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Love Meyer Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.1M
Decision Time
1mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,066,000 (2024 fiscal year charitable disbursements)
  • Total Assets: $24,518,036 (2024)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 1 month
  • Grant Focus Areas: Education, Health, and Human Services
  • Geographic Focus: Central Oklahoma
  • Application Cycles: Two per year (Winter and Summer)

Contact Details

Website: https://lovemeyerfoundation.org

Contact Method: Online contact form only (no public phone or email provided)

Mailing Address: Oklahoma City, OK

Overview

The Love Meyer Family Foundation was established in 2015 by Jenny Love Meyer and John Meyer. Jenny is the daughter of Tom and Judy Love, founders of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, and serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Culture Officer of the family business. The foundation has grown significantly since its inception, with total assets increasing from $7.2 million in 2015 to $24.5 million in 2024. The foundation's mission focuses on supporting Central Oklahoma nonprofits that create measurable changes in the lives of children and people living in poverty. With annual charitable disbursements of approximately $4 million, the foundation represents 93.8% of its expenses in direct grantmaking, demonstrating a strong commitment to maximizing charitable impact. The foundation operates with a closed application process, only accepting proposals from organizations that have previously received grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes grants through a biannual application cycle to previously approved organizations. Specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed, though the foundation distributed approximately $4 million in charitable disbursements in fiscal year 2024.

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on three primary areas:

  • Education: Supporting educational programs and institutions serving Central Oklahoma children
  • Health: Funding health-related services and organizations
  • Human Services: Supporting organizations addressing poverty and basic needs

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside Central Oklahoma
  • Organizations that have not previously been approved for a grant
  • For-profit entities
  • Non-501(c)(3) organizations

Past Grantees

Confirmed past grantees include:

  • Infant Crisis Services
  • Catholic Charities Oklahoma
  • Water4
  • Jesus House
  • Care Center
  • City Rescue Mission

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team:

  • John M. Meyer - President/Director
  • Jennifer Love Meyer - Vice President/Director (Executive Vice President and Chief Culture Officer at Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores)
  • Spencer W. Haines - Treasurer
  • Emily Bunting - Secretary

The foundation operates as a private family foundation with no compensation paid to officers. Jenny Love Meyer brings extensive nonprofit board experience, having served on multiple boards including the Oklahoma City Community Foundation (2012-2021), Oklahoma Children's Hospital Foundation, Teach for America Regional Advisory Board, and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals board of governors.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: This foundation does not have an open application process. According to their website: "We are only accepting grant requests from non-profits who have previously been approved for a grant."

For organizations that have previously received grants, applications must be submitted online through the foundation's website.

Grant Cycles

For previously approved grantees, the foundation operates two grant cycles per year:

Winter Cycle:

  • Applications due: February 1st
  • Notifications sent: By March 1st

Summer Cycle:

  • Applications due: August 1st
  • Notifications sent: By September 1st

Decision Timeline

Approximately 1 month from application deadline to notification.

Success Rates

Success rate information is not publicly available. The foundation appears to work with a select group of Central Oklahoma nonprofits on an ongoing basis.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations that have been approved previously can apply during either grant cycle each year.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation only accepts applications from previously approved grantees, the following insights are relevant for organizations already in their portfolio:

Foundation's Stated Priorities:

  • The foundation explicitly seeks organizations "making measurable changes" - this suggests they value data-driven results and clear impact metrics
  • Focus on children and people experiencing poverty in Central Oklahoma is central to their mission
  • Given Jenny Love Meyer's role in family business culture and her mother Judy Love's history of deep board engagement, relationship-building and sustained partnership appear important

Alignment with Past Grantees: Looking at confirmed grantees (Infant Crisis Services, Catholic Charities Oklahoma, Water4, Jesus House, Care Center, City Rescue Mission), successful organizations tend to:

  • Provide direct services to vulnerable populations
  • Focus on basic needs (shelter, food, crisis intervention)
  • Serve children and families in poverty
  • Operate primarily in Central Oklahoma

Financial Stability: With assets over $24 million and consistent growth since 2015, the foundation appears positioned for long-term grantmaking relationships rather than one-time funding.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only grantmaking: Organizations cannot apply unless they have previously received a grant. This is a relationship-based foundation focused on deepening partnerships with proven organizations.
  • Measurable impact is key: The foundation's mission explicitly references "measurable changes," so quantifiable outcomes and data will likely be critical in applications.
  • Geographic focus is strict: Only Central Oklahoma nonprofits are eligible - this is non-negotiable.
  • Target populations matter: Programs must directly benefit children and/or people living in poverty to align with the foundation's mission.
  • Family values drive decisions: As a family foundation connected to Love's Travel Stops, the foundation likely values long-term partnerships, community impact, and organizations that reflect the Love family's documented interests in education, healthcare, and human services.
  • Predictable timeline: The biannual grant cycle with one-month turnaround provides clarity for planning purposes for approved grantees.
  • Efficient operations: With 93.8% of expenses going to charitable disbursements, this foundation prioritizes grantmaking over administrative overhead.

References

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