M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Annual Report 2022

2022Annual
Report

Native Village of Tazlina, Alaska

As I review our 2022 Annual Report, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the significant and diverse array of leaders and institutions who work for human flourishing each day in a variety of ways. This gratitude extends to the Murdock Trust team for their deep commitment to our grantees, stakeholders, and partners. This gratitude animates and grounds a growing vision of the many good possibilities and outcomes we are all working toward this year. 2022 presented our community, our region, and our country with a variety of intractable challenges, both new and chronic. In the face of these challenges, our annual report reflects leaders who continued to believe in possibility: the possibility of personal change, the possibility of organizational and systemic change, and the possibility of societal change that positively impacts lives, families, systems, and communities now and into the future. We see so many reasons for hope and optimism. In this report alone are hundreds of examples of individuals and organizations dedicated to developing innovative, sustainable solutions to the most intractable challenges of our day.

It was an honor to join the Murdock Trust as CEO in 2022 and continue the missional work and philanthropic legacy of our benefactor, Jack Murdock, supporting organizations that help individuals and families flourish. Jack believed strongly in the life-changing impact that can come from fostering innovative ideas and the dedicated service of nonprofit organizations working on the front lines of need. In Jack’s time and today, the Pacific Northwest exists as a hub of these principles. A region flush with dedicated leaders seeking to serve the common good, backed by innovative developments exemplified in our ecosystem of technological and biomedical leadership, to name a few, inspired by a broad array of diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

I was truly touched by the warm welcome I received from the Trust’s staff, but also from countless constituents across the Pacific Northwest who reached out in a spirit of community and connection. The Pacific Northwest stands uniquely poised to model the power and impact that can be found through unconventional coalitions, collaboration throughout our communities, and an innovative spirit that seeks solutions for the betterment of all. Considering our near 50 years of dedicated partnership within this region, we recognize the opportunity we have to play a role in facilitating and helping to model principles that foster innovative solutions to our most persistent challenges.

I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to engage with so many talented, dedicated, hard-working individuals seeking to serve the common good. But my gratitude also comes from what my role at the Trust represents on a much broader scale. My service at the Trust will be one link in that much longer chain of servant leaders (Trustees, senior leaders, and staff) who have worked to uplift the community investments of others. I remain grateful to my predecessor, Steve Moore, for his wisdom and support in our transition and for his 16 years of tireless service to the work of the Trust. The work we do in the future will be built on the foundation laid by Steve and so many other staff and leaders who have worked at the Trust since 1975. The work we do is not confined to ourselves. The tributaries of impact from those who have come before us flow into our work each day, and our impact ripples forward in ways we cannot completely fathom today. I hope our report inspires each of us in our service to others.

I hope that you enjoy our 2022 Annual Report, and that as you read, you can sense the incredible ripples of positive impact that will come from the leaders and organizations highlighted within who make it their mission to serve others. The future of the Pacific Northwest is bright because so many are working for the common good.

In gratitude,

Romanita Hairston
Chief Executive Officer

From the CEO

A Look
Back at
2022

$130m

Total Granted

568

Grants Awarded

$11.9m

to Arts & Culture

$30.1m

to Education

$17.3m

to Health

$66.5m

to Human Services

$5.0m

to Scientific Research

Special Grants Initiatives

Friends of Waterfront Seattle, WA
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National

Though in many ways we have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of those disruptions will be felt for years to come. For that reason, we have been grateful to continue offering special grant initiatives that address many of the areas of life impacted by the pandemic, such as mental health, youth well-being, and the resilience of the arts. In 2022, we also piloted a new team building initiative that provided nonprofit staff with resources to invest in employee care and team development. See all our special grant initiatives below and join us in celebrating the spirit of resilience and renewal at work in Pacific Northwest nonprofits.

