What We Do

We Address Social Service, Health, Education & Civic Challenges

Mission & Vision Program Directory Results & Impact

Since 1941, we have been bringing people together to research, plan, coordinate action, and assess progress to address many of state’s most critical social service, health, education and civic challenges. Working toward our vision of a community empowered to ignite opportunities and eliminate disparities for all people across the lifespan, we follow these key steps to impact change and build a healthy future for Oklahoma >

We work to improve Oklahomans’ lives through direct services that provide and connect people to the help and hope they need; data, research and training that informs programming and policies around equity and opportunity; and collective impact work that convenes local and national partners to implement innovative strategies for a stronger Oklahoma.

Our Process >

RESEARCH, COLLECT
 AND ANALYZE DATA
TO ASSESS ISSUES

BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER
ACROSS SECTORS

DEVELOP PREVENTION
STRATEGIES AND
MOBILIZE
ACTION

EDUCATE COMMUNITY
AND POLICY MAKERS
TO IMPACT CHANGE

Our Functions >

As a catalyst seeking and driving solutions to meet critical needs, we pursue our mission through these five functions:

COMMUNICATE

Wecpromote understanding of challenges and needed solutions through listening, data gathering and analysis, research, needs identification, education and action.
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CONVENE

We bring together people, organizations and institutions to think, plan and act on important issues, and measure the impact.
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CONNECT

We link people with help to meet both personal and community needs.
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CREATE

We generate new ideas and directions for innovative improvements in addressing current and emerging concerns.
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CAPACITY BUILD 

We provide planning, policy development, financial management and human resource support to build capacity of new and existing non-profits, and other entities to meet changing needs.

Our Strategic Plan >

1. Use knowledge of demographics, science and technology, economics, and culture to provide leadership for best shaping a historically different new era ahead that will offer for most a high quality of life for Oklahomans.

2. Apply that knowledge to implement an overall prevention strategy for enhancing human development focused on investing in people across the lifespan, enabling more individuals to care for themselves and their families, and to contribute to a positive civic health.

3. Place priority on investing early but also advancing opportunities for those challenged by poor conditions (e.g., homelessness, financial crisis) and personal choices (e.g., criminal behavior).

4. Advance this prevention approach through best practice research, shaping new thinking, directions and partnerships among large public institutions and systems to reach the growing large numbers of individuals needing effective, often sustained, supports to obtain desired level of self-sufficiency.

Improving Oklahomans’ Lives Through Research, Planning and Action