Ruth Kaiser Nelson Family Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $3,643,350 (2023)
Success Rate: Not publicly available
Decision Time: Not publicly available
Grant Range: Not publicly available
Geographic Focus: Tulsa County, Oklahoma
Assets: $50+ million

Contact Details

Address: 1350 S Boulder Ave Suite 400, Tulsa, OK 74119

Phone: (918) 582-8083

Website: https://www.ruthnelsonfamilyfoundation.org/

Email: Not publicly listed

Overview

The Ruth Kaiser Nelson Family Foundation (also known as Ruth Nelson Family Foundation) is a private, independent grantmaking organization established in 1984 and dedicated to advancing transformative philanthropy in Oklahoma, with a focus on Tulsa County. The Foundation is guided by the legacy of Ruth Kaiser Nelson (1935-2023), a devoted social activist and philanthropist who served as Chairwoman of the Tulsa Housing Authority for over 25 years and Board Chair of Planned Parenthood for Eastern Oklahoma and Northwestern Arkansas. Under her leadership, the Tulsa Housing Authority was nationally recognized for creating literacy programs and building resource centers aimed at pulling people out of generational poverty. Ruth Nelson was born Ruth Kaiser in London, England in 1935, immigrating to Tulsa in 1940 to escape Nazi persecution. She passed away on January 25, 2023, at the age of 87. The foundation distributed $3,643,350 in grants in 2023 and holds assets exceeding $50 million.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports critical areas of need, including:

Healthcare for Underserved Populations: Supporting access to medical services for vulnerable communities
Women's Health: Advancing healthcare services and reproductive health access for women
Education: Promoting access to quality education and educational resources
The Arts: Supporting cultural institutions and arts programming
End-of-Life Care: Advancing compassionate care for individuals facing terminal illness

Mission and Values

The Foundation seeks a society in which no person is denied shelter, food, physical well-being or access to education and culture by gender, race, disability, or economic constraint. With a commitment to equity, dignity and integrity, the Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations to address gaps in services and make a lasting impact.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. Contact the foundation for detailed eligibility criteria.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The Foundation's board consists of Ruth Nelson's family members:

Tom Murphy (Ruth Nelson's widower)
Pam Nelson (daughter of Ruth Nelson)
Ruth Nelson's three other children (names not publicly specified)

The board carries on Ruth Nelson's legacy and commitment to the community. Ruth Nelson was the sister of George Kaiser, founder of the George Kaiser Family Foundation and creator (with their father Herman Kaiser) of Kaiser-Francis Oil Company.

Staff Leadership

Gina Stilp, Executive Director
Gina Stilp was named the Foundation's first executive director in its 40-year history, assuming the role in April 2025. As executive director, Stilp collaborates with the board of directors to guide the Foundation's strategic planning and grantmaking, and she oversees its programs, community affairs, and operations. Prior to joining the Ruth Nelson Family Foundation, Stilp served as executive director of the Zilber Family Foundation in Milwaukee, WI, where she increased the Foundation's focus on affordable housing and economic development. Gina began her career at New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, helping facilitate construction of hundreds of affordable housing units after Hurricane Katrina. She holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA from Marquette University.

Alex Paschal, Program Director
Develops and implements the Foundation's program strategy, manages their grant portfolio and helps guide the team toward operational and programmatic excellence.

Nikki Sharp, Grant Manager
Serves as Grant Manager and is responsible for designing and managing the Foundation's grantmaking processes, systems and compliance protocols.

Recent Initiatives

The Ruth Nelson Family Foundation is one of the generous inaugural partners of the Tulsa Housing Impact Fund, alongside The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation, George Kaiser Family Foundation, Sanford & Irene Burnstein Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and Coretz Family Foundation. Gina Stilp serves as a board member of the Tulsa Housing Impact Fund, which is raising $80 million in mission-aligned capital to support an equitable housing future for Tulsa, with a focus on single-family homeownership and historically underinvested neighborhoods. As of November 2025, the fund had raised $27 million.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Application information is not publicly detailed on the foundation's website. According to IRS filings, there is no standard application form, and deadlines and restrictions are available upon request. Organizations interested in applying should contact the foundation directly at (918) 582-8083 or through their website at ruthnelsonfamilyfoundation.org to inquire about current application procedures, eligibility requirements, and deadlines.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. Interested organizations should inquire when contacting the foundation.

Success Rates

Not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly available. Contact the foundation for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's mission and Ruth Nelson's legacy, organizations should consider the following when seeking funding:

Alignment with Core Values: Demonstrate how your work advances equity, dignity, and integrity, particularly for populations facing barriers based on gender, race, disability, or economic constraint
Focus on Tulsa County: Priority is given to organizations serving Tulsa County and Oklahoma communities
Addressing Service Gaps: Show how your organization fills critical gaps in services for underserved populations
Measurable Impact: Demonstrate capacity to create lasting, transformative change rather than temporary relief
Connection to Priority Areas: Strongest alignment with healthcare access, women's health, education, arts, or end-of-life care
Systems-Level Thinking: Ruth Nelson's work focused on systemic solutions (such as literacy programs and resource centers to address generational poverty), suggesting the foundation may value approaches that address root causes

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

The foundation focuses on Tulsa County with a commitment to equity and addressing systemic barriers to shelter, food, physical well-being, education, and culture
With the recent appointment of their first executive director in 2025, the foundation may be entering a new phase of strategic grantmaking with more formalized processes
Ruth Nelson's legacy emphasizes work with underserved populations, particularly in housing, women's health, and lifting families out of poverty
The foundation has demonstrated commitment to collaborative funding, partnering with other major Tulsa foundations on initiatives like the Tulsa Housing Impact Fund
Contact the foundation directly to learn about application procedures, as detailed guidelines are not publicly posted
The foundation's staff includes dedicated roles for program strategy and grant management, suggesting increasingly sophisticated grantmaking infrastructure
Organizational values emphasize partnerships that create lasting impact and address service gaps

References

Information accessed December 2025