Special Grants by Initiative:

COVID-19 Arts & Culture Resilience, $3,566,000 through 7 grants
COVID-19 Camps, $3,366,500 through 10 grants
COVID-19 Immigrant, $445,600 through 3 grants
COVID-19 Mental Health, $948,700 through 7 grants
COVID-19 Refugee, $448,000 through 1 grant
COVID-19 Youth Well-Being, $8,169,060 through 44 grants
Leading Through Change, $4,748,000 through 6 grants
Team Building Care and Development, $5,539,675 through 158 grants

 

Innovation in the Pacific Northwest

“We’re not going to solve society’s most intractable problems and create thriving in the common good by just doing what we’ve always done.” – Romanita Hairston, CEO

It’s easy to think of innovation as the game-changing discoveries that reshape society, like the internet, the mobile phone, or the electric car. But in reality, innovation happens all around us, every day. At its core, innovation is the process of taking something that exists and making it better by introducing something new – a new idea, a new process, a new method of thinking. Smart, hardworking people are innovating every day to solve the modern challenges we face by looking at what exists through a new lens.
 
In 2022, we met with some of the nonprofit leaders and visionaries bringing innovation to Pacific Northwest communities. We are excited to share three videos that spotlight creative solutions to complex challenges facing healthcare, education, and housing. Join us in celebrating the innovative spirit at play in our region with these short films.

  • Supporting Success in the Classroom
    For our 2023 Annual Video, we wanted to take a look at organizations bringing innovative solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges. In this video, we consider how education can be better served by reimagining the way we support our children. A special thank you to Sound Discipline and Code Girls United for their participation in this video!
  • Helping Individuals Find a Safe Home
    For our 2023 Annual Video project, we wanted to take a look at the ways organizations in the Pacific Northwest are finding innovative solutions to some of society’s greatest challenges. In this video, we consider how new models of service and community development are helping address the housing crisis. Special thanks to Bridge Meadows, LEAP Housing, and My House Youth Housing for their participation in this video!
  • Creating Access for Health
    For our 2023 Annual Video project, we wanted to take a look at the ways organizations in the Pacific Northwest are finding innovative solutions to some of society’s greatest challenges. In this video, we consider the ways healthcare needs are served by thinking differently about how we connect people to the individuals who can provide care and support. Special thanks to Pullman Regional Hospital and Every Body Athletics for their participation in this video!

Our Grantees at Work

Our work at the Murdock Trust would not be possible without the thousands of nonprofits we are proud to partner with across the Pacific Northwest. These organizations serve countless individuals and communities through programs in arts and culture, education, health, human services, and scientific research. Below is just a fraction of the many incredible organizations that received a grant in 2022.

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Alaska
Idaho
Montana
Oregon
Washington
Arts & Culture
Education
Health
Human Services
Scientific Research

Cook Inlet Tribal Council

Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) provides social services to approximately 12,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people in the Cook Inlet region of Southcentral Alaska every year. Through five core departments of service – Alaska’s People, Child and Family Services, Employment and Training Opportunities, Recovery Services, and Youth Empowerment Services – CITC serves the eight tribal villages of the region as well as those who make their home in Anchorage. The expansion of CITC’s existing Fab Lab, a collaborative workshop space for computer-driven innovation, will add capacity to its STEM education programs and bring greater digital technologies to people, organizations, and businesses throughout Alaska.

Alaska Huts Association

Alaska may be a land set apart, but thanks to Alaska Huts Association, more and more people are getting to witness its beauty first-hand. With a mission to “build and maintain backcountry lodgings that promote camaraderie, stewardship, outdoor education, and Alaska’s cultural heritage,” Alaska Huts seeks to make backcountry adventures more accessible. Guests can stay in cabins or yurts stocked with essentials for a wilderness retreat, which for some individuals makes a previously inaccessible wilderness adventure possible. Through a Trust grant, Alaska Huts will continue to develop the Glacier Discovery Hut system to provide greater ease of access along the Alaska Railroad.

American Red Cross of Alaska

The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. Its areas of critical service include disaster responses, support for members of the military and their family, blood collection and distribution, health and safety education, and international relief and development. With the support of a Trust grant, the Anchorage chapter will replace an Emergency Response Vehicle that has reached the end of its life. A new vehicle will help the Red Cross Anchorage chapter serve those in Alaska for many more years to come.

