Replication Partner Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits Receives Gift of Office Complex
On Wednesday, June 1, Standards for Excellence Replication Partner Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits announced that it has accepted a donation from Chesapeake Energy Corporation of a northwest Oklahoma City office strip mall housing dozens of nonprofit agencies, per The Oklahoman.
Marnie Taylor, the center's president and chief executive officer, states that the donation is one of the most significant gifts in the organization's history.
The three-building strip mall at was purchased by Chesapeake Energy Corp. in 2008 and currently houses 30 nonprofit organizations as tenants. According to their website, Chesapeake Energy Corporation is "the second-largest producer of natural gas and the 14th largest producer of oil and natural gas liquids in the U.S."
Chesapeake's director of communications and investor relations, Gordon Pennoyer, said in a statement that "The [Oklahoma] Center for Nonprofits is the state's leader in building successful nonprofits and we can think of no better organization to cultivate the growth and further the vision of the Plaza."
"This is absolutely a transformational gift to the center, but I also see it as a gift to the entire nonprofit sector," Ms. Taylor stated during an interview at the center's office on the plaza property.
The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits became a Standards for Excellence Replication Partner in 2006, and is licensed to offer training and resources on the Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector throughout the state of Oklahoma. To date, the center has worked with over 650 nonprofits to implement the Standards practices within their organizations.
Congratulations to Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, and kudos to Chesapeake Energy Corporation for your support and generosity of Oklahoma's nonprofit community!
About the Author: Susan Larsen
Susan Larsen joined the Standards for Excellence Institute in January 2013 and currently serves as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator. After receiving her BA from the University of Maryland Baltimore County she held positions with Discovery Communications in Silver Spring, MD working with Internal Communications and television production for two of their popular networks. She found her calling with the nonprofit sector after volunteering with several local community organizations. Susan has previously served on the board of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network of Baltimore as Co-Chair of their Communications Committee, and helped to establish marketing and communications strategy for the organization as well as launching their website. Susan is very active in her local community, including her daughter’s PTA, and is thrilled to apply her expertise in communications, logistics and operations to support a strong nonprofit community. She presently resides in Catonsville, MD with her husband, daughter and cat.