Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation
The Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation is a private foundation based in Ardmore, Oklahoma. It supports nonprofit organizations in southern Oklahoma, prioritizing health-related services, issues, and education while also considering education, social services, and civic and cultural activities that contribute to quality of life.
Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation at a glance
In short: Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation gave $6.0M across 54 grants in 2025 (avg $111K), mostly in Oklahoma. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,967,620
- -6.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 54
- -12.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $110,511
- +6.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $105,723,600
- +2.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (10 of 49, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Oklahoma (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts requests from eligible organizations through an initial inquiry to its president. The inquiry should include an overview of the organization, an explanation of the project, and the amount requested; following review, the Foundation sends an application by email. The Foundation’s 2024 filing says an application should include a description and amount of the request, financial statements, and the requesting entity’s public charity status. Its website says eligible organizations may seek project or general operating support. Requests from individuals are not eligible.
- Review Cycle
- Completed applications are due March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. These are deadlines for returning the completed application, not for submitting the initial inquiry. The Board of Trustees makes funding decisions approximately eight weeks after each deadline.
- Deadline
- Completed applications are due March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Mary Kate Wilson President
Mailing address: 333 W Main Suite 220, Ardmore, OK 73401
Phone: (580) 226-0700
Website: https://www.somfardmore.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation
Who Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service Inc ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $4.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
285 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 178 grants of 285 (62%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Eligible applicants are Oklahoma nonprofit organizations engaged in charitable activities within a 50-mile radius of Ardmore. The Foundation’s 2024 filing describes awards as generally restricted to that geographic area within Oklahoma. Applicants must be recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization or be a government entity or subdivision.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 49 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $242K; repeat grants $91K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 61% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.7M (2020) to $6.4M (2024). In 2025 it made 54 grants totaling $6.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service Inc Ardmore, OK | New Facility Construction | $2,000,000 |
| Murray State Ccollege Foundation Inc Tishomingo, OK | Southern Oklahoma Nursing Education Center Construction | $1,250,000 |
| Hardy Murphy Coliseum Trust Authority Ardmore, OK | New Roof Coliseum Expo, Admin Area | $500,000 |
| Marshall County Medical CNTR Board of Control Madill, OK | Hospital MRI/CT Suite Construction | $445,260 |
| YMCA of Ardmore Oklahoma Ardmore, OK | Grant - 2025 Operating Support | $225,000 |
| Ardmore School District I-19 Ardmore, OK | FY25 School Nurse Reimbursement | $174,713 |
| More Foundation Ardmore, OK | Scholarships | $84,025 |
| Ardmore Habitat for Humanity Inc Ardmore, OK | Home Construction Hope Addition | $75,000 |
| Criner Hills Volunteer Fire Department Overbrook, OK | Addition to Fire Station #2, Door Openers | $75,000 |
| Marshall County EMS District Madill, OK | Handheld Radions, IV Pumps | $66,054 |
Ready to take the next step with Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The Foundation’s filing type is Form 990-PF. Its EIN is 73-1300662.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $105,723,600 | $9,868,916 | $7,390,283 | $5,967,620 | 54 | $6,285,440 | $8,734,793 | $6,797,685 |
| 2024 | $103,244,967 | $4,458,525 | $8,013,175 | $6,411,524 | 62 | $6,715,709 | $3,615,329 | $6,538,404 |
| 2023 | $106,799,617 | $8,664,144 | $7,971,437 | $6,319,286 | 63 | $6,602,392 | $7,102,269 | $6,444,438 |
| 2022 | $106,106,910 | $11,493,167 | $7,393,841 | $5,652,885 | 60 | $5,919,871 | $10,000,853 | $6,486,386 |
| 2021 | $102,007,584 | $10,492,735 | $6,643,644 | $5,168,749 | 46 | — | $9,240,274 | $6,060,237 |
| 2020 | $98,158,493 | $5,357,476 | $6,315,175 | $4,744,964 | 63 | — | $3,957,480 | $5,238,020 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.8M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation says it honors the intent of its original donors by prioritizing health-related services, issues, and education. Its areas of interest include medical and behavioral healthcare, preventive and rehabilitative programs, health-related capital projects and education; education and scholarships; services for people who are homeless, disadvantaged, disabled, or under-resourced; and charitable work, civic improvements, and cultural activities that improve residents’ quality of life.
Its 2025 grants illustrate support for a range of organizations. Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service describes its mission as providing ambulance and emergency medical services in Carter and eastern Jefferson Counties. Murray State College Foundation says it supports student scholarships, faculty initiatives, and college development. Ardmore Habitat for Humanity says it builds houses for people in need, while Big Five Community Services describes work addressing poverty through services including Head Start, transportation, and housing.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation awarded 54 grants totaling $5,967,620. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $2,000,000, with a median of $30,000. All grant dollars went to Oklahoma recipients.
The largest 2025 awards included $2,000,000 to Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service for new facility construction; $1,250,000 to Murray State College Foundation for Southern Oklahoma Nursing Education Center construction; $500,000 to Hardy Murphy Coliseum Trust Authority for a new roof for the coliseum and expo and administration area; and $445,260 to Marshall County Medical Center Board of Control for hospital MRI/CT suite construction. Other awards included $225,000 to YMCA of Ardmore for operating support, $174,713 to Ardmore School District I-19 for school nurse reimbursement, and $84,025 to More Foundation for scholarships.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary Kate Wilson as president; Curtis Davidson as chairman; Laura Clay as vice chairman; Mark Riesen as secretary; and Jelana Aaron, Ann Crosby, Gene Litteken, Cody Noble, Jeffrey Rother, and Gil Wallace as directors. The Foundation’s website also lists Jean Hattensty as controller and Amanda Jackson-Willy as grants management assistant.
Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation is led by Mary Kate Wilson, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary Kate Wilson
President
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$125K (2020) → $166K (2025)
Curtis Davidson
Chairman
Director → Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ann Crosby
Director
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gil Wallace
Director
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cody Noble
Director
On filings since 2023
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gene Litteken
Director
On filings since 2023
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Rother
Director
On filings since 2023
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jelana Aaron
Director
On filings since 2023
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Clay
Vice Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Riesen
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Debra Fields (2020–2022) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Kevin Reed (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Michael Carnahan (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: T. A. Brandt (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Bill Goddard (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ron Graves (2020–2021) — Chairman
- Former: Sallie Walker (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $166K, to Mary Kate Wilson (President).
Frequently asked questions about Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation
How much does Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation give each year?
Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation gave $6.0M across 54 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $6.4M across 62 grants.
What is Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation's typical grant size?
Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $110,511, across 54 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation that year got $242K on average.
Where does Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation give grants?
Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation gives mostly in Oklahoma: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Ardmore, OK (36 grants), Oklahoma City, OK (5 grants), Durant, OK (3 grants) and Tishomingo, OK (2 grants).
Does Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 35% of Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 54) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation's largest grantees?
Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service Inc ($2,000,000), Murray State Ccollege Foundation Inc ($1,250,000) and Hardy Murphy Coliseum Trust Authority ($500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation?
Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation reported $105.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation fund?
The Foundation says it honors the intent of its original donors by prioritizing health-related services, issues, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation?
The Foundation accepts requests from eligible organizations through an initial inquiry to its president. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation's EIN?
Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 73-1300662. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/southern-oklahoma-memorial-foundation-morg_03a8c9f0606e4a7193923fca006fbd1e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_731300662_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/southern-oklahoma-memorial-foundation-morg_03a8c9f0606e4a7193923fca006fbd1e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Southern Oklahoma Memorial Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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