M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust announces new CEO to join July 2022

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, one of the largest grantmaking foundations in the Portland area, announced a new CEO beginning July 2022, Romanita Hairston. Hairston will be the Murdock Trust’s fifth CEO, following the retirement of Steve Moore after 16 years of service.

Hairston comes to the Murdock Trust from a position at Microsoft. Previously, Hairston was vice president of U.S. programs at World Vision, a major charitable nonprofit. She also served as program director at the Murdock Trust for several years, before focusing on the future of work and learning at Microsoft. Now, Romanita returns to the foundation where she will oversee the work of the third largest grantmaking foundation in the Portland area.

Last year, the Murdock Trust announced a record year of giving, totaling $110 million through 460 grants. Since its founding in 1975 after the untimely death of its benefactor and Tektronix co-founder, Jack Murdock, the foundation has given $1.2 billion to nonprofit organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest.

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust announces Summer 2022 grants

 Recently, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, a private nonprofit foundation in Vancouver, WA, released their Summer 2022 grants report. They awarded more than $26.7 million to nonprofit organizations in the Pacific Northwest that strengthen the region’s cultural, social, educational, and spiritual fabric. The Greater Portland area saw two nonprofits receive grants.

 Girls on the Run Greater Oregon received $188,500 to help hire new staff for youth outreach. This organization is an athletics nonprofits that provides programs for girls in elementary and middle school, inspiring them to engage in physical activity as a way to gain confidence, learn life skills, and stay active.

 Sanctuary Inn, a nonprofit retreat for Christian missionaries, received $147,000. Guests come to Sanctuary Inn for pastoral counsel, healing prayer, restorative manual labor, solitude, life coaching, personal care, and cross-cultural engagement. The grant from the Murdock Trust will help them expand their services for guests.

 The Murdock Trust has awarded more than $1.2 billion to nonprofits in the region since its founding in 1975.

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust announces Spring 2022 grantees

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust in Vancouver, WA, recently released its Spring 2022 Grants Report. The nonprofit foundation announced that it gave $32.5 million throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska.

In Vancouver alone, the Murdock Trust gave $540,500 to Shared Hope International, $151,500 to Pink Lemonade Project, and $400,000 to Cornerstone Christian Academy for Learning and Leadership. Each of these grants were given to help build the capacity of the nonprofit’s work, such as for new training platforms, new services, and expanded education programs.

Murdock Trust Executive Director Emeritus Steve Moore noted that this grants report marks a special moment for the foundation, as it was his final quarter before passing the baton to incoming CEO Romanita Hairston. Moore said that he was excited for the future of the Murdock Trust and that he will continue to serve his community by supporting leaders and encouraging generosity throughout our region. Romanita will officially begin as CEO in July 2022.

Community supports Clark County nonprofits during pandemic

Clark County saw high numbers of community engagement and giving during the 2021 holiday season.  Despite the challenges of the pandemic for many Southwest Washington nonprofits, community members have rallied together to offer their thanks and support to local nonprofits.  

For example, the Clark County Food Bank never ran out of food despite increased demand, thanks to the support of local volunteers and givers. Share, a Vancouver-based nonprofit serving the homeless community, raised $30,000 for a program that provides over 525,000 pounds of food to those in need. Loving Them Forward, another Vancouver-based organization, assembled volunteers to distribute over 1,500 gift bags to caregivers in the community.  

This spirit of generosity is seen in local foundations too. The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington raised over $3.3 million for local nonprofits, and the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, a Vancouver-based foundation that gives capacity-building grants to nonprofits across the Pacific Northwest, gave a record-breaking $110 million in 2021. This follows a record-breaking 2020, when the Murdock Trust invested $76 million into nonprofits across Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska. Steve Moore, executive director of the Murdock Trust, notes the spirit of generosity and civic engagement in Clark County and Vancouver. He sees many community members eager to make a difference after seeing how the pandemic challenged local nonprofits.  

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust sets giving records in 2021

Following two record-breaking years of giving, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust based in Vancouver, Washington announced a record quarter and record year of giving. Since its establishment in 1975 by the estate of Melvin J. “Jack” Murdock, a co-founder of Tektronix, the Murdock Trust has invested over $1.2 billion in nonprofit organizations that enrich the educational, spiritual, and cultural base of the Pacific Northwest.

Recently, the Murdock Trust announced that it approved 112 grants in the final quarter of 2021, totaling $25.4 million. This includes funding for 33 nonprofits totaling $6.4 million in Washington alone. These record-breaking numbers finish off a record-breaking year of giving; in 2021, the Murdock Trust invested $110 million through 460 grants throughout the region.

In 2019, the Murdock Trust invested $57 million, followed by $75 million in 2020. This marks the third consecutive year the Murdock Trust set personal records for investment in the community.

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust awards grants to three Clark County nonprofits

 

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, a Vancouver-based nonprofit foundation established in 1975 by the estate of the late Melvin “Jack” Murdock, awarded $610,000 in grants to nonprofits in ClarkCounty. This was part of $110 million given in 2021 to organizations across the Pacific Northwest who are seeking to serve the common good.

Global Sojourns Giving Circle received $145,000 toward hiring a new executive director, which will allow the nonprofit to expand its efforts in giving grants to community-based organizations that mentor youth in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa. Priscilla Plummer, founder of the organization, lives primarily in Cape Town, South Africa, where she sees the fruit of the organization’s labor in witnessing kids know their lives matter.

Meadow Glade Adventist Elementary School in Battle Ground will realize an eight-year-long dream with the construction of a new state-of-the-art music facility, partly funded by a $400,000 grant from the Murdock Trust. Musical education at the school took place in empty classrooms and the gym before, but a new department will give them the space and acoustics they need for an improved music education experience.

Shared Hope International, which aims to end sex-trafficking worldwide, will participate for a third year in the Murdock Trust’s Vision and Call internship program thanks to a $64, 856 grant from the Murdock Trust. Established in 2006, Vision and Call helps young adults learn about vocation through internships at nonprofit organizations. According to a Shared Hope International spokesperson, the Murdock Trust does a great job developing leaders, and Vision and Call interns often land leadership positions in the nonprofit sector following their internship.

Looking into the future of the coronavirus pandemic

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust is a nonprofit foundation that seeks to enrich the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to funding grants for projects in the arts, education, health, and human services, the Murdock Trust regularly funds scientific research, such as work at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Oregon Health & Sciences University.   

Recently, the Murdock Trust supported a conversation between professor and virologist Dr. Larry Corey, past president director at Fred Hutchinson, and Dr. Donna Hansel, professor and chair of pathology and laboratory medicine at OHSU. In partnership with The Seattle Times, they shared insights on COVID-19, vaccines, and the future of this pandemic.  

 

Though the vaccine has been shown to provide 20 times more protection than the natural infection, only about 57% of the U.S. population is vaccinated. Until vaccinations become more widely accepted, it may be difficult to protect the most vulnerable in our society.  

 

The doctors also shared predictions about the future of the pandemic. Hansel shared that the virus will be monitored for new variants, because there is always the potential for another round with viral pathogens. Even the common cold is another coronavirus. However, Hansel thinks we can learn to live with this virus with the use of at-home rapid antigen testing kits that provides a quicker diagnosis than PCR tests.  

 

While schools will likely stay open and people will return to in-person clinical care in the next six to 12 months, a return to in-person restaurants, theaters and other public indoor spaces may take longer. Corey is hopeful that the vaccine will allow children to resume the activities crucial to their development, reintroducing a sense of normalcy to families. Overall, both doctors remain cautiously optimistic about the future of the pandemic. 

