Monday, April 17, 2017

Allied Arts, a United Arts Fund in Oklahoma City, has won a national philanthropic tournament, Brackets for Good. The only Oklahoma-based nonprofit to compete, Allied Arts out-fundraised 63 nonprofit organizations nationwide during the five-week competition and raised $248,232 in the sixth and final round of head-to-head competition. As tournament champions in Brackets for Good’s first national competition, Allied Arts received a $100,000 grand prize from the title sponsor, AT&T. The check was presented during the Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks NBA halftime show on April 12 in Indianapolis, IN.

“We are very grateful to our generous donors,” said Allied Arts President & CEO, Deborah McAuliffe Senner. “All along, we have been the Cinderella story in a tournament that pitted us against global nonprofit organizations with big budgets and large staffs. Allied Arts’ ‘sixth player’ was our engaged and generous community. Together we rallied our MVPs and collected thousands for central Oklahoma’s cultural community.”

Brackets For Good, based in Indianapolis, IN, hosts an online, bracket-style fundraising tournament every March in philanthropic communities around the United States. Participating nonprofit organizations competed this year to out-fundraise their opponents, earn increased exposure, and win $100,000 from 2017's generous corporate sponsor, AT&T.

“AT&T is proud to support Allied Arts’ mission of making art accessible and supporting arts education in Oklahoma City,” said AT&T Oklahoma President, Steve Hahn. “Sixty-four worthy nonprofits started the Brackets for Good competition, so it’s wonderful that Allied Arts and its supporters were able to rally so strongly. I’m pleased that the $100,000 grand prize will be awarded to a great Oklahoma organization.”

Proceeds from the competition will go to Allied Arts’ annual fundraising campaign, which began in January 2017 with a goal of $3 million. Campaign funds provide grants to more than 40 arts and cultural organizations in Oklahoma. For the 26 Allied Arts member agencies, funds are used to offset operating costs; underwrite productions, performances and exhibits; create new programming; and provide free and affordable arts programming.