Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation is a private grantmaking organization that funds agricultural research at the Noble Research Institute and makes charitable grants to nonprofit organizations that support education, health, and communities, especially in Oklahoma. The Foundation aims to fund organizations that can address agricultural challenges, expand educational opportunities, improve medical research and health services, and strengthen communities. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3), Private Foundation
Issue Areas: Multi-Issue Advocacy
Website: noblefoundation.org
Formation:

2017

Board Chair:

Vivian Noble DuBose

Board Chair’s Salary (2021):

$51,500 2

Location: Ardmore, OK View on map
Tax ID: 81-5328519
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $1,101,468,544 Revenue: $114,212,278 Expenses: $61,723,751

Contents

    Programs

    Scholarships

    The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation offers two scholarship programs. The Sam Noble Scholarship supports southern Oklahoma students studying agricultural and applied education. The Noble Educational Fund Scholarship supports higher education for children of full time employees working for organizations established by Lloyd Noble, founder of the Noble Corporation and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. 1

    Grantmaking

    The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation awarded over $42.4 million in grants in 2020, including over $300,000 in scholarships. The largest donations of 2020 were made to the Noble Research Institute ($37.6 million) and the Soil Health Institute ($2 million). 3

    In 2021, the Foundation gave its largest grants to the Noble Research Institute ($39.2 million), the Soil Health Institute ($1 million), and the Heritage Foundation ($800,000). 4

    Funding

    In 2017, the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation was established as a private, philanthropic foundation with an $897 million endowment from the Noble Research Institute, from which it separated. 5 The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation also received $186,644 from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research in 2019. 6

    Board of Directors

    Vivian Noble DuBose is the chair of the board of the Foundation and the president and CEO of Noble Properties. 7

    James Day is a former president and CEO of the Noble Corporation. Day is an honorary board member of the American Petroleum Institute and formerly sat on the boards of Noble Energy, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, and Global Industries. 8

    Virginia “Ginger” Heckman is a trustee of the Heritage Foundation, president of the Lloyd and Vivian Noble Foundation, and a manager at Noble Properties. 9

    Jessie Nance is the finance and administrative manager at the Quien Sabe Corporation, a utility company in Ardmore, OK. 10 Nance is a great-granddaughter of Lloyd Noble. 11

    Cody Noble is the president of the Quien Sabe Corporation. 12

    Marianne Rooney sits on the board of the Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma. 13

    Jack Waldo is the co-CEO of Dental Depot and a former investment banker at Stephens. Waldo sits on the board of United Petroleum Transports. 14

    Other members of the board include D. Randolph Brown, Jr., Susan Brown, Sam DuBose, Bill Goddard, Russell Noble, Kate Parker, Clark Ruppert, and Stephen F. Young. 15

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $1,101,468,544 $114,212,278 $61,723,751 View
    2023 $1,070,642,519 $37,414,115 $55,156,360 View
    2022 $1,014,046,517 $34,946,029 $50,183,173 View
    2021 $1,190,369,915 $85,581,097 $54,432,166 View
    2020 $1,074,256,411 $47,195,593 $50,026,746 View

    Prior year filings: 2019

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Virginia HeckmanDIRECTOR$67,000
    Stephen YoungDIRECTOR$63,000
    Jack WaldoDIRECTOR$49,500
    James DayDIRECTOR$48,500
    Cody NobleCHAIRMAN/DIRECTOR$46,917
    Marianne RooneyDIRECTOR$45,500
    Sam DuboseADVISORY DIRECTOR (THRU 11/24)$45,000
    Vivian Noble DuboseADVISORY DIRECTOR (AS OF 11/24)$44,083
    Jessie NanceDIRECTOR$44,000
    Russell NobleDIRECTOR$44,000
    Dr Randolph Brown JRDIRECTOR$43,000
    Bill GoddardDIRECTOR$43,000
    Susan BrownDIRECTOR$41,000
    Jo Kate ParkerADVISORY DIRECTOR$35,000
    Clark RuppertADVISORY DIRECTOR$32,000
    Alyson GilbertADVISORY DIRECTOR$16,370
    Ellen RuppertADVISORY DIRECTOR (AS OF 11/24)$3,000