Steve Moore of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Announces Retirement

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust was founded in 1975 following the untimely death of Tektronix co-founder, Melvin J. “Jack” Murdock. Murdock’s initial estate of $80 million has now grown to over $2 billion and generated more than $1 billion in capacity building investment for the region. Steve Moore, executive director of the Murdock Trust since 2006, recently announced his retirement in 2022.  

During his time as executive director of the foundation, Moore appreciated that the Murdock Trust focused its funding on particular sectors: Human Services, Arts & Culture, Science, Education, and Health. He noted that the Murdock Trust always tried to connect the people working within sectors and connect people to individuals in other sectors.  

 

This is one reason Moore enjoys attending Founder’s Day, a celebration held on the last Friday of June when grantees from the past year gather to celebrate and connect.  

 

Moore recalled the last Founder’s Day in 2019 before the pandemic, remembering how a director of a literary arts nonprofit met someone from a food bank in Idaho alongside someone else from a historical museum in Washington. Connections like these are what Moore appreciates about the Murdock Trust.  

Murdock Trust announces grant awards

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust recently announced a collection of grants awarded at the foundation’s winter board meeting. The nonprofit organization approved 96 capacity building grants totaling $14.8 million.

The Murdock Trust is a private, nonprofit foundation serving the Pacific Northwest. Grantees represent five primary sectors – arts and culture, scientific research, education, healthcare and human services.

In 2019, the Murdock Trust announced it had awarded more than $1 billion in cumulative grants. The organization is also awarding emergency grants to nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Murdock Trust provides emergency COVID-19 support to PNW nonprofits

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has announced an emergency support grants program to provide funding and other resources to nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of April 22, the Murdock Trust had awarded approximately $14.7 million in grants to nonprofits in various sectors, including medical care and research and emergency food services.

The nonprofit foundation based in Vancouver, WA, serves a five state region, including Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. In addition to emergency grants, the Murdock Trust has provided free online resources for nonprofits as well as coaching consultations.

Ongoing updates regarding the Murdock Trust’s COVID-19 Emergency Support Grants Program can be found on the foundation’s website – murdocktrust.org/covid19.

Murdock Trust Program Director Retires after 20 Years of Service

Over the course of nearly 45 years, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has supported more than 3,000 organizations to fulfill its mission of enriching the quality of life in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Recently, the Murdock Trust’s accomplished program director, Jan Kennedy Ferguson, retired after 20 meaningful years of service.

A great asset to the Trust, Ms. Ferguson used her experience, dedication, and talents to help people across the Pacific Northwest. She served exclusively in one role for 20 years and succeeded in distributing $105,683,674 across 601 grants. This amount represents approximately 10 percent of the Murdock Trust’s total funding since it was founded.

Ms. Ferguson guided various organizations through the grant application process and beyond so they could successfully execute their projects in the areas of arts, education, human services, and rural health. The organizations that benefited from Ms. Ferguson’s direction include the Portland Art Museum, Ruby Valley Hospital, and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

The Murdock Trust Helps Build STEM Education and Research Building

For nearly 45 years, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has served individuals, families, and communities in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, by offering grant awards to enrichment programs. One of the Murdock Trust's grant recipients is Saint Martin’s University, which received $800,000.

According to the 2017 STEM Education Report Card published by the Washington State STEM Education Innovation Alliance, the state is experiencing growth in STEM-related jobs, but has continuously ranked low in producing graduates with STEM degrees. As a result, employers are forced to hire from out-of-state talent. The construction of a new and well-equipped science building will be instrumental in Saint Martin’s University’s efforts of meeting the nation’s demands for STEM graduates and boosting Washington’s economy. 

With the Murdock Trust’s grant, the university aims to build a 30,000-square foot science classroom and laboratory building that will be used by students, researchers, and faculty members for conducting classes and STEM research. The new building will be located near the Panowicz Foundry for Innovation and the E.L. Wiegand Laboratories where the current lectures and research on engineering and computer science are held. The new science building is expected to open in the fall of 2019, and will be the main hub for student-faculty research and collaboration.