Safe Harbor Broadcasting

Safe Harbor Broadcasting operates the only full-time, locally programmed Christian FM station in Homer, Alaska and the surrounding communities. Reaching approximately 16,000 people, this station provides music, local weather, fishing reports, Alaska news, local event announcements, and more. Recently, and with support from local organizations, a broadcast studio was donated to Safe Harbor Broadcasting and is now furnished and equipped to provide programming. A capacity-building support grant will help this station purchase all the necessary broadcast equipment to keep KHCX on the air so that local Alaskans can experience all that this station has to offer.

Spruce Root

Spruce Root helps the people and businesses of Southeast Alaska to reach their full potential through technical assistance, loan capital, and support services so that business owners can increase in self-sufficiency. With a focus on the most rural (population 60–2,000) Alaska Native villages, the nonprofit serves 34 communities across a series of islands. It specializes in assisting businesses that are traditionally underserved by financial institutions, many of which are from low-income communities. A new finance staff member will support the organization’s financial management while increasing Spruce Root’s capacity to advise local businesses.  

Montana Outdoor Science School

Montana Outdoor Science School (MOSS) inspires curiosity, awareness, and understanding of nature and science through educational experiences. A typical year at MOSS includes 60 science summer camps to more than 700 children, ongoing science classes during the school year for 20 one-room schoolhouses in rural communities, and a science course for adults every spring and fall. During the pandemic, MOSS created three additional programs that met community needs, but in order to sustain them post-pandemic they requested funds to hire a development director. This position will help further position MOSS as a vital community organization and build its capacity as it grows in programming and impact.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Big Sky Country

For 48 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Big Sky Country (BBBS) has been serving Southwestern Montana through one-to-one mentoring relationships. BBBS serves over 250 youth across five counties every year through a variety of programs. For example, in the community match program, an adult volunteer mentor is paired with a local child aged 5-15 in need of an adult role model. They meet periodically throughout the year, bonding through activities and conversations that can lead to positive change. Studies show that these programs result in better overall wellbeing for participating children, including improved feelings of connectedness at school, more healthy attitudes toward risky behaviors, and superior academic performance. New staff supported by a Trust grant will expand BBBS’s Youth Mental Health First Aid programs.

Heroes and Horses

Heroes & Horses (H&H) offers combat veterans an alternative solution for defining and approaching their physical and mental scars. Using holistic tools rather than traditional psychotherapy or prescription medications, H&H helps veterans redefine their purpose, rediscover their inner strength, and maximize their potential. Program participants are immersed in a 41-day program at a ranch in southwest Montana that utilizes horses, meditation, mobility programming, and more to help support participants’ physical, mental, and spiritual healing. A Trust grant will support facility construction and expenses for the lodge, gym, volunteer bunkhouse, and student cabins.  

Intermountain Opera Association of Bozeman

The mission of the Intermountain Opera Association of Bozeman (IOB) is to enrich the region with world-class opera, musical theatre, and live music performances. Founded in 1979 as Montana’s only professional opera company, IOB has a legacy of community leadership in the performing arts. When COVID-19 disrupted their regular production schedule, IOB took the chance to reflect on its organizational goals and plan thoughtfully for the future. This reflection led to new investment in expanding IOB’s audience to those who cannot traditionally afford to attend the opera, and collaborating with other local nonprofits to address social and economic needs in the region. For example, IOB has been providing specialized performances for various nonprofits serving victims of domestic abuse or those with developmental disabilities. A Trust grant will support this investment in capacity building through funds for hiring a new development director, so that this community impact can be sustained into the future.

University of Montana

Researchers at the University of Montana will contribute to new understanding of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which is an important analytical approach to separating and identifying analyte mixtures. HPLC instruments are used in pharmaceutical, clinical, biotechnology, food, forensic, and environmental analyses industries, making this research broadly applicable. Trust funds will be used to support graduate and undergraduate student research stipends, equipment, supplies, and travel fees for this project, which will help establish a new HPLC approach that can eventually be brought to market.

