Foundation awarded $57 Million in Grants to Pacific Northwest nonprofits in 2017
For Immediate Release
June 29, 2018
Vancouver WA – Today, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust released its 2017 Annual Report, detailing a record year of grantmaking from the 43-year-old foundation. In total, the Murdock Trust gave more than $57 million through more than 300 grants to nonprofits across the Pacific Northwest.
“We are fortunate to live in a region filled with such a diverse collection of organizations working to serve the common good,” said Steve Moore, executive director, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. “Our work in 2017 is as much a testament to the dedication and hard work of the countless nonprofits, leaders and volunteers serving our local communities as it is to the legacy of our benefactor, Jack Murdock. We are grateful that we are able to play a small part in the life-changing work taking place in every corner of our region.”
Founded in 1975 by the estate of Melvin “Jack” Murdock, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust supports organizations that strengthen the region’s educational, social, spiritual and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways. Serving nonprofits in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, the Murdock Trust invests in projects across the health and human services, arts and culture, scientific research and educational sectors.
Jack Murdock, co-founder of Tektronix, passed away in 1971 in a float plane accident on the Columbia River. He left the bulk of his estate to the Murdock Trust to continue the mission of philanthropy and service that he began during his lifetime. From an original investment of $91 million, the Murdock Trust has grown its assets to more than $1.2 billion. As a result of this strategy, the Murdock Trust has provided more than $951 million in funding to more than 3,000 nonprofit organizations through grants and educational training programs since it was created.
“The fruit of our work grows on the trees of others,” said Moore. “We are pleased to share the exciting news of our work in 2017, but we are also humbled to look back on the last 43 years and see the impact of all the organizations that we have been fortunate to partner with and how they have helped support and uplift their communities. We are excited to see what the future holds for the Pacific Northwest, and we look forward to continuing to partner with the many nonprofits and community organizations working tirelessly to serve our region.”
The full M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust 2017 Annual Report, including a complete list of grant recipients, can be found online here.
About the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, created by the will of the late Melvin J. (Jack) Murdock, provides grants to organizations in five states of the Pacific Northwest—Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington—that seek to strengthen the region’s educational and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways. Since its inception in 1975, the Trust has awarded more than 6,400 grants totaling more than $951 million. It is one of the most active regional or national foundations working in the Pacific Northwest. For more information, find the Murdock Trust on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and the web.