The Murdock Trust Thanks Jan Kennedy Ferguson for 20 Years of Service

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has awarded more than $975 million to support educational, cultural, and social initiatives that focus on enriching the lives of the people in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The people behind the Murdock Trust share the organization’s goals of helping others live a full and meaningful life.

As the Murdock Trust draws close to its 44th anniversary, the organization also wishes to celebrate the outstanding dedication and leadership of Jan Kennedy Ferguson as she steps down from her role as program director. 

Ferguson has been a tremendous leader and a role model to her staff and colleagues. During her tenure, Ferguson spearheaded the allocation of $105,683,673 to over 600 grants in the region. For 20 years, Ferguson worked closely with other nonprofits, public and private organizations, health care agencies, and schools, such as the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Thrive, RiverStone Health Foundation, Portland Art Museum, Union Gospel Mission, World Forestry Center, and many more. 

Ferguson’s extensive knowledge and her genuine interest in helping people will be truly missed.

The Murdock Trust Supports Camp Renovations in British Columbia

Established in 1975, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust focuses on enriching and expanding communities across Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Alaska. One of the entities that the Murdock Trust has supported through a grant is Young Life’s Malibu Club, which serves the needs of Princess Louisa Inlet, British Columbia, campers.

Originally constructed as a 1940s resort that attracted elite Hollywood guests, the Malibu Club was acquired by Young Life in 1954 and converted into a camp facility. With the locale accessible only by float plane and boat, Malibu provides a caring and accepting environment for teens as they take part in activities such as sailing, cycling, and horseback riding.

One of the buildings initially constructed at the Malibu Club, the Nootka dorm required extensive renovation to bring it up to code and make it suitable for campers. The Murdock Trust was proud to assist financially in improving the experience of youth as they explored the outdoors.

Murdock Trust Grant Helps Modernize Oregon Symphony’s Ticketing System

Since its establishment in 1975, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has significantly improved the lives of those living in the Pacific Northwest. The Murdock Trust is committed to the continuous support of community programs that promote idea-sharing and purposeful stewardship among the region’s inhabitants.

One of the earliest recipients of the Murdock Trust’s grants in 1976, the Oregon Symphony used its first grant award to help its orchestra tour several schools in the Portland metropolitan area and perform in front of approximately 42,000 students. Since then, the Oregon Symphony’s popularity has increased, necessitating assistance with the modernization of its website and ticketing system.

The Murdock Trust has answered this call with a more recent grant that will support the Oregon Symphony’s efforts to enhance its website and implement a digital ticketing system that will enable viewers to browse the schedule of events, plan their visits, and purchase tickets conveniently. This high-tech initiative will also help Symphony personnel to save time and focus their energy on practicing their repertoire and bringing their music and creativity to local schools and organizations.

Murdock Trust's Program Director Announces Retirement

For more than 40 years, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has supported projects of significance throughout the Pacific Northwest in areas, such as education, science research, and arts and culture. At its most recent quarterly meeting, Murdock Trust's program director, Jan Kennedy Ferguson, announced her retirement.

Ferguson served as the trust's program director for 20 years, during which time she facilitated more than 600 grants worth a combined $105 million, which equates to roughly 10 percent of the trust's overall grantmaking since its creation in 1975. During her time with the trust, Ferguson championed programs benefiting women's health and rural communities. Also, according to executive director Steve Moore, Ferguson served as a role model and leader for everyone involved with the Washington-based trust.

Among others, Ferguson's nonprofit expertise led to the distribution of grants to the Ruby Valley Hospital, Union Gospel Mission, Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and the Riverstone Health Foundation. Kim Newman, who has been affiliated with the foundation for eight years through its Partners in Science program, has been hired to replace Ferguson as program director.

Murdock Trust Grant Supports Research at Portland State University

A nonprofit organization created to fund arts, culture, scientific research, health and human services and education projects throughout the Pacific Northwest, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust is led by trustees Jeff Grubb, John Castles, and Jeff Pinneo. In regard to education, Murdock Trust has supported numerous institutions, including Portland State University (PSU). 

