Booker T. Washington Foundation for Excellence

Established in 1993, the Booker T. Washington Foundation for Excellence is an independent 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to enhance all aspects of academic endeavors for the students, faculty and administration at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Through grant making, fundraising, and human resource support, the Foundation is focused on providing additional resources to support the school’s great tradition of excellence in academics and the arts.  Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over one million dollars in grants to the school’s faculty and staff.

Booker T. alumni and families support the work of the Foundation through donations to the Fall Giving Campaign and through Gospel, Grits and Gershwin, the Foundation’s spring auction and brunch.  Student performers, parent and student volunteers, and distinguished alumni team with Foundation members to make this event a highlight of each school year.  The Foundation also accepts designated donor gifts, which enable donors to make restricted tax-deductible gifts to the Booker T. program or project of their choice, consistent with Foundation guidelines.  The Foundation maintains an endowment of restricted funds, ensuring long-term stability for the organization.

The Foundation is governed by a thirty-member Board of Directors.  The Board welcomes applications for membership from interested parents, alumni, and community volunteers with a passion for maintaining continued excellence at Booker T.   New members are usually elected in April, although they may be elected at other times depending on the needs of the Board.

The Board meets monthly and awards grants in October, February, and April of each year.  It considers grant proposals in a number of categories, including core curriculum, elective curriculum, faculty enrichment, special equipment, and extracurricular activities.  Board members work with the faculty to understand the needs to each department and facilitate the grant process.  Last year alone, the Foundation awarded over $85,000 in faculty and staff grants.

The Foundation is committed to assisting Booker T. in providing “an education of the mind and life” and ensuring that the school remains the “Pride of the Great Southwest” for generations of students yet to come.