Lutherhaven Ministries

For more than 75 years, Lutherhaven Ministries has been serving youth, families, and congregations from its main site on Lake Coeur d’Alene and now from its two additional locations near the Idaho-Montana border. The camp serves more than 13,500 individuals annually from around the region, nation, and world. From family retreats and summer camps to nature days and volunteer weekends, Lutherhaven offers campers a place to encounter nature and gather with others from the faith community. Two new staff positions funded with the support of a Trust grant will help Lutherhaven reposition itself after the pandemic and strengthen its ministry offerings.

Clearwater Valley Hospitals and Clinics

Clearwater Valley Health and its sister hospital, St. Mary’s Health, provide critical health care to communities in North Central Idaho, one of the most remote and rugged regions in the state. Residents in these counties typically experience medical isolation due to remote location, shortage of primary care providers, lack of health insurance, high poverty, and other factors that make healthcare difficult to access. That’s why these two hospitals and eight clinics are so critical to the region, and why the Trust was glad to support their new mobile mammography clinic. This clinic will take mammogram equipment closer to patients so that those who could not otherwise travel to regional clinics can still receive critical screening to detect breast cancer and receive treatment.

Windrider Institute

Windrider Institute is founded on the belief that stories are truly the “storehouses” of culture, and that visual media is the most critical medium of our age. In addition to producing award-winning short and feature documentaries, Windrider hosts a forum at the Sundance Film Festival to stimulate important conversations about faith and film. A Trust grant will help enhance strategic initiatives, propel business models, and strengthen revenue generation in this organization. This grant will help increase the impact of nonprofit storytelling in the Pacific Northwest and across the country.

Boise State University

10-20% of bone injuries do not heal completely, but new research at Boise State University into novel biomaterials may offer a solution. A research partnership between the university and a local high school science teacher at Vallivue High School will investigate the characteristics of biomaterials that could be used as scaffolds for bone repairs, resulting in greater understanding of bone cell physiology. The Trust is glad to support this research that will benefit those who experience delayed bone healing due to underlying genetic conditions.

Moscow High School

Following a Partners in Science grant last year that funded a partnership between a Moscow High School science teacher and a University of Idaho researcher, this grant will continue Moscow High School’s investment in its electronics lab through new equipment and curriculum. This will enable high school students to build an electroencephalogram device to read brain waves, giving them hands-on lab experiences. It will also cultivate curiosity and confidence as they design, test, print, build, and energize their own circuits, and help shape their understanding of possible careers in electronics.

Tacoma Refugee Choir

The Tacoma Refugee Choir (TRC) was founded in 2016 to bring together refugees, immigrants, and friends in a space of authentic expression, connection, and healing through music. Five years later, this choir has welcomed more than 600 people from 55 countries, performed for over 27,000 people at more than 40 events, and produced eight music videos reaching over 130,000 people. Every Tuesday, TRC gathers for structured and unstructured times of singing, sharing, and community-building, becoming a surrogate family for many who have newly settled in the United States. With the support of a Trust grant, a new director of development will help this nonprofit increase its capacity and grow its reach through community engagement and outreach.

Refugee Women’s Alliance

Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) supports thousands of low-income immigrant and refugee households annually. Its programs include after-school tutoring for younger students, post-secondary navigation and enrollment support for high school and college students, homelessness prevention, ESL classes, job training and placement, mental health counseling, and more. These programs address immediate needs while providing these households with a solid foundation for long-term success as they settle into their new homes in the state of Washington. A Trust grant will support crucial improvements to ReWA’s donor, grant, and client-level databases, helping the organization to streamline its data collection and build staff capacity so they can continue to serve their community.

HopeCentral

HopeCentral provides pediatric primary care for the linguistically and economically diverse neighborhoods of Southeast Seattle. 50% of children ages 5-17 who live near the clinic speak a language other than English at home, making a pediatric care center that is responsive to those cultural differences important for the Seattle community. HopeCentral’s model focuses on fewer patients and longer appointment times, as well as 24/7 phone access to doctors. This paradigm improves health outcomes for children with complex health needs. HopeCentral is also a Washington Autism Center of Excellence, providing autism diagnostic evaluation to more than 200 children per year. A Trust grant will help HopeCentral establish a department devoted to wraparound care for children with autism spectrum disorder, filling a critical care gap in South Seattle.

