUCKLE AREA COUNCIL #468 BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COMMUNITY CHORALE INC
$4,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BLAZE'S TRIBUTE EQUINE RESCUE INC
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PLAINVIEW PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$3,000SUPPORT OF CHILDREN PROGRAMS
GIRLS ON THE RUN
$1,500SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN PROGRAMS
OKLAHOMA EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION AUTHORITY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MURRAY STATE COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARDMORE CITY SCHOOLS
$300,000GRANT FOR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
ARDMORE LITTLE THEATRE INC
$230,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OMNIA INC
$190,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HARDY MURPHY COLISEUM AUTHORITY
$137,800GENERAL SUPPORT
TEXOMA AUTISM & BEHAVIORAL SCHOOL
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOOD AND RESOURCE CENTER
$70,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARDMORE REGIONAL PARK TRUST AUTHORITY
$60,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCACY
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NAOMI HOUSE INC
$37,500GENERAL SUPPORT
A READING INCORPORATED
$35,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA COMMUNITY ARTS INC
$27,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JOYCE HOUSE
$22,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SARA'S PROJECT
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARDMORE FAMILY LITERACY INC
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DEBBIE COLLINS DANCE FUND
$18,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT