This week Oklahoma lost a leader of law, energy, philanthropy, and service. Ray Potts, the patriarch of the Potts family, passed surrounded by his adoring family. I know I join a chorus of others when I say that he and his immense heart will be missed. Words cannot adequately describe a life as full and vibrant as Ray’s, as language would only constrain the limitless joy and love he brought into this world. He embodied servant leadership and never wavered in his commitment to lifting others up. Every aspect of his life reflected his dedication to his wife of more than 70 years, Pat, their family and his love of Oklahoma. Professionally, Ray found success in the oil field and became a pillar of Oklahoma City’s philanthropic community. He served on numerous boards, served as a member of the State Board of Education, was the first president of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation and gave tirelessly of his time, talent and treasure to the nonprofit community. Coming to Oklahoma from Missouri in 1959, Ray and Pat quickly made Oklahoma City their home. He received his law degree from Oklahoma City University, where he devoted much of his philanthropic efforts. He financially supported Pat’s efforts to start the Community Resource Development Foundation in 1981, which would later evolve into the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. In 2000, Ray, with Pat never far from his side, established the Potts Family Foundation (PFF). The couple’s four children still sit on the PFF board of directors as the foundation continues to support The Center, nonprofit management, early childhood development and education, among other endeavors. Ray Potts’s life was a testament to the possibility of a life well lived, one rooted in hard work, faith, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility. His unwavering commitment to others serves as an inspiration to all who seek to better Oklahoma – demonstrating that philanthropy is greater than giving money; it is about the giving of oneself. In his passing, we not only mourn the loss of a remarkable individual but also celebrate the enduring legacy of his charity, humility, and benevolence. His memory will continue to inspire, serving as guiding light for those who seek to emulate his compassion, integrity, and charity. In his passing, we – and the world – have lost one of the best of us.

Unlike some sectors known for poor gender parity, the nonprofit space is brimming with an inordinate amount of strong, talented women. According to studies, 75% of nonprofit professionals are female, but climbing the career ladder isn’t easy. Even though we account for three out of every four employees, only 22% of nonprofits are run by women. Despite the power differential, women’s impact on the charitable sector cannot be denied. In honor of Women’s History Month, I want to recognize the phenomenal nonprofit work women have done and are doing in communities across Oklahoma. Women are breaking barriers by founding and leading innovative nonprofits that address critical issues like criminal justice reform, education, and healthcare equity. Nonprofit titan Pat Potts, who I am blessed to call a mentor and a friend, has overcome challenges for more than 40 years in our sector. In 1982, when she saw the need for nonprofits to have access to quality professional development, she founded The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and served as its President and CEO for 20 years. She has gone on to found other charitable and philanthropic organizations continues to change lives and show the impactful power of women in communities. Building safe, inclusive communities where diverse voices and perspectives can be heard was at the heart of what the late Alana Hughes did. For 24 years, she worked at the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, most recently as the Director of Tulsa Grantmaking. Alana was a shining light of collaboration, a bridge builder and connector. She symbolizes the work so many women in Oklahoma’s nonprofit sector are doing to bring people together, and our state is better for it. Women supporting and encouraging other women to take on leadership roles is critical for the gender equity effort. From creating mentorship programs to providing access to resources to help girls grow and thrive, women are carrying out these critical initiatives across the nonprofit sector. Christina Rehkop, Devon Energy’s Director of Community Relations, who passed last month, is one of them. She championed girls having access to science, technology, engineering and math education and worked with the Cal Ripkin, Sr. Foundation to install more than 150 STEM centers in elementary and middle schools across the country. Christina’s legacy is one of encouragement and celebration. Oklahoma’s nonprofit is littered with stories of women like Pat Potts, Alana and Christina; women who saw a problem and not only sought a solution but also actively took part in the solution. These women are the pillars of our communities, the leaders of organizations and the keepers of our future. I am humbled to be able to work amongst them.

Oklahoma’s thousands of unique nonprofits play an essential role in spurring social change and addressing some of our most difficult societal issues. Homelessness, food insecurity, child abuse, education and critical medical services are just some of the systemic problems nonprofits tackle through their services. Because of these organizations’ indispensable work and place in our communities, it is essential that nonprofits fully engage in advocating for the changes they want to see through the public policy process. For individual nonprofits, the benefits of stepping into the advocacy role reach far beyond your mission. It can generate support for your organization, increase your visibility with key stakeholders, empower your supporters and those you serve, all while allowing you to be part of the solution to the systemic problems facing our state. Despite its positive impact, an Independent Sector study finds that only 31% of nonprofits report engaging in advocacy in the past 5 years. The research finds that the biggest barrier to nonprofits advocating is charitable organizations not knowing their legal rights and responsibilities when it comes to engaging in the public policy process. I encourage all nonprofit leaders and supporters to ensure they fully understand the legalities before advocating on behalf of an organization. The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits works tirelessly teaching nonprofit advocacy and offers classes on its importance, the legislative process and how to create and enact advocacy agendas. I welcome you to join us at one. The legislature will soon return to The Capitol, offering an opportunity for nonprofits to engage in the public policy process. Truly completing mission work means exercising the right to be part of the system that plays a part in the problems so many nonprofits work to solve every day. Using our voice for the voiceless is at the root of nonprofit work. The changes we seek rarely come without it.

Oklahomans are an independent, self-sufficient people. History books are littered with stories of the strength and resilience of our ancestors. Their spirit of autonomy shines through in our most cherished values and ideals. As Oklahomans, we still believe in and work for the American Dream, which largely hinges on self-responsibility. However, what we’re quick to forget when reminiscing on that idealized version of the American home with the picketed fence is the community in which it lies. We neglect to factor in the surrounding connections needed to complete our Rockwellian picture. We are social creatures who exist to have relationships with one another, which are built through communities of schools, churches, businesses, nonprofits and neighborhoods. The strength of those communal bonds can supersede the social divisions that continue to us apart. Oklahoma’s nonprofit community stands as an example of how connections erase divisions. At the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, we work daily to convene charitable organizations in an effort to build community. We have the privilege of seeing sector leaders drop whatever alliances they might have and come together. They learn, grow and flourish in community. They help each other with similar issues and come together to solve problems as a team. The power of those partnerships and the hardships they are able to overcome continually humble and amaze me. They embody the spirit of the Oklahoma Standard and demonstrate that we are better together, in community. Regardless of background, we all need the community of others. It’s the glue that binds us together; it creates relationships and gives us support, love and care. As the holidays approach, I encourage you to reach out and find community, whatever that may look like to you. Beneath the festive decorations and twinkling lights lies the true gift – time with one another.

As natural disasters displace thousands across the country and many parents are settling into an empty nest for the first time, I am reminded of the importance of home. Acting as a place of refuge and respite, home serves as our still point in the constantly turning world, as T.S. Eliot writes. The nonprofit sector has long been that place for me. Its breath and depth, commitment to the greater good and servant culture welcome me daily and work to remind me of life’s blessings. When I started working with The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofit nearly 20 years ago, its mission work impacting all nonprofits felt like a unique fit for my decades of services to various organizations. Serving as The Center’s President and CEO gives me the opportunity to give to Oklahoma’s diverse nonprofit sector what they have given me for so long – a home. The Center has long been the place where our state’s nonprofits go when times are tough, when they need a helping hand or a listening ear. We are the convening point for the sector, a hub of critical information and source of collaboration. Now, after more than 40 years, The Center is finally able to give Oklahoma’s nonprofits a physical place to call home. In addition to our beautiful space inside Tulsa’s Legacy Plaza, The Center has a new headquarters in the heart of Oklahoma City’s thriving Innovation District. It gives nonprofits somewhere to come to for whatever they need – a question answered, a professional development course, a desk to use while they’re in Oklahoma City for the day or a space to use for their fundraiser. Equip with state-of-the-art technology and co-working spaces, 60% percent of the 31,000 square foot building is available for nonprofits to use. This building solidifies our sector as a critical part of Oklahoma’s economy while also offering nonprofits a space of their own. There are more than five-thousand active nonprofits in our state – with different missions, different needs and different challenges. Each of them will be welcome when we officially open our doors on October 3rd and 10 am. I hope you will join us too. Oklahoma’s nonprofits are the heart of our state, and I am could not be more excited that they now have a home.

