The Zink Family Foundation concentrates philanthropic dollars in the Tulsa/Oklahoma region, prioritizing youth development, experiential STEM/engineering education, and major community amenities. Their largest gifts are to higher-education engineering and leadership programs (notably Oklahoma State University) and to youth-serving organizations (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts), while also funding public attractions and capital projects such as the Tulsa Zoo and Gathering Place. Grants are often restricted to capital campaigns or named program initiatives but include some general operating support.
A defining feature of the Zink Family Foundation is its sustained support for Oklahoma State University’s engineering and leadership ecosystem, including the Zink Center for Competitive Innovation & Leadership and the university’s SAE Baja and SAE Formula Racing teams. Across recent years, that university focus sits alongside major commitments to youth-serving organizations in Tulsa and to civic amenities that shape public life in the region. The foundation’s recent grants show a pattern of sizable, program-specific awards mixed with operating support. Oklahoma State University Foundation received $1.21 million in 2024 and $895,000 in 2023 for a cluster of restricted purposes tied to the College of Engineering, OSU Posse, the Zink Center, and student leadership support. In 2025, Oklahoma State University also received $500,000 for the Zink Center and $200,000 for the Zink Fund. Outside higher education, the foundation has backed Indian Nations Council Inc BSA, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, Tulsa Zoo Management Inc, and Tulsa Gathering Place, reflecting an interest in youth development, capital projects, and public-facing community institutions.
Engineering education is a central thread. The foundation gave $500,000 in 2025 to Oklahoma State University for the Zink Center for Competitive Innovation & Leadership, after earlier support through Oklahoma State University Foundation for the College of Engineering, SAE Baja Team, SAE Formula Racing Team, and OSU Posse. Youth leadership programs are another recurring area. In 2024, Indian Nations Council Inc BSA received $340,000 for the National BSA Pillars of Scouting, and Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma received $290,000 for the Juliette Low Leadership Society and Camp Tallchief. The foundation also funds public attractions and cultural programming. Tulsa Zoo Management Inc received $315,000 in 2023 for the elephant exhibit and general operations, while Philbrook Museum of Art received $95,000 in 2025 for general operations.
Typical grants cluster around $7,500 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $41,750 at the 75th percentile, but the recent record also includes several much larger awards tied to named programs and capital or operating support. The pattern is local and concentrated: 91% of grants go to recipients in Oklahoma. The foundation appears to combine restricted, project-based funding with unrestricted support, as shown in the same grantee relationships across multiple years. Recent records also show repeated awards to the same organizations over 2023–2025, including Oklahoma State University Foundation, Indian Nations Council Inc BSA, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, Tulsa Zoo Management Inc, and River Parks Foundation.
$2.3M
$49.8M
$5.3M
$3M
Most grants fall between $8K and $42K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$42K
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving to a small set of regional institutions with repeated multi-year and multi-grant commitments; a mix of restricted capital/campaign gifts and occasional unrestricted operating support.
Notable grantees: Oklahoma State University Foundation / Oklahoma State University, Indian Nations Council, Boy Scouts of America, Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc., Tulsa Gathering Place, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma
Giving is overwhelmingly centered in Oklahoma, which accounts for 91% of grants by recipient location. Tulsa and Stillwater are the main recipient cities in the recent grant list, with multiple awards to Tulsa-based organizations such as Indian Nations Council Inc BSA, Tulsa Zoo Management Inc, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, and Philbrook Museum of Art, plus Stillwater-based Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma State University Foundation. Outside Oklahoma, the only listed recipient state is Kansas, through a grant to Planned Parenthood in Overland Park.
Recent grants show repeated support for Oklahoma State University and its foundation, Indian Nations Council Inc BSA, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, Tulsa Zoo Management Inc, Tulsa Gathering Place, Philbrook Museum of Art, River Parks Foundation, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, and Tulsa Ballet. The pattern points to higher education, youth development, and public cultural or civic institutions.
The grant-size distribution is $7,500 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $41,750 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger awards, including $1.21 million, $895,000, and $500,000 to education-related initiatives.
Yes. Oklahoma State University Foundation appears in 2023 and 2024; Indian Nations Council Inc BSA appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Tulsa Zoo Management Inc appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and River Parks Foundation appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The foundation gives locally, with 91% of grants going to recipients in Oklahoma. Recent recipient cities include Tulsa and Stillwater, and the only non-Oklahoma recipient in the recent list is Planned Parenthood in Overland Park, Kansas.