Reading Partners

Reading Partners builds lifelong readers by empowering communities to provide individualized reading instruction through data-informed, one-on-one tutoring. For 45 minutes twice per week, student-tutor pairs follow a structured, research-based curriculum with tailored instruction for that student. In addition to tutoring, Reading Partners offers home involvement strategies and engages families through literacy resources and access to a digital library with thousands of texts. These methods have proven successful to the more than 200 students Reading Partners serves, 80% of whom identify as students of color and 43% of whom are English Language Learners. New staff will help this nonprofit expand literacy tutoring into new school communities.  

Seattle University

A teacher-researcher collaboration at Seattle University will fund important research into the mechanism and regulation of a defense system called BREX (“bacteriophage exclusion”) that is widely present in microbial genomes. Over two summers, a teacher from a local high school will gain hands-on research experience with a range of lab techniques, eventually taking charge of the project and working independently to address the questions driving this project. This partnership will not only invigorate the teacher’s scientific work and re-inspire her classroom students, but it will aid a Seattle University researcher in gathering critical data for publication and further research.

Western University of Health Sciences

Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) is one of the largest and most integrated health professional universities in the nation. In 2011, it expanded into the Pacific Northwest, opening a campus in Lebanon, Oregon, a region with a shortage of physical and occupational health professionals. A capital expansion project will build out classrooms, offices, research space, and a pro bono health clinic, supporting this campus and its two new doctoral-level programs that will particularly address the needs of underserved communities. A Trust grant will help support this project through funds to transform an existing building into a modern center of teaching, learning, and health care.

Portland Taiko

Portland Taiko blends the tradition of Japanese taiko drumming with an Asian American sense of identity, creativity, and empowerment. Its 30-40 performances each year, in addition to school assemblies, quarterly classes, introductory workshops, and special events, provide its Portland community with artistic and cultural experiences year-round. To broaden its reach, Portland Taiko also performs on short tours throughout Washington and Oregon, sharing the energy of taiko drumming with audiences of all ages. The hiring of an artistic director with Trust support will enable Portland Taiko to expand its educational programming, nurture students to become performers, revive and expand youth programs, develop new artistic collaborations, and more.

Willamette Valley Health

Willamette Valley Health (WVH) provides comfort and care to hospice patients facing the end of life, as well as grief services to families and community members. In addition to regular hospice services, WVH offers music therapy, pet therapy, community grief care services, massage therapy, veterans services, and more. WVH serves more than 1,000 hospice patients each year, most of whom are elderly and many who are low-income and living in rural suburban areas. WVH is also the only hospice agency in the area that provides specialized services for pediatric patients, creating a multi-generational community that travels the journey of loss and grief together through community bereavement events, assistance to grieving families during holidays, and more. New staff will help expand the existing Grief Counseling services into the broader community so that those who might not typically access this care can benefit from free intervention and services.

Union Gospel Mission

Union Gospel Mission in Portland serves men, women, and children living on the streets who are seeking to escape poverty, addiction, and domestic violence. They do this through three primary services: Homeless Services supports houseless neighbors through meals, clothing, hygiene items, and emergency cold weather shelter; Search & Rescue brings resources and connection directly to homeless camps throughout Portland; and LifeChange offers a long-term residential recovery program to address the root causes of homelessness and encourage lasting change. A new Center for Women and Their Children, supported by a Trust grant, will provide housing, meals, and services for 80 women and their children experiencing homelessness in this city – the largest full-service homeless recovery center in the area for women and youth.

Providence Portland Medical Foundation

Research at the Providence Cancer Institute is making important advancements in cancer immunotherapy. Despite tremendous progress in cancer therapy development, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the United States. One major barrier to cancer immunotherapy is that the immune system cells that fight cancer are killed when they enter tumors. Researchers at Providence Cancer Institute have generated an antibody that binds and blocks the proteins that kills these important cells, and early testing has shown that this antibody is highly effective and enables the immune system to fight cancer more effectively. A Trust grant will support the development and commercialization of this novel cancer immunotherapy drug.

Lewis & Clark College

Three new faculty in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology will support science education and research at Lewis & Clark College, a private, liberal arts college in Portland. These faculty will fill gaps in scientific instruction and support new research in their disciplines, while benefiting from Trust-supported mentorship. These grants are part of the Murdock Trust Research Start-Up grants program, which supports new faculty in the sciences to assist them with initiating their research and expanding investment in the sciences across the Pacific Northwest.

Alpha International

Alpha International exists to equip and serve the global church through a series of 11 sessions exploring aspects of the Christian faith. In addition to these video sessions, it offers The Marriage Course, a free resource designed to refresh and strengthen relationships and equip couples with proactive tools to navigate marriage. Because of the ways the pandemic strained relationships with the added burdens of health concerns, lockdowns, homeschooling children, and more, marital support is needed now more than ever. The Marriage Courses have been run in 127 countries for over 1 million couples in more than 30 languages. Trust funds will help Alpha International optimize its digital platforms to make these courses more accessible for churches, supporting relational renewal around the globe.

Wagner Hills Farm Society

Wagner Hills Farm Society in Langley, British Columbia is a place of healing, growth, and transformation for men and women on the road to recovery. Using a personalized and holistic approach, Wagner Hills offers opportunities for restorative work, holistic counseling, formational teachings, personalized recovery plans, meaningful community, and integrated alumni. By providing these opportunities for genuine connection and meaningful work, Wagner Hills becomes a place where men and women can unpack their life experiences and find a new way forward, in step with one another. A Trust grant will support a capital project to build a 3-story residential building at their Men’s Campus.

Playworks Education Energized

Playworks Education Energized is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to bring out the best in every child. The nonprofit uses play as an entry point to increase physical activity and teach social/emotional life skills, showing educators how to use recess to model and teach fundamental skills that children need to succeed. Founded in 1996 with Pacific Northwest operations launched in 2009, Playworks has supported millions of children through thousands of school partnerships. A new marketing staff member will help support Playworks’ digital products and support fundraising efforts that will expand and deepen its impact across the Pacific Northwest.

Moving Picture Institute

The Moving Picture Institute (MPI) is a media production house and talent incubator that creates and supports film and video content designed to inspire, entertain, and educate audiences with stories about human freedom. With a nonpartisan approach, MPI’s work attracts prominent media and wins major awards and screenings at top-tier film festivals. A Trust grant will support a staff retreat and strategic planning session that will help MPI further develop their strategic plan and connect as a team and board after years of remote work and disruptions due to COVID-19.

More 2022 Grants Awarded Details

 

Enrichment

The late, great poet Mary Oliver once gave three pithy rules for how best to live a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.

At the Murdock Trust, we have the profound honor to do just that. We pay attention to the needs of our neighbors in the Pacific Northwest, and as Mr. Rogers once told us, we’re in the business of “looking for the helpers” and empowering them. As these helpers fulfill their remarkable roles and callings, we hear reports of all of the amazing work happening in the field, and time after time, year over year, we are astonished. 

In 2022, the Enrichment team at the Murdock Trust, with the help of over 40 faculty and coaches, were able to walk alongside over 600 organizations and over 1,600 individual leaders through 36 programs designed to build capacity in nonprofits.

In our development, trainings, convenings, and capacity-building educational work, we have a front row seat to your organizations. From gatherings of executive directors using fly fishing as a modality of healing to hosting the largest undergraduate scientific research conference in our region, we see a vibrant, dynamic network of nonprofits breathing intentional, innovative life into our region. Through thoughtful public service and new forays into the entrepreneurial spirit, you remind your communities of the good, the true, and the beautiful. 

And here at the Murdock Trust, we get to tell about it. It is our privilege to spread the good news far and wide of the communities you impact and the lives you transform locally, nationally, and globally. How you pay attention to the faces, voices, and stories that surround you. How you use athletics and the arts to offer belonging and how you use scientific research to bring hope and life. You heal, educate, and uplift. You see, serve, and care. 

