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The Helmerich Trust at a glance

· Private foundation

The Helmerich Trust

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$5.1M
Granted FY2020
44
Grants FY2020
6
States reached
$748k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0185% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Arts & Culture$1.6MPhilanthropy$1.0MFood & Nutrition$657kHuman Services$535kEmployment$333kEducation$120kHealth$120kCivil Rights$100kOther$0
02FY2020 · 44 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 44 grants below total $4,615,742, the rows itemized in this filing. The $5,125,860 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $510,118 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2020

  • Under $10k6 grants · $33k
  • $10k–50k22 grants · $455k
  • $50k–250k9 grants · $850k
  • $250k+7 grants · $3.3M
$25,000
Median grant
6
States reached
$95M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Gilcrease Museum Management Trust$747,627
Tulsa Community Foundation$500,603
Tulsa Community Foundation$500,000
Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma$496,678
Family & Children's Services$400,000
A New Leaf$333,334
Key West Literary Seminar$300,000
Athens Area Council for the Arts$200,000
Tulsa Opera$100,000
Tulsa Ballet Theatre, Inc.$100,000
Operation Mobilization$100,000
Tulsa Community College Foundation$100,000
Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa$100,000
Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma$50,000
Retina Research Foundation$50,000
02Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Tulsa Regional Chamber (Fka Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce)

The tulsa regional chamber transforms the tulsa region by attracting and retaining employers, talent and tourism for long-term prosperity.

—
2
Tulsa Children's Museum Inc

To inspire children, connect families, and build community through exploration, exhibits, programming, and play.

Arts & Culture
3
Tulsa Casa Inc

Tulsa casa is organized to speak for the best interests of abused and neglected children in court. we promote and support volunteer representation for the children in an effort to provide each child a safe, permanent, nurturing home.

Civil Rights
4
Theatre Tulsa Inc

Theatre tulsa provided theatre education programming throughout the fiscal year serving 125 students. the education program included 3 staged youth shows.

Arts & Culture
5
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa provides essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare.

—
6
Tulsa Legacy Charter School

To prepare students for college through a rigorous arts infused program.

Education
7
Tulsa Area United Way

The tulsa area united way unites people and resources to improve lives and strengthen our communities.

—
8
Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences

The mission of tsas middle and high school is to provide students a multi-strand liberal arts education in a safe, supportive, individualized and challenging school environment through a college preparatory curriculum.

Education
9
Tulsa Symphony Orchestra Inc

Entertains, educates, heals, and inspires through musical excellence, innovation, and collaboration.

Arts & Culture
10
Tulsa County Medical Society Inc

To be the advocate for both physician and patient, to support quality health care, to be a leader in health care reform, and to sustain a continuing dialogue between the membership and the community in which we live and work.

—
11
Goodwill Industries of Tulsa Inc

Goodwill empowers people to reach their full potential through work opportunities, training, and support services.

Employment
12
Tulsa County Medical Society Foundation

The mission of the foundation is to develop, create, and maintain programs in the tulsa area designed for health promotion, health education, and disease prevention and treatment through the professional expertise and engagement of the…

Philanthropy
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Hospice of Green Country Inc; the most unlike its peers is American Heart Association Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
03the grantee network

33 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 33 of the 38 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
6
Early backer (in before they grew)
33/33
Grantees still filing
20/33
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