Yes. Recent grants include unrestricted general operations support to organizations such as Tulsa Zoo Management Inc, Indian Nations Council Inc BSA, Philbrook Museum of Art, River Parks Foundation, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Mental Health Association of Oklahoma, and Tulsa Ballet, alongside restricted awards for specific programs and capital projects.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK | $500,000 | 2025 | Zink Center for Competitive Innovation & Leadership |
| Indian Nations Council Inc BSA | Tulsa, OK | $340,000 | 2025 | Restricted National BSA Pillars of Scouting |
| Tulsa Zoo Management Inc | Tulsa, OK | $300,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK | $200,000 | 2025 | Zink Fund |
| Indian Nations Council Inc BSA | Tulsa, OK | $150,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Philbrook Museum of Art | Tulsa, OK | $95,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma | Tulsa, OK | $75,000 | 2025 | Restricted Camp Tallchief |
| Alzheimers Association of Oklahoma | Tulsa, OK | $75,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Mental Health Association of Oklahoma | Tulsa, OK | $60,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| River Parks Foundation | Tulsa, OK | $57,482 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Indian Nations Council Inc BSA | Tulsa, OK | $45,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Tulsa Ballet | Tulsa, OK | $40,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Tulsa Symphony Orchestra Inc | Tulsa, OK | $30,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Tulsa Area United Way | Tulsa, OK | $30,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Tulsa Opera | Tulsa, OK | $30,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Tulsa Police Foundation | Tulsa, OK | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK | $25,000 | 2025 | College of Business |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK | $20,000 | 2025 | OSU Posse |
| Gaining Ground | Jenks, OK | $20,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Tulsa Zoo Management Inc | Tulsa, OK | $16,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Junior Achievement of Oklahoma Inc | Tulsa, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | SAE Baja Team |
| Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma | Tulsa, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK | $15,000 | 2025 | SAE Formula Racing Team |
| Youth Services of Tulsa Inc | Tulsa, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic | Tulsa, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | Presidents Fellow Priorities Fund |
| Salvation Army | Tulsa, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Saint Francis Tulsa Tough | Tulsa, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Oklahoma First Robotics | Stillwater, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Gatesway | Tulsa, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Sutton Avian Research Center | Bartlesville, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance | Tulsa, OK | $7,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| LiteSpeed Flight Demonstration Team | Tulsa, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| HBA Charitable Foundation | Tulsa, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum | Indianapolis, IN | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Camp Sea Gull | Raleigh, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Rock Fire Department | Sand Springs, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Tulsa Chamber | Tulsa, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| The Nature Conservancy | Tulsa, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| Wagoner County Sheriffs Office | Wagoner, OK | $2,700 | 2025 | Unrestricted General Operations |
| OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIO | STILLWATER, OK | $1,210,000 | 2024 | RESTRICTED: ZINK FUND,OSU POSSE, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, SAE BAJA TEAM, SAE FORMULA RACING TEAM, ZINK CENTER FOR COMPETITIVE INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP $550,000UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS $10,000 |
| INDIAN NATIONS COUNCIL INC BSA | TULSA, OK | $336,000 | 2024 | RESTRICTED: Z-BASE CAMPAIGN, TROOP 153, GRAVES ENDOWMENT: $321,000UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATING $ 110,000 |
| TULSA ZOO MANAGEMENT INC | TULSA, OK | $331,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| GIRL SCOUTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA | TULSA, OK | $290,000 | 2024 | RESTRICTED:JULIETTE LOW LEADERSHIP SOCIETY AND CAMP TALLCHIEF $110,000 UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS $60,000 |
| THE PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART INC | TULSA, OK | $77,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| RIVER PARKS FOUNDATION | TULSA, OK | $60,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| MENTAL HEALTH ASSOC OF OKLAHOMA | TULSA, OK | $60,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| TULSA BALLET | TULSA, OK | $40,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| TULSA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC | TULSA, OK | $40,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS |
Oklahoma State University
$500,000Zink Center for Competitive Innovation & Leadership
Indian Nations Council Inc BSA
$340,000Restricted National BSA Pillars of Scouting
Oklahoma State University
$200,000Zink Fund
Indian Nations Council Inc BSA
$150,000Unrestricted General Operations
Philbrook Museum of Art
$95,000Unrestricted General Operations
Alzheimers Association of Oklahoma
$75,000Unrestricted General Operations
Indian Nations Council Inc BSA
$45,000Unrestricted General Operations
Tulsa Ballet
$40,000Unrestricted General Operations
Oklahoma State University
$25,000College of Business
Oklahoma State University
$20,000OSU Posse
Gaining Ground
$20,000Unrestricted General Operations
Oklahoma State University
$15,000SAE Baja Team
Oklahoma State University
$15,000SAE Formula Racing Team
Youth Services of Tulsa Inc
$10,000Unrestricted General Operations
Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic
$10,000Unrestricted General Operations
Oklahoma State University
$10,000Presidents Fellow Priorities Fund
Salvation Army
$10,000Unrestricted General Operations
Saint Francis Tulsa Tough
$10,000Unrestricted General Operations
Oklahoma First Robotics
$10,000Unrestricted General Operations
Gatesway
$10,000Unrestricted General Operations
Sutton Avian Research Center
$10,000Unrestricted General Operations
LiteSpeed Flight Demonstration Team
$5,000Unrestricted General Operations
HBA Charitable Foundation
$5,000Unrestricted General Operations
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
$5,000Unrestricted General Operations
Camp Sea Gull
$5,000Unrestricted General Operations
Rock Fire Department
$5,000Unrestricted General Operations
Tulsa Chamber
$5,000Unrestricted General Operations
The Nature Conservancy
$5,000Unrestricted General Operations
Wagoner County Sheriffs Office
$2,700Unrestricted General Operations
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIO
$1,210,000RESTRICTED: ZINK FUND,OSU POSSE, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, SAE BAJA TEAM, SAE FORMULA RACING TEAM, ZINK CENTER FOR COMPETITIVE INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP $550,000UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS $10,000
INDIAN NATIONS COUNCIL INC BSA
$336,000RESTRICTED: Z-BASE CAMPAIGN, TROOP 153, GRAVES ENDOWMENT: $321,000UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATING $ 110,000
GIRL SCOUTS OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA
$290,000RESTRICTED:JULIETTE LOW LEADERSHIP SOCIETY AND CAMP TALLCHIEF $110,000 UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS $60,000
MENTAL HEALTH ASSOC OF OKLAHOMA
$60,000UNRESTRICTED: GENERAL OPERATIONS