Bank of Oklahoma awards $55,000 to Oklahoma City small businesses

Bank of Oklahoma awards five $10,000 grants and five $1,000 microgrants through the Empower OKC Business Growth Grant Contest, a competitive program supporting small  businesses across Oklahoma at various stages of development.

The grant contest follows Bank of Oklahoma’s Empower OKC: Hispanic Business Growth Summit held in November 2025.

Sixty-seven businesses applied, submitting written applications outlining their business models, and proposed use of funds. A review committee selected 10 finalists, who advanced to a live pitch event on Feb. 6, where owners were evaluated based on written materials, live presentation and overall feasibility. Finalists represented a range of industries, including food service, consulting, health care, child care, financial education, landscaping and auto repair.

The five $10,000 grant recipients are:

• Sensational Substitutes
• 66 Autocare & Tires LLC
• Taco Empire
• ABC Pediatric Rehab LLC
• Green Gardens Contractors LLC

“When we spend time in the community and listen to small-business owners, it’s clear that access to opportunity, not lack of effort or ideas, is often the biggest barrier,” said Jhoanna Astudillo, Hispanic Segment Leader at BOK Financial. “This grant contest is one way we can follow through on those conversations by helping remove obstacles and support business owners as they take their next step in their business journey.”

About Bank of Oklahoma

For more than a century, Bank of Oklahoma has been a financial services partner for consumers, businesses and wealth clients alike. We bring the kind of financial insight and resources you’d expect from a national institution — but we deliver it with the care, clarity, and consistency of a neighbor who knows your name and understands your goals.