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $186,644
    • Number of Grants: 1
    • Number of Funders: 1

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $346,326,471
    • Number of Grants: 716
    • Number of Recipients: 208

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $40,500,0002022 NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LLCOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $39,200,0002021 NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LLCOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $37,625,0002020 NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LLCOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $36,500,0002024 NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LLCOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $34,000,0002023 NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LLCOPERATIONAL SUPPORT
    $8,250,0002024 Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef, Inc.NOBLE MINISTRY FUND
    $3,500,0002023 Hillsdale CollegeK-12 ENDOWMENT & GRADUATE SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL EDUCATION ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS
    $3,500,0002023 Oklahoma Medical Research FoundationDAVID R. BROWN CENTER FOR ADVANCED HUMAN IMAGING
    $2,000,0002020 SOIL HEALTH INSTITUTESOIL HEALTH INSTITUTE
    $1,780,0002024 The Children's Center Inc DBA Bethany Children's Health CenterTHE LANDMARK OF HOPE EXPANSION PROJECT
    $1,500,0002024 Southern Oklahoma Ambulance Service IncAMBULANCE FACILITY PROJECT
    $1,500,0002023 Center of Family LoveDR. DAVID BROWN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL CENTER
    $1,500,0002023 Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity IncPHASE 1: CORNERSTONE CREEK PROJECT
    $1,500,0002022 National Cowboy and Western Heritage MuseumSAM NOBLE SPECIAL EVENTS CENTER
    $1,000,0002024 Shepherd Center IncPERFORMANCE LAB AND ED NOBLE SMART TECH HUB
    $1,000,0002021 National Cowboy and Western Heritage MuseumTHE SAM NOBLE SPECIAL EVENTS CENTER RENOVATION
    $1,000,0002021 SOIL HEALTH INSTITUTECHALLENGE GRANT
    $800,0002021 The Heritage FoundationRESTORING CIVICS AND BOLSTERING THE AMERICAN STORY
    $750,0002024 Heritage FoundationED NOBLE LOBBY
    $750,0002023 Newview Oklahoma IncWAREHOUSE EXPANSION-JOBS FOR BLIND OKLAHOMANS
    $700,0002022 Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma IncCAPITAL CAMPAIGN: BUILDING PARK STREET CAMPUS
    $500,0002024 Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs IncTHE GENERATIONS PROJECT
    $500,0002024 Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Oklahoma CityYMCA CAMP CLASSEN: HERE FOR ALL. HERE FOR GOOD. CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
    $450,0002020 Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma IncCAPITAL CAMPAIGN: NEW CAMPUS AND FACILITY
    $400,0002024 Heritage FoundationFIRST PRINCIPLES, FREE ENTERPRISE, AND EDUCATION CHOICE

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “About.” The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://noblefoundation.org/about/.
    2. Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2021, Part VII, Line 1a.
    3. “2020 Granting Report.” The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://noblefoundation.org/docs/2020granting-list.pdf.
    4. Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2020, Part XV, Line 3.
    5. Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part VII-A, Line 11A.
    6. Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I, Part II.
    7. “Vivian DuBose.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-dubose-742aa864/.
    8. “James C. Day.” Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://www.oklahomahof.com/hof/inductees/day-james-c-2019.
    9.  “Virginia Heckman.” The Heritage Foundation. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://www.heritage.org/staff/virginia-heckman
    10. “Jessie Vance.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-nance-598695205/.
    11. “A Brand New Era.” Noble Research Institute, Fall 2017. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://www.noble.org/legacy/2017-fall/a-brand-new-era/
    12. “Quien Sabe Corporation.” Corporation Wiki. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://www.corporationwiki.com/Oklahoma/Ardmore/quien-sabe-corporation/29479456.aspx#people.
    13. “Mrs. Marianne Rooney.” Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://cfook.org/people/mrs-marianne-rooney.
    14. “Jack Waldo.” LinkedIn. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-waldo-5a0057152/.
    15. “Leadership.” The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://noblefoundation.org/leadership/.