THE GILCREASE MUSEUM MANAGEMENT TRUST: $747,627 · Arts & CultureTHE GILCREASE MUSEUM MANAGEMEN…ATHENS AREA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS: $200,000 · Arts & CultureATHENS AREA COUNCIL FOR THE AR…TULSA OPERA INC: $100,000 · Arts & CultureTULSA OPERA INCTULSA BALLET THEATRE INC: $100,000 · Arts & CultureTULSA BALLET THEATRE INC+3 more: $90,000 · Arts & Culture+3 moreTULSA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $1,040,603 · PhilanthropyTULSA COMMUNITY FOUNDATIO…A NEW LEAF INC: $333,334 · OtherA NEW LEAF INCKEY WEST LITERARY SEMINAR INC: $300,000 · OtherKEY WEST LITERARY SEMINAR…OPERATION MOBILIZATION: $100,000 · OtherOPERATION MOBILIZATIONSALVATION ARMY: $70,000 · OtherSALVATION ARMY1st Step Male Diversion: $50,000 · Other+11 more: $172,500 · Other+11 moreCOMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA INC: $546,678 · Food & NutritionCOMMUNITY FOOD B…Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa Inc: $100,000 · Food & NutritionMeals on Wheels …+1 more: $10,000 · Food & NutritionFamily & Childrens Services Inc: $400,000 · Human ServicesFamily & C…CIRCLE OF CARE INC: $25,000 · Human ServicesCIRCLE OF …+2 more: $15,000 · Human ServicesRETINA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $50,000 · HealthSTAR OF THE SEA FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 · HealthAmerican Heart Association Inc: $20,000 · HealthGOOD SAMARITAN HEALTH SERVICES INC: $10,000 · HealthSTONEBROOK PROJECT INC: $5,000 · HealthTulsa Community College Foundation: $100,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 · Education
Arts & Culture$1,237,627Philanthropy$1,040,603Other$1,025,834Food & Nutrition$656,678Human Services$440,000Health$110,000Education$105,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTULSA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $1,040,603 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTHE GILCREASE MUSEUM MANAGEMENT TRUST: $747,627 over 1y, 3.4% of budgetCOMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA INC: $546,678 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetFamily & Childrens Services Inc: $400,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetA NEW LEAF INC: $333,334 over 1y, 3.3% of budgetKEY WEST LITERARY SEMINAR INC: $300,000 over 1y, 21% of budgetATHENS AREA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS: $200,000 over 1y, 46% of budgetTULSA OPERA INC: $100,000 over 1y, 3.4% of budgetTulsa Community College Foundation: $100,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetTULSA BALLET THEATRE INC: $100,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetMeals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa Inc: $100,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetRETINA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $50,000 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetTHE PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART INC: $35,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetKEY WEST FILM SOCIETY INC: $30,000 over 1y, 3.7% of budgetKEY WEST ART AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC: $25,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetHOSPICE OF GREEN COUNTRY INC: $25,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetAdaptive Sports Center of Crested Butte Inc: $25,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetSTAR OF THE SEA FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTHE STUDIOS OF KEY WEST: $25,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetAmerican Heart Association Inc: $20,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetLITTLE LIGHT HOUSE INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTHE SAN MIGUEL SCHOOL OF TULSA: $15,000 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetGOOD SAMARITAN HEALTH SERVICES INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTULSA DAY CENTER INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetHARVEST HOUSE OUTREACH INC: $10,000 over 1y, 3.8% of budgetOLD ISLAND RESTORATION FOUNDATION: $10,000 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetHearts for Hearing Foundation: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSTONEBROOK PROJECT INC: $5,000 over 1y, 5.6% of budgetSTAND IN THE GAP INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTulsa Lawyers for Children Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Anne and Henry Za…The Gelvin FoundationMervin Bovaird Founda…The Sharna and Irvin …The Hardesty Family F…Ralph and Frances McG…Oneok Foundation IncGrace & Franklin Bern…Sarkeys FoundationTulsa Community Found…The Oxley FoundationOne Gas Foundation Inc
The Anne and Henry Zarrow FoundationOK40.3× affinity17 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation · The Gelvin Foundation · Mervin Bovaird Foundation · The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation · The Hardesty Family Foundation Inc · Ralph and Frances McGill Foundation the Trust Company of Oklahoma · Oneok Foundation Inc · Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation · Sarkeys Foundation · Tulsa Community Foundation · The Oxley Foundation · One Gas Foundation Inc

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 38 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2020, released 2020. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Possibly out of date. A more recent filing (FY2024) is on record and reports $8.2M of grant expense with no grantee named in the published copy. A private foundation itemizes every grant it makes, so a return carrying none has filed its list as an attachment that the public copy does not include. The figures above are therefore from FY2020, the most recent year this funder’s grantee list reached the public record.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Helmerich’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home