Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust

What Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust does

The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) is an Oklahoma state government trust fund established in 2000 by a voter-approved constitutional amendment to manage and deploy the state's share of the national Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) payments from tobacco companies. TSET operates as a public health agency rather than a commercial enterprise: it does not generate revenue from product sales, does not have shareholders, and is governed by an independent board whose structural insulation from political interference was upheld by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in an 8-1 ruling in January 2026. The agency's mandate is to use MSA earnings to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease — Oklahoma's leading causes of death — by funding tobacco cessation, healthy eating, physical activity, and obesity-prevention programs.

TSET's core operational offering is a portfolio of interconnected programs and grant vehicles. The flagship direct service is the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (1-800-QUIT-NOW), funded since 2003 and providing free coaching, text support, and nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges) to more than 500,000 registrants over 20+ years. Public-awareness and education programs include Tobacco Stops With Me, Talk About Tobacco, Shape Your Future, My Life My Quit, and the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative. Grant programs include Legacy Grants, Discovery Grants, the Healthy Living Program, Targeted Achievement Grants, Built Environment Grants, Healthy Incentive Grants, the IMPACT Network, and Food Systems Impact Grants, distributed to schools, universities, hospitals, research institutes, and community organizations across Oklahoma's 77 counties. In November 2025, TSET announced a historic $150 million across 14 Legacy Grants to mark its 25th anniversary — the largest single grant distribution in its history — including $30M to Oklahoma State University Medical Center for physician residency programs, $25M to the Stephenson Cancer Center for a Tulsa facility (opening 2028), $25M to OU Health for a Clinical Research Center, and $9.9M to OMRF for the TSET Institute for a Healthier Oklahoma.

TSET's business model is fund management and grantmaking rather than commercial revenue generation. Its "customers" in a conventional sense are the Oklahoma citizens served by its cessation and prevention programs, while its grant recipients (universities, hospitals, research foundations, and community organizations) function as distribution partners and outcome vehicles. The underlying technology footprint is modest: a helpline website (okhelpline.com), a Salesforce-based funding portal, sub-brand websites for each program, the TSET Better Health Podcast, and a Facebook presence. Headcount is not disclosed. The agency is headquartered at 2800 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 202, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, and is led operationally by J. Lance Thomas, Chief of Staff.

Name

Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust

Legal name

Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust

Website

https://tset.ok.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) is an Oklahoma state government trust fund, established in 2000 by constitutional amendment, that uses Master Settlement Agreement earnings to fund tobacco cessation, obesity prevention, and health infrastructure grants across Oklahoma, including the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline serving 500,000+ registrants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Services

NAICS

Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Health and Welfare Funds (52512)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health Block Grants & Formula Funding Administration (HLAJALAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

State/Provincial Human Services & Benefits Administration (Welfare, Disability, Child & Family) (BPAIABAI)

Keywords

• Tobacco cessation services
• Public health grants
• Cancer prevention programs
• Tobacco settlement funds
• Health infrastructure grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tobacco Settlement Fund Management: TSET manages earnings from the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) payments from tobacco companies. The agency was established in 2000 through a voter-approved constitutional amendment to allocate the state's tobacco settlement funds. Funds are distributed through grants to schools, communities, state agencies, and partner organizations to improve public health outcomes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TSET is an Oklahoma state government public health agency that manages and distributes earnings from the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) with tobacco companies through grants and programs targeting tobacco cessation, cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention, and obesity reduction. It funds the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (free coaching and nicotine replacement therapy), youth prevention and advocacy programs, public awareness campaigns, and competitive grant programs to schools, hospitals, universities, and community organizations statewide.

Product overview

TSET is a public health agency that operates a portfolio of interconnected programs and grant initiatives rather than a single product. The core offerings include the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (a cessation service providing free coaching and nicotine replacement therapy), youth-focused programs like My Life My Quit and the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative, and public awareness campaigns including Tobacco Stops With Me and Talk About Tobacco. Supporting these are Shape Your Future for nutrition education and the TSET Better Health Podcast. TSET also administers multiple grant programs (Legacy Grants, Discovery Grants, Healthy Living Program, Targeted Achievement Grants) that fund health infrastructure, research, and community programs across Oklahoma.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline: A program providing free tobacco cessation support including coaching, text support, and nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, lozenges)
• Tobacco Stops With Me
• Shape Your Future
• Talk About Tobacco
• Elevate Student Health
• My Life My Quit

