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William K. Warren Foundation

Annual Giving
$21.3M
Decision Time
3mo

William K. Warren Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $21,283,613 (2023)
  • Assets: $324.9 million
  • Decision Time: 12 weeks
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly; foundation prefers fewer, larger grants
  • Geographic Focus: Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma
  • Application Method: Rolling basis, hard copy required

Contact Details

Address: Chairman, Grants Committee, The William K. Warren Foundation, Post Office Box 470372, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74147-0372

Phone: (918) 492-8100

Website: https://www.williamkwarrenfoundation.org/

Email: Not publicly listed

Overview

Established in 1945 by Mr. and Mrs. William Kelly Warren, the William K. Warren Foundation is one of Oklahoma's most significant philanthropic institutions with assets of approximately $324.9 million. Since inception, the foundation has distributed over $736 million in grants while growing its endowment for future generations. The foundation's mission centers on "improving the human condition on earth as a response and thanksgiving to God" in the Catholic service tradition, with particular emphasis on healthcare, medical research, Catholic initiatives, education, and community services in the Tulsa area.

The foundation has a unique history of establishing major institutions rather than simply funding existing ones—it founded Saint Francis Hospital in 1959 and Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital in 1989, both of which remain primary grant recipients today. In 2007, the foundation created the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR), a cutting-edge research facility focused on mental illness that has secured 31 federal and state grants and numerous pharmaceutical contracts. The foundation's strategic approach prioritizes "proportionately significant financial assistance in relatively few areas of need" rather than making many small grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Medical Research: The foundation's flagship funding area focuses on advancing science toward better diagnoses, treatments, and cures, particularly for mental illness and brain-related diseases. The foundation strategically funds research that is "too novel for other funding sources," enabling investigators to pursue scientific hypotheses that might otherwise lack support.

Health Care Services: Annual support for various medical programs at Saint Francis Health System, which remains the primary recipient of foundation grants. The foundation's goal is to provide the finest possible medical care available to all patients utilizing Saint Francis Health System.

Health Education: Support for programs that promote wellness and empower individuals through education about health and well-being.

Catholic Initiatives: Funding for Catholic education and ministries, including support for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Tulsa and related educational programs.

Community: Support for other northeast Oklahoma organizations that directly improve wellness and provide care, with particular interest in programs that empower beneficiaries rather than simply serve them.

Priority Areas

  • Mental health and psychiatric care (particularly organizations with proven strategies to prevent, diagnose, and treat mental illness)
  • Medical research in neuroscience and drug discovery
  • Catholic healthcare facilities in the Tulsa area
  • Catholic education initiatives
  • Programs that empower beneficiaries toward self-sufficiency
  • Community-identified needs requiring broad-based solutions
  • Organizations serving the public without discrimination

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals (no grants made directly to individuals for any purpose)
  • Organizations without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
  • Political organizations or candidates
  • Labor unions or fraternal orders
  • Film, video, or publishing projects
  • Business investments or loans
  • Athletic or sports programs
  • Individual medical care or education expenses
  • Discriminatory organizations
  • Foreign-based programs or organizations

Governance and Leadership

John-Kelly C. Warren, Chairman/CEO: Grandson of the founders and son of William K. Warren Jr., John-Kelly C. Warren serves as both CEO of the William K. Warren Foundation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saint Francis Health System. In his CEO message, Warren emphasizes the foundation's commitment to balancing immediate community needs with long-term societal benefit: "The challenge of helping people today and well into the future is one The William K. Warren Foundation enthusiastically accepts."

Regarding the foundation's research priorities, Warren has stated that "the bold vision that Notre Dame has for the [Warren Family Research] center is reminiscent of the vision of my grandfather, William Kelly Warren Sr., who focused his extensive charitable efforts on health care and medical research with the express goal of curing illness affecting mankind." This reflects the foundation's continued commitment to transformative medical research despite lengthy timelines, believing meaningful scientific progress requires patience and collaboration with dedicated researchers.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Submission Method: The foundation does not accept applications via email or the Internet. All applications must be submitted as hard copies on official letterhead, mailed to the Chairman, Grants Committee at the address above.

Required Components:

  1. Cover Letter (1-2 pages): Include organization description, specific funding amount requested, legal name, contact details, and project deadline
  2. Narrative (maximum 3 pages): Address your organization's mission, collaborative efforts with other organizations, past achievements, evaluation plan for measuring success, how the program will benefit the community, and case studies or testimonials demonstrating impact
  3. Attachments: Detailed budget for the project, most recent financial statements, list of board members, IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, and any supporting materials that strengthen the application

Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be non-profit organizations with appropriate IRS determination letters. Organizations must serve the public without discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, or national origin.

