The Kirschner Trusts is a private grant-making foundation located in Muskogee. The Trusts were established in 1979 by Edward Philip “Phil” Kirschner upon his retirement from the oil industry. He initially founded the E.P. & Roberta L. Kirschner Foundation and the E.P. & Roberta L. Kirschner Trust. The Foundation supports charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational organizations having a 501(c)(3) designation and civic entities exempt from this rule. The Trust has a more limited scope of providing for education expenses for orphans under age 21 with an emphasis on college education.

Three testamentary trusts were formed after Phil’s death in 1981. The E. Phil & Roberta Kirschner Foundation focuses on education and training grants to orphans and the handicapped, with grants made to institutions for distribution to individual students. The Harry & Sarah Kirschner Memorial Trust (named for Phil’s parents) gives awards to institutions for rabbinic training and religious learning for distribution to students. The purpose of the E. Phil & Roberta Kirschner Park Trust is to support the continuing development of Muskogee’s Honor Heights Park.

With such a diverse range of giving areas and a grant amounts ranging from $500 to $15,000, The Kirschner Trusts focuses its giving on niche areas and organizations that have difficulty receiving funding from other sources. The preference is to make small grants that can have a large impact on individual lives.  

Examples of organizations that have received funding from the Trusts include Camp Bennett for the adult day camp program; the Children’s Adoption Network in Denver, Colo., which serves children with disabilities; Centerpoint of Oklahoma serving men and women with drug and alcohol addictions; the Great Expectations Foundation for teacher training at Northeastern State University; Indian Nations Audubon Adventures for Public Schools; the Oklahoma Engineering Foundation for their high school programs; Muskogee County EMS; Muskogee Little Theatre; Planned Parenthood; Special Care school for handicapped children in Oklahoma City; Oklahoma Special Olympics; the Bedouin Shrine Temple’s transportation program; the First Presbyterian Church’s Ramp It Up program; Friends of Eddie Warrior providing education opportunities for women incarcerated at the Eddie Warrior Correctional Center; Oklahoma Youth with Promise to provide services and scholarships for foster children who age out of the foster care system, and several college and university foundations for student scholarships.

The Trusts recently established an endowment at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation for the Muskogee Public Schools adult day care program. The endowment is open to contributions from the public.

The Kirschner Trusts are currently seeking grant applications from 501(c)(3) organizations for the upcoming 2010 grant cycle. The deadline for submission is Sept. 1. Application guidelines are available at The Kirschner Trusts offices in Muskogee at 215 State St., Suite 901, and visits from potential applicants are welcomed. Information: 682-3151.

If you would like to recommend an organization to be featured in an upcoming Nonprofit Buzz column, contact Rebecca Walkup at 683-4600 or rwalkup@muskogeenonprofits.org.