The Murdock Trust’s commitment to enrich executive leaders, governing boards, fundraising efforts, and scientific education through our key enrichment programs is another way we see the power of the good work you do. What a gift it is to partner with you, to invest in your organizations through our conferences, cohorts, and convenings, to hear your stories of growth, improvement, innovation, and expansion and then to spread the word that good is still alive and still beautiful.

Thank you for being astonishing. 

Kimberly Thornbury
Vice President, Nonprofit Leadership & Development

The 2022 Murdock College Science Research Conference
Vision & Call 2022

Changing Faces in 2022

Steve Moore
CEO Emeritus
After sixteen years of esteemed service, Steve Moore retired from his role as Executive Director/CEO of the Murdock Trust. We could not be more grateful for his many years of wise leadership and faithful stewardship of the Trust.
Romanita Hairston
CEO
We were honored to welcome Romanita Hairston as the Murdock Trust’s fifth CEO in July. Romanita brings a robust background in nonprofit, for-profit, philanthropic, and board service sectors to her role that will be invaluable to the Trust as we advance our mission to serve the common good.
Camille Cotton
Grants Manager
Camille Cotton stepped away from her role as Grants Manager at the Trust after eleven years of exemplary service. We are excited to cheer on her next career step, and could not be more grateful for her service to the Trust.
Camrynne Six
Grants Manager
We are excited that Camrynne Six joined our team as Grants Manager, bringing an extensive background overseeing operations in the education space.
Tammy Bjorkman
Investment Administrator
After nearly a decade at the Trust, Tammy Bjorkman retired from her role as Investment Administrator. Tammy left an indelible mark on our Finance and Investment teams, and on the Trust as an organization. We are full of gratitude!
Lisa Torres
Grants Impact and Reporting Manager
We were glad to welcome Lisa as our first-ever Grants Impact and Reporting Manager. Lisa joined the Trust following a career of more than two decades supporting grantmaking work in the Midwest.
Amy Dickerson
Program Coordinator for Enrichment
After providing incredible structure and coordination for our Enrichment programs and convenings, Amy Dickerson left her role at the Trust for a dream job at her alma mater. We are cheering her on in this next step!
Hannah Pick
Program Coordinator for Enrichment
We were thrilled to welcome Hannah Pick to our Enrichment team to help build the capacity of nonprofit leaders, bringing her decade of experience in administrative support at universities to her role.
Jenna Watson
Communications Assistant
Jenna joined the Trust as our first-ever Communications Assistant, and is providing support and structure to our website, video projects, reporting, social media, and events.
Katie Wise
Graduate Research Fellow
We were glad to welcome Katie Wise and her valuable professional background to the Trust in support of a variety of projects for our Enrichment team.
Christopher Caudle
Intern & Graduate Fellow
After spending his summer at the Trust as our 2022 intern, Christopher moved into the role of Graduate Fellow where he has supported our Enrichment and Finance teams.
View the Full Trust Team

 

Celebrating Steve Moore

After 16 esteemed years, Steve Moore retired as Executive Director of the Murdock Trust in 2022. No words could describe Steve’s impact on every aspect of the Trust’s work. During his tenure, he led 64 grants meetings, oversaw the dispersion of more than 4,400 grants totaling $771 million, and helped support more than 2,000 organizations – more than half of which were new to partnering with the Trust. In every way, Steve was a convener: gathering grantees and partners new and old into the Trust’s community just as easily as he pulled friends and staff members into conversation. His welcoming presence and intentional care with every interaction translated into his daily work leading the Trust. There is not one person on Trust staff whose life Steve has not touched for the better.

Throughout his career, Steve’s impact had ripple effects far beyond the Trust and even beyond our region. Few gave more of their time and energy than Steve to the causes that serve the common good, whether mentoring interns, serving on boards, making connections, giving talks, or hosting gatherings. A thinker, mentor, and leader by nature, Steve helped the Trust grow in thoughtful and intentional ways to better serve our region while maintaining the integrity of our mission. His 16 years of leadership forever changed the Murdock Trust for the better.

