Tulsa Public Schools (TPS)
In 2003, local businessman and philanthropist Henry Zarrow addressed a need in the Tulsa Public School system with his challenge grant of $1 million to TPS if they could raise $1 million to match it. Within four months, Mr. Zarrow had his match, and TPS had $2 million in additional funds in a year when teacher layoffs and budget cuts were rampant throughout the state. In July 2007, a project to permanently house Tulsa's chronically homeless received its first government grant to build the initial phase. A $2 million grant from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services was given to Housing Partners of Tulsa, the nonprofit arm of the Tulsa Housing Authority.

The University System
The county-wide sales tax initiative passed in September 2003 included funds for both common schools, and higher education. The Schusterman Foundation challenged the citizens of Tulsa County to pass the Vision2025 package by pledging $10 million towards University of Oklahoma-Tulsa (included in the Vision package as well) in addition to the Vision allocation. The voters rose to the challenge and passed the Education/Economic Development package (that included funds for OU-Tulsa, Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, Northeastern Oklahoma State University-Broken Arrow, and Langston University-Tulsa) by more than 60 percent.

Other business leaders committed another $19 million in private funds to selected projects included in the Vision package if voters passed the initiative. All initiatives passed by more than 60 percent. 

Convention and Tourism Strategies
The City of Tulsa, through its Economic Development Commission, has partnered with the Tulsa Metro Chamber since 1977 in marketing and advertising programs with economic development and convention and tourism strategies. The EDC oversees a portion of the 5 percent room tax collected by the city, and uses those monies to provide promotion and attraction, retention and recruitment through a contract with the TMC to provide economic development services and a convention and visitors bureau. 

The Chamber raises additional funds for those areas through an annual resource campaign directing cash and trade to offset budget to programs, as well as membership dollars and other private business partnerships.  

The mission of Tulsa Economic Development Corporation is to grow the economy one small business at a time through programs, services and expertise that keep money moving, working, building economic vitality, building the future. Job creation is priority. 

As a specialized lender, TEDC has financed small businesses throughout Oklahoma since 1979. They use public and private funds to make direct loans and to participate in loan projects with financial institutions. Special consideration is given to companies that create and retain jobs as well as to entrepreneurs who have traditionally faced barriers to economic opportunity.  

Tulsa’s Young Professionals was formed to help attract and retain young talent in the Tulsa workforce. This group of diverse young professionals works together to showcase Tulsa as a great place to live, work and play. TYPros provides its members with opportunities to get in front of and build relationships with local community and business leaders.

TYPros gives young professionals a voice, as well as an outlet for affecting change in the Tulsa community. TYPros seeks to work hand-in-hand with current community and business leaders to learn from their experiences and to create a young professional-friendly atmosphere.