Cherokee Strip Community Foundation
The Cherokee Strip Community Foundation is a public charity and community foundation based in Enid, Oklahoma. Established in 2000 (originally as the Enid Community Foundation for Excellence), the organization empowers generosity to create lasting impact across Northwest Oklahoma by partnering with families, businesses, and nonprofits to manage charitable funds and connect donors with meaningful opportunities to invest in their communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$29.5M
+1.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$920K
+5.1% YoY
Grant Count
44
+4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
+0.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to serve the charitable needs of the Northwest Oklahoma region through the development and administration of endowment and other funds with the goal of preserving capital and enhancing its value to benefit the communities served.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
- Human services
- Nonprofit capacity building and strengthening
- Community well-being
Grantmaking
The foundation administers multiple types of funds and grant programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation serves Northwest Oklahoma and adjacent areas, including the following counties: Cimarron (Texas), Beaver, Harper, Ellis, Woodward, Woods, Alfalfa, Major, Grant, Kay, Noble, and Garfield Counties. The foundation also funds in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $29.1–$29.5 million
- Total revenues: $1.21 million
- Total expenses: $1.54 million
- Total liabilities: $5.63 million
- Total giving: $1.49 million
Staffing:
- 2–3 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $29,482,562 | $29,140,229 | $26,497,901 |
| Revenue | $2,498,667 | $1,211,673 | $3,966,515 |
| Expenses | $1,795,443 | $1,544,650 | $1,774,121 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,459,374 | $-1,038,011 | $2,731,670 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
207 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
16 open opportunities from Cherokee Strip Community Foundation
Allen Family Opportunity Scholarship
Cherokee Strip Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Annual Competitive Grants
Cherokee Strip Community Foundation
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Bernard Mayer Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Cherokee Strip Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center ($98,301), Curator of Collections at CSRHC ($58,478), Enid Arts & Sciences Foundation DBA Leonardo's Children's Museum ($55,532).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 4RKids Foundation Enid, OK | — | $5,785 |
| Autry Educational Foundation Enid, OK | — | $9,507 |
| Boise City Fire Dept Boise City, OK | — | $20,000 |
| Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center Enid, OK | — | $98,301 |
| Cimarron Council Boy Scouts Enid, OK | — | $26,368 |
| Cimarron County Sheriff's Office Boise City, OK | — | $34,000 |
| City of Enid Enid, OK | — | $14,033 |
| CSRHC - Humphrey Heritage Village Enid, OK | — | $6,916 |
| Curator of Collections at CSRHC Enid, OK | — | $58,478 |
| David Allen Memorial Ballpark Inc Enid, OK | — | $5,429 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Tim Traynor served as a founding board member in 2000 and was instrumental in the launch and long-term success of CSCF. He served multiple terms as a board member and as Board President in 2007 and 2016, and was appointed as an Emeritus Member in 2019.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrie Sanders | Executive Director | 40 | $95,721 |
| Jeff Funk | President, Board Chair | 2 | — |
| Michael Rickman | Past-President | 2 | — |
| Jessica Caruthers | Vice President | 2 | — |
| Maria Palma | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Sam Robinson | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Cheryl Bryan | Director | 1 | — |
| Hallie Caldwell | Director | 1 | — |
| Norma Cossio | Director | 1 | — |
| Lucas Dillingham | Director | 1 | — |
| Todd Hamilton | Director | 1 | — |
| Dan Randall | Director | 1 | — |
| John Toles | Director | 1 | — |
| Jonathan Waddell | Director | 1 | — |
| Dustina Chapman | Ex-Officio | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, CSCF distributed $2.1 million to charitable causes
The foundation continues to expand its impact through competitive grant cycles and scholarship programs
Community Partners Grants drive $7M impact in Cherokee NationCSCF maintains 315 funds and stewards over $30 million in assets
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cherokee Strip Community Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to serve the charitable needs of the Northwest Oklahoma region through the development and administration of endowment and other funds with the goal of preserving capital and enhancing its value to benefit the communities served. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Human services • Nonprofit capacity building and strengthening • Community well-being
How do I apply for a grant from Cherokee Strip Community Foundation?
The foundation administers multiple types of funds and grant programs: **Fund Types:** • Unrestricted funds • Field of Interest funds • Donor Advised funds • Designated funds (supporting specific nonprofits) • Agency funds (organizational endowment funds) **Grant Activity:** • In 2023, the foundation awarded $820,000 in competitive grants supporting 114 local nonprofits, reaching over 196,284 residents in Northwest Oklahoma • In 2024, CSCF distributed $2.1 million to charitable causes • Typical…
Where does Cherokee Strip Community Foundation make grants?
The foundation serves Northwest Oklahoma and adjacent areas, including the following counties: Cimarron (Texas), Beaver, Harper, Ellis, Woodward, Woods, Alfalfa, Major, Grant, Kay, Noble, and Garfield Counties. The foundation also funds in Texas.
What size grants does Cherokee Strip Community Foundation award?
In 2024, Cherokee Strip Community Foundation awarded 44 grants totaling $920K — an average of about $21K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Cherokee Strip Community Foundation's EIN?
Cherokee Strip Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 73-1547637. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cherokee Strip Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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