As Winston Churchill once said, “We make a life by what we give.” Few have given more of themselves to our region than Steve Moore. We could not be more grateful.

There are not appropriate words to describe the phenomenal impact Steve Moore has had on the Murdock Trust. The contributions he made to our constituents and the broader Pacific Northwest community shall not be forgotten. He helped build and strengthen a culture of thoughtful generosity that will ripple positively through our community for many, many years to come. We are eternally grateful for all that he has done to steward Jack Murdock’s legacy and advance our mission.

John Castles, Trustee, Murdock Trust

Steve has been a model of humble, effective leadership. Steve always sought to make the Murdock Trust the best it could be, listening to stakeholders, responding with actions rather than words, and always with respect. Our mutual trust was so strong that we were able to collaborate on countless efforts together that we hope have benefitted the social sector. Surely the expression, “a gentleman and a scholar” was penned with Steve in mind.

Diane Kaplan, Former CEO and President, Rasmuson Foundation

Celebrating Tammy Bjorkman

After nine faithful years, Tammy Bjorkman retired from her role as Investment Administrator this year. Since her first day on the job supporting our Investment and Finance teams, Tammy brought a hospitable, warm spirit to her work. The Trust strives to be “the best client possible” for our investment managers and service providers, and Tammy was often the first voice or email to communicate this commitment and deliver on that promise. She managed calendars, coordinated travel arrangements, prepared legal documents, helped plan Trust events, and so much more – all with a commitment to excellence that would have made Jack proud.

In addition to her quality work, Tammy’s humor and positive energy was sure to light up every staff meeting, and she never failed to make us laugh at staff parties and retreats. Outside of work, her care for her family, her community work, and her advocacy for adults with developmental disabilities was an inspiration to us all. As she embraces retirement, we know that she continues to brighten every space she enters and leave it better than she found it, as she did with the Trust.

Tammy’s service to the Trust for the last nine years has been truly exceptional. In every interaction with investment managers, she served them with true hospitality and care, delivering gold-standard work. She kept our team organized and connected in a way that made our work more effective. She has been greatly missed on our team, though we celebrate her well-earned retirement.

Elmer Huh, Chief Investment Officer, Murdock Trust

The Murdock Trust struck gold when Tammy joined the team. Everyone knew when Tammy was involved with a project or event, every detail would be taken care of. She brought grace, creativity, professionalism, and humor to her work every day….not to mention her love and knowledge for birds! We all miss you, Tammy! Enjoy your retirement!

Stefanie Narhi, Manager of Executive Office & Trustee Relations, Murdock Trust

Tammy brought the utmost joy, life, and laughter to our investment team. Everything was better when she was involved. Our relationships with investment managers thrived under her care and stewardship and she was a standard bearer for the Murdock culture we all strive for – one of hospitality, warmth, and serving others. Thank you for nine incredible years, Tammy.

Mark Pyatt, Chief Investment Officer, Alice Lee Lund Charitable Trust

Celebrating Camille Cotton

We could not be more grateful for Camille Cotton’s 11 years of dedicated service to the Murdock Trust. After joining our Grants team in 2011, Camille quickly became a valued member in supporting grantees and our grantmaking process. Most recently as Grants Manager, she helped process more than 3,500 applications, supervised the editorial process for grant proposals, distributed grants data, helped develop our current grants management portal, and much more. She also brought her creative eye and writing skills to the development of the communications team, helping pioneer our blog and social media presence and tell stories through our Quarterly and Annual Reports.

However, all who worked with Camille know that she isn’t just an amazing coworker; she is a dear friend to many. She inspires us all with the way she works passionately toward inclusion for those with disabilities. Camille led by example and advocated with care, making the Murdock Trust staff better for it.

Our grants process would not be where it is today without Camille’s thoughtful and tireless work the last 11 years. Nearly every aspect of our process has benefited from her careful attention, skillful management, and heartfelt work ethic. Not to mention, she was always a true joy to work with and is deeply missed on our team.

Dana Miller, Senior Program Director for Grants Programs, Murdock Trust