With its grant funding, PSU purchased a high-performance computing cluster to further its computation-intensive research regarding the effects of transportation chokes and pollutants on regional and global atmosphere quality. Utilizing data obtained from their studies, researchers at the school's Center for Climate and Aerosol Research hope to create changes that will help reduce pollutants while, at the same time, allow for the continued efficient movement of goods and people. 

The computer, named Gaia in honor of the Greek goddess of Earth, helped the school's research team more effectively analyze methane emissions in Earth's atmosphere that were collected from the Olympic Peninsula as far back as the 1970s. A subsequent study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and highlighted a significant increase in methane emissions between 2000 and 2009 compared to the prior two decades.

LCA of Central Oregon Receives $152,000 Grant from the Murdock Trust

Based in Vancouver, Washington, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust focuses on providing grant opportunities and enrichment programs to communities throughout the northwestern United States and Alaska. Recently, the Murdock Trust allocated a grant of $152,000 to Central Oregon’s Latino Community Association (LCA) in the city of Bend.

LCA is a group which aims to encourage diversity in Central Oregon through the empowerment of local Latino families. LCA provides individuals with advancement opportunities through workforce education and training programs, health and dental service partnerships, cultural enrichment events, and family support services.

With the provisions of the $152,000 grant including that it be used over the course of three years, the LCA plans to hire a full-time development manager to help advance its mission. The development manager will primarily be involved in assisting the nonprofit’s leadership with its fundraising program, grant application processes, and special events committee. To receive the full $152,000, the LCA will need to raise $26,000 in matching funds during year two of the grant, and $50,000 in matching funds in year three.

To read more about this, please visit https://www.ktvz.com/news/latino-community-association-receives-152k-grant/805359742.

Murdock Trust CEO Talks to Vancouver Business Journal

Founded in 1975 based on the wishes of the late Melvin J. “Jack” Murdock, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of residents from Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and its home state of Washington. Earlier this year, Steve Moore, executive director and CEO of the Murdock Trust, sat down for a public discussion about the organization with Vancouver Business Journal co-publisher John McDonagh.

The talk took place at an event known as the Boardroom Breakfast, where community leaders and other Washington residents gathered to learn about Mr. Moore’s nonprofit organization, his interest in and support for higher education, and his leadership in the city of Vancouver. Mr. Moore discussed his past schooling at the Asbury Theological Seminary, as well as his experience learning from the Dalai Lama in India some years ago. In line with Mr. Moore’s own interest in religious study, he noted that his nonprofit organization is unusual due to its willingness to give grants to both faith-based and non-faith-based organizations.

Mr. Moore noted that the trust he oversees originally aimed to provide grants to groups located across the country, but that leadership later realized concentrating the funds in a single region could have a much deeper impact. Today, the group primarily focuses on financially supporting organizations in the Pacific Northwest. It has bestowed over $950 million in grants and programs since its inception, fueling the work of 6700 organizations in this large regional community.

To read more about this, please visit https://www.vbjusa.com/news/ten-things-we-learned-about-the-m-j-murdock-charitable-trust/.

Nootka Dorm Renovation at Young Life’s Malibu Club

Established in 1975, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has awarded more than $960 million through 6,000 grants to programs that enrich the quality of life for residents of Alaska, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. Organizations that have benefited from Murdock Trust grants include the Young Life Malibu Club.

Once a resort catering to Hollywood’s elite, Young Life’s Malibu Club is now a popular summer camp destination that has hosted a quarter of a million teens since 1954. It offers opportunities to explore nature and engage in outdoor sports like mountain biking, sailing, ziplining, and horseback riding.

The grant from the Murdock Trust has helped the club renovate one of its original buildings, the Nootka dorm. Among other outcomes, the renovation brought the dorm up to code, making it a safe and comfortable place for teens to learn from their peers and build self-confidence.