Building Our Future

I have been thinking a lot about the words of American philosopher and theologian, Leonard I. Sweet lately. “The future is not something we enter. The future is something we create,” he said. Where we will be largely depends on what we are doing now. The past few weeks have been marked by a bevy of future-creation events at The Center, with the most notable being the groundbreaking at our soon-to-be new headquarters.

Earlier this week, dozens of Oklahoma City leaders, nonprofit professionals, Center members and friends gathered to officially kick off our renovations of the former American Red Cross headquarters. Nearly 60% of the 31,000 square-foot building will be devoted to and open for nonprofit use. It’s important to have a home, a place to call your own, and that is exactly what this space will be – a home for the entire nonprofit sector. My thanks to all of you who attended the ceremony and to all our speakers – Oklahoma City Mayor, David Holt, Director of the Oklahoma Commerce Department, Brent Kisling, Former Governor Frank Keating and his wife Cathy, Devon Energy co-founder, Larry Nichols and his wife Polly, The Center’s board chair, Brooke Townsend, as well as our capital campaign co-chairs, Sarah Roberts and Kathy L. Williams. Each shared beautiful remarks about the importance and vitality of our state’s nonprofit sector. I cannot wait to have all of you over for a tour when it opens in fall of 2023.

The Center is continuing to strengthen the sector’s voice at The Capitol. This year, we are involved in 5 interim studies. Our nonprofit experts are testifying on volunteerism, donor intent, tax exemptions and Open Meetings Act. It is exciting that state leaders are looking to nonprofits when thinking about and creating their personal legislative agenda for the 2023 session.

As always, our training and consulting teams are busy educating nonprofit professionals across Oklahoma. This year’s Fundraising Curriculum cohort is as diverse as our state’s landscape and embodies the spirit of The Center’s work – bringing nonprofits together to learn, collaborate and solve problems. The team is also planning our Law & Finance Conference, which is scheduled for May of 2023. Not a day goes by that they are not thinking of new ways to serve and uplift our sector. 
The Center’s future is bright because of you. We could not do our work without our members and donors. Each decision we make has you at the heart of it. Thank you for the work you do for Oklahoma. Thank you for supporting our work. We applaud you and stand ready to serve you.

With Gratitude, 

Marnie Taylor

President & CEO, Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits