IQC Invites Community Assistance Project Proposals

The Institute of Quality Communities at the University of Oklahoma Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce the opening of the 2026-2027 Request for Proposals (RFP) process for Community Assistance Projects.

Letter from Director

December 2, 2025

Dear Friends of the IQC, As we wrap up another busy and inspiring semester, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the work we have accomplished together.

Meet the OU IQC Team!

The Institute for Quality Communities is pleased to introduce our academic year 2025-2026 team leadership, faculty affiliates, and graduate assistants. During the month of September we highlighted individual team members on our social media channels.

IQC Placemaking Conference Slated for Spring 2027

The next Placemaking Conference, a cornerstone program of the OU Institute for Quality Communities, is now scheduled for Spring 2027.

Garden Oaks: A Bright Future in Northeast Oklahoma City

Garden Oaks: A Bright Future in Northeast Oklahoma City

Garden Oaks Elementary SchoolIn 2021, the Alpha Community Foundation of Oklahoma purchased a vacant Oklahoma City Public School building with the goal of converting the facility into a community center. The former Garden Oaks Elementary School is now set to be...

IQC Project Partners Win Grants

IQC Project Partners Win Grants

Two IQC project partners recently won nearly $150,000 in funding from Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) to enhance public spaces and walkability.Both of these IQC projects were made possible in part by sponsorship from the Oklahoma...

Quality Communities Retreats

Quality Communities Retreats

This fall, we hosted a new program called the Quality Communities Retreat sponsored by the Mayors' Institute on City Design and Oklahoma Municipal League. Between two retreat sessions, we gathered representatives from eight Oklahoma communities, along with...

Webinar: Anchors and Connectors for Small Town Success

Webinar: Anchors and Connectors for Small Town Success

On December 17, 2020, we hosted a free, public webinar via Zoom. Anchors and Connectors are key components for building a strong foundation of small town success.  This workshop, co-sponsored by the Mayors’ Institute on City Design and the OU Institute for Quality Communities explored Anchors and Connectors with different perspectives.

Placemaking & Community Building During Covid-19

Placemaking & Community Building During Covid-19

Much of the world's population is getting familiar with the term "social distancing" and what it means for daily life and personal well-being. This public health strategy in communities goes back a long time. More than 100 years ago, Oklahoma faced the...

Propose a Project 2020-21

Propose a Project 2020-21

Community assistance projects are a collaborative effort between the OU Institute for Quality Communities, Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture, and representatives from communities in Oklahoma. Projects result in conceptual design and planning assistance....

IQC Hosts Mayor’s Institute on City Design

IQC Hosts Mayor’s Institute on City Design

IQC hosted the Mayor's Institute on City Design for a regional session in Oklahoma City November 20-22. 7 mayors and 7 resource team members in fields related to design, planning, and development came together for two days of meetings. Each mayor brought a...

Guymon’s Curb Extension Pilot Project

Guymon’s Curb Extension Pilot Project

In June 2017, an IQC team traveled to Guymon, Oklahoma at the invitation of the Texas County TSET Healthy Living Program. During our trip, we talked with community leaders and residents about low-cost improvements that might slow down traffic and make it...

Propose a Project in Your Community

Propose a Project in Your Community

Community assistance projects are a collaborative effort between the OU Institute for Quality Communities, Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture, and representatives from communities in Oklahoma. Projects result in conceptual design and planning assistance....

Waurika Collaborates with IQC and OML

Waurika Collaborates with IQC and OML

Thanks to the Waurika News Journal for allowing us to share excerpts from these articles covering a collaboration between Waurika, IQC, and the Oklahoma Municipal League. Please visit the full articles on the Waurika News Journal website. OU Partnership...

Oklahoma Arts Conference

Oklahoma Arts Conference

Art, placemaking, and community development increasingly interact in our state. Over the years we have partnered with the Oklahoma Arts Council several times with programs like the Cultural District Initiative. The Oklahoma Arts Council also has a...