Products and services

• Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) Free telephone and web-based tobacco cessation service for Oklahoma residents, offering coaching, text support, and up to eight weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum, or lozenges). Funded by TSET since 2003 and serving more than 500,000 registrants over 20+ years.
• My Life My Quit Specialized tobacco cessation program designed for youth, providing coaching and resources specifically tailored for teenagers. Free service funded by TSET for Oklahoma teens seeking to quit tobacco.
• TSET Healthy Youth Initiative Youth-led advocacy and character-building program helping young people make healthier choices through public health education and community programs across Oklahoma. Engages middle and high school students in tobacco prevention, healthy eating, and physical activity initiatives.
• TSET Legacy Grants Major competitive grant program awarding significant funding to transform health infrastructure across Oklahoma. In 2025, $150 million was distributed across 14 grants, including $30M to Oklahoma State University Medical Center for physician residency positions, $25M to the Stephenson Cancer Center for a Tulsa cancer facility, and $25M for a TSET Clinical Research Center linked to OU Health.
• TSET Discovery Grants Competitive grant program supporting health research and innovation across Oklahoma. Open to researchers, universities, and organizations advancing public health discovery.
• TSET Healthy Living Program Grant program supporting community-based health initiatives and healthy living programs across Oklahoma, including nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco-free community efforts.
• TSET Targeted Achievement Grants Competitive grant program designed to achieve specific health outcomes and targets in Oklahoma communities. Funds measurable improvements in public health indicators.
• TSET Healthy Incentive Grants Competitive grant program offering incentive funding for Oklahoma communities and organizations implementing health-promoting initiatives.
• TSET Built Environment Grants Competitive grant program funding built-environment improvements that support active living and healthy lifestyles across Oklahoma communities.
• TSET IMPACT Network TSET program supporting a network of partner organizations and coalitions implementing public health initiatives across Oklahoma.
• TSET Capacity Building TSET program providing capacity-building support and resources to organizations implementing public health initiatives across Oklahoma.
• TSET Research and Health Systems TSET program funding health systems research and clinical research infrastructure in Oklahoma, including the TSET Institute for a Healthier Oklahoma at OMRF focused on inflammation, immunity, and aging.
• TSET Tobacco Cessation (program portfolio) TSET program portfolio funding tobacco cessation services across Oklahoma, including the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline and My Life My Quit, providing free coaching and nicotine replacement therapy to residents seeking to quit.
• TSET Public Campaigns Statewide public awareness campaign portfolio — including Tobacco Stops With Me, Talk About Tobacco, and Shape Your Future — that educates Oklahomans about the dangers of tobacco, nicotine, and unhealthy eating while promoting cessation and healthy lifestyle resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 51% decrease in adult smoking prevalence in Oklahoma since 2003
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Rogers State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Rogers State University received funding for a $35 million STEM center. The facility will include a teaching kitchen for a future nutritional science program, supporting health education initiatives.
• Oklahoma State University Medical CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2026TSET awarded $30 million legacy grant to Oklahoma State University Medical Center for graduate medical education and physician residency positions, supporting healthcare workforce development in Oklahoma.
• Oklahoma Hospital AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2026Oklahoma Hospital Association was awarded TSET Legacy Grants as part of the $150 million statewide health infrastructure investment.
• OU HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026$25 million grant establishing the TSET Clinical Research Center linked to OU Health and the Stephenson Cancer Center, expected to open in 2028, aiming to bring clinical trials closer to northeast Oklahoma with highest cancer mortality rates.
• University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Stephenson Cancer CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2025TSET awarded $25 million state grant to build clinical trial capacity at new Tulsa facility opening in 2028. This is one of the largest legacy grants to expand access to clinical trials in northeast Oklahoma where cancer mortality rates are high and trial participation has been low.
• Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 November 2025TSET awarded $9.9 million grant to create the TSET Institute for a Healthier Oklahoma, aimed at researching chronic health conditions. The institute includes facilities for aging, telehealth, biorepository expansion, and imaging to support studies on inflammation, immunity, and aging.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CDC Foundation: Independent nonprofit that mobilizes philanthropic and private-sector resources to support CDC's public health mission. Comparable as a public health grantmaking and program-administration entity.
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: One of the largest US health-focused philanthropies, funding public health research, tobacco control, and obesity prevention. Comparable as a substantial health-focused grantmaking entity addressing similar public health priorities.
• The California Endowment: A major private health foundation originally capitalized by Blue Cross of California that funds statewide public health initiatives. Comparable in scale and mission as a large state-focused health philanthropy with multi-decade grants.

Direct peers

• Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program: Massachusetts state program funded by MSA and tobacco tax revenues providing cessation services and public education. Comparable state-administered tobacco cessation and prevention initiative.
• North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission: North Carolina's legislatively established trust fund that administers MSA proceeds for tobacco-dependent communities. Peer state trust fund with similar MSA-funding origin and grantmaking mission.
• California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP): California state-level research program funded by tobacco tax revenues and MSA allocations that funds research on tobacco-related diseases. Most directly comparable peer as a state-administered public health grantmaking entity addressing tobacco-related harm.
• California Tobacco Control Program: California's state tobacco control program funded by Proposition 99 tobacco taxes, running mass-media campaigns and cessation services. Comparable state-level tobacco cessation and prevention program with similar service model.
• Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission: Virginia's state agency managing tobacco settlement funds to invest in health, research, and economic development. Comparable state trust fund structure administering MSA proceeds for public purposes.

Emerging players

• Truth Initiative: National public health nonprofit originally funded by MSA payments that runs youth-focused anti-tobacco and anti-vaping campaigns. Comparable as an MSA-funded anti-tobacco organization with youth advocacy programming.

Regional players

• Pennsylvania Tobacco Settlement Fund: Pennsylvania's state-administered fund distributing MSA proceeds to health research and tobacco prevention. Comparable state-level MSA distribution entity, though operating in a different state context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OklahomaTSET
• Xx.com/oklahomatset
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/state-of-oklahoma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments6 records

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Frequently asked questions about Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust