Opportunity Scholarship Fund
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Opportunity Scholarship Fund (OSF) provides scholarships to low-income families in Oklahoma to attend private schools best suited to the student's social, emotional, physical, and educational needs. The lack of resources can limit a student's ability to move to a different school district or afford a private school. OSF helps families bridge the financial gap between what's best for their student and what they can afford.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Opportunity Scholarship Fund
The Opportunity Scholarship Fund (OSF) is a scholarship granting organization providing life-changing opportunities to low-income students. We bridge the financial gap between what a family can afford and the social, emotional, physical, and educational needs of their student. Our program helps kids of all backgrounds — from those struggling with bullying and behavioral challenges to learning disabilities, substance abuse, and homelessness. OSF offers scholarship help to students in grades K-12, with an emphasis on lower-income Oklahoma families and those with special learning needs.
Where we work
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
% of eligible student or eligible special needs student who qualifies for a free or reduced-price lunch in an amount equal to or greater than the percentage of low-income eligible students in Oklahoma
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Opportunity Scholarship Fund
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Donations to our scholarship fund provide our donors with the best tax benefits available while using these funds to provide better education to low-income children; helping to break the cycle of poverty and lack of opportunity.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We partner with individuals and businesses to help them understand how their donation benefits families who are struggling to find a school that addresses their student's learning challenges, physical disabilities, or social issues (i.e., bullying, lack of teacher instruction, opportunities for engagement in extracurricular activities, etc.). Through the funding of generous donors, lower-income students have access to education that can change the trajectory of their lives.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We provide scholarships to more than 70 member schools, which are all accredited by the State Department of Education or an accrediting body authorized by the Oklahoma Department of Education. These private schools offer more personalized education for lower-income students, while our scholarships provide affordability for the family to pay for their tuition.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
So far we have been able to generate over $21 million in donations, providing $18 million in scholarships since 2014. Over 80% of our scholarships go to families at the 300% of the federal poverty level and below; more than 55% of our scholarships go to families that would qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, or at the 185% of the federal poverty level and below.
In 2021, the Oklahoma Legislature increased the Oklahoma Scholarship Tax Credit cap; allowing us to expand our fundraising and scholarship efforts. We will be able to assist more families in urban and rural areas throughout Oklahoma.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Opportunity Scholarship Fund
Board of directorsas of 10/27/2021
Mr. Hopper Smith
Charles Daniels
Retired
Daniel Newberry
SVP - Tulsa Teachers Credit Union
Brittoni Lantz
Law School Student
Brandon Dutcher
SVP - Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Todd Kolczun
Partner - Logan & Lowry, LLP
Hopper Smith
Exec Dir - Oklahoma Workers Compensation Board
Chris Miller
President - The Advancement Group
Erin Hagan
Program Director - GCEF
James Reed
Shareholder - Moran & Reed PC
Holly Gerard
Cofounder - ASCEND
Mike Lapolla
Consultant
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
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Disability
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