Decision Timeline

Processing Time: Allow 12 weeks for a funding decision from the date of submission.

Application Timing: Applications may be submitted at any time throughout the year (rolling basis). There are no specific deadlines.

Grant Terms: Grants are awarded for a one-year period only. The foundation typically will not consider multi-year funding requests. A contribution in any one year does not establish a precedent for future giving.

Success Rates

The foundation receives approximately 300 grant requests each year but has the capacity to fund only a small number of these proposals. As stated in their guidelines, "The Foundation can act favorably on relatively few of the numerous requests received each year, and many proposals must be declined even though they are appropriate to the Foundation's areas of interest and appear to be of merit." This indicates a highly competitive process with a low acceptance rate, though specific percentages are not published.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation does not explicitly state restrictions on reapplication. However, given the one-year grant cycle and the foundation's statement that past contributions do not establish precedent for future giving, organizations may reapply in subsequent years if their programs align with foundation priorities.

Application Success Factors

Alignment with Core Mission: The foundation evaluates proposals based on "importance of the project," "relevance to the Foundation's areas of interest," and "significance of the project's expected results." Given that Saint Francis Health System and medical research remain the primary recipients, proposals closely aligned with healthcare, mental health, Catholic initiatives, or medical research in the Tulsa area have the strongest positioning.

Emphasis on Empowerment: The foundation explicitly states it is "interested in its resources being used for programs that work to empower beneficiaries, not just serve them." Applications should clearly articulate how programs move beyond simple service delivery to create lasting change and self-sufficiency.

Sustainability Planning: One of the foundation's key evaluation criteria is the "sponsor's commitment to the sustainability of successful programs." Proposals should demonstrate how programs will continue beyond the one-year grant period and show organizational commitment to long-term impact.

Significant Impact Over Broad Distribution: The foundation's stated philosophy is to provide "proportionately significant financial assistance in relatively few areas of need as opposed to relatively minor assistance in a great many areas." This suggests larger, transformative project requests may be favored over smaller operational support requests.

Community-Identified Needs: The foundation "funds a variety of programs and services whose relevancy and value have been identified by the community and works with other community members to create broad-based solutions to common issues." Demonstrate community involvement in identifying the need and developing the solution.

Catholic Connection: While not exclusively Catholic, the foundation has strong roots in the Catholic service tradition and explicitly lists Catholic initiatives as a priority area. Catholic organizations or programs serving Catholic communities in Tulsa may have an advantage, though the foundation supports non-Catholic organizations as well.

Innovation in Mental Health: Given the foundation's substantial investment in the Laureate Institute for Brain Research and its stated interest in "organizations with proven strategies to better prevent, diagnose, and treat mental illness," innovative mental health programs with evidence-based approaches are particularly well-positioned.

Research That's "Too Novel": For research proposals, the foundation explicitly seeks to fund work that is "too novel for other funding sources," filling gaps that traditional funding mechanisms may not support. If your research is groundbreaking but struggling to find backing from federal agencies or other funders, this foundation may be an ideal fit.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Think big, not broad: The foundation prefers making fewer, larger grants with significant impact rather than spreading resources across many small projects. Request meaningful funding for transformative work.

  • Demonstrate empowerment: Show how your program moves beyond service delivery to empower beneficiaries toward self-sufficiency and lasting change—this is explicitly stated as a foundation priority.

  • Plan for 12 weeks: Build the foundation's three-month decision timeline into your organizational planning and cash flow projections.

  • Mental health gets special attention: If your work addresses prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of mental illness with proven strategies, emphasize this connection—it's a documented priority area.

  • Hard copy only: Don't attempt to submit electronically. Prepare a professional, well-organized hard copy application on letterhead with all required components.

  • Sustainability is essential: One of four evaluation criteria focuses on sustainability planning. Clearly articulate how the program will continue and your organization's commitment beyond the grant period.

  • Local focus matters: The foundation prioritizes Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma. If you serve this region, emphasize local impact and community support.

  • Catholic connection helps but isn't required: While Catholic organizations and initiatives are explicitly prioritized, the foundation funds worthy non-Catholic programs that align with its mission and serve the community without discrimination.

References

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