Osage Casinos announced it is nearing a half-million-dollar milestone in donations to the Osage Nation Foundation.
Since the program’s launch in 2022, at the urging of ON Congresswoman Jodie Revard, the Osage Casino Round-Up Program has quietly contributed $413,000 – an average of $14,500 each month – to support Osage communities through the ON Foundation.
Casino guests contribute to the program at the teller machines, food and beverage, and the hotels. While the gesture may feel small to donate change at the checkout counter, the collective impact is anything but.
According to a prepared release, the Osage Nation Foundation has tripled its grant-making abilities, now averaging 80 grants per year, each averaging $1,750. The grants directly support programs that promote the well-being of Osage Nation communities through cultural, educational, health, historical, and community initiatives.
Executive Director of the Osage Nation Foundation Bill Webb said, “The Round-Up Program has become one of the Foundation’s most important and consistent sources of funding – helping make projects possible that otherwise might never get off the ground.”
According to the Foundation’s 2024 tax filings, in 2023 the Foundation’s total revenue was more than $697,000. Charitable contributions to the Foundation totaled $545,715. That year, they gave $50,000 in scholarships to Osage citizens majoring in creative content or STEM-related fields of study. They gave over $19,000 for summer youth camps, $123,980 in charitable grants for community organizations. The total amount given in 2023 was $193,581.
Osage Casinos CEO Kimberly Pearson emphasized the program’s alignment with the casino’s primary goal: “Giving back to our Nation is part of who we are. The ‘Round Up’ program makes it easy for our guests to be part of that mission in a meaningful way.”
The Osage Nation Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity, and all donations are tax-deductible. To explore more about its work and impact, visit www.osagefoundation.org.