When I use the word “nonprofit” in my monthly article, many people probably think of a food bank, an arts center, or maybe an education center. Rarely do they think about Oklahoma’s various houses of worship. However, the largest – and most overlooked – part of the charitable sector is faith organizations. According to Giving USA, Americans gave $135.78 billion to religious institutions in 2021, which is more than any other subsector. Oklahoma has a strong, collaborative faith community that works daily to fulfill the needs of the underserved and marginalized. The central part they play in our lives and the monetary commitment many of us make to these organizations, as well as the spiritual, social and economic importance they hold, speak to the opportunity for their staffs to engage with professional and leadership development. The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (The Center) works to strengthen all nonprofits, including those based on faith, through membership, professional development, advocacy and policy, consulting, financial shared services and recognition. Although there are some differences between the religious nonprofit subsector and the secular nonprofit subsector, all nonprofits abide by an ethical governance structure, report to the IRS as required and adhere to administrative and organizational best practices. To better serve our state’s faith-based subsector, The Center is piloting two courses designed for religious organizations – one educating faith leaders about nonprofit best practice; the other targeting faith-based organizations looking to start a nonprofit for missional outreach. Faith leaders, like all nonprofit leaders, carry the responsibility of acting in their stakeholders’ best interest. This starts with having a solid foundation in the legal and ethical responsibilities of nonprofit governing bodies, staff, donors and volunteers. Faith-based institutions stand as the cornerstone of the nonprofit sector – standing on a firm commitment to not only guide their congregations through good times and bad but also to uplift their community. It is important that they operate with good policies, procedures and practices, so they are able to focus on their missions of leading the faithful.

Former President Teddy Roosevelt famously said, “It is not the critic who counts … The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.” However, technology and social media gives critics a higher platform and louder microphone than ever before. From food to sports to government, people can take shots at other’s decisions – mostly without ever knowing the circumstances surrounding them. Instead of fixing a problem or filling a gap, they decide to sit back, complain and criticize those who are fighting to better Oklahoma. I encourage each of you to silence the critic and turn your observations into objectives for action. Our state faces monumental issues right now such as mental health, public education and aging infrastructure. Those problems, and others, are well documented. Harping on those shortcomings does nothing to help minimize them. It merely adds to the growing chorus of critics society already has. As Oklahomans, it is our obligation to work with one another to right the wrongs we see, not merely critique them. We all have an opportunity to channel our attention into action. Our state has some of the finest nonprofits in the country, filled with professionals who work day in, day out to solve the problems facing our communities. Join them. Through volunteering, board service and financial support, the ways to champion causes are limitless. In 2021, nearly a million Oklahomans volunteered, totaling 94.5 million hours of service to others. Join them. When you see a gap, work to find ways to fill it. If you do not know how to help, reach out to a nonprofit that’s mission aligns with your interest. For those who have never served on a board, The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits has a dedicated staff of academics that specializes in training people to serve on nonprofit boards. It is a pivotal time in our state. We must move forward together and stop talking about the problems we face. Oklahoma needs doers who are willing to get in the fight and contribute to our progress. Join us in the arena.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives Appropriations & Budget Committee has approved legislation to exempt 501(c)3 nonprofits from sales tax.

Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, said making Oklahoma's 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organizations sales tax exempt has been one of her top priorities for years and House Bill 1568 is the culmination of several sessions spent learning, tweaking and working with agencies and committees. Under the bill, 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations established in the state who receive $3 million or less in annual gross revenue would be exempt from sales tax.

"Historically, a dollar in the hands of a nonprofit yields about $5 in assistance to their clients," said Stark, who held an interim study on sales tax exemptions for nonprofits in October 2022. "Nonprofit entities are passionate about what they do and most of them do it very well. The government shouldn't be limiting people who are passionate about caring for others; instead, we should be empowering those who help lessen the reliance on government, and exempting our nonprofits is a fantastic step in the right direction."

The measure stipulates that alcohol and tobacco purchases are not considered exempt purchases.

HB1568 passed the House A&B Committee 33-0 on Wednesday and now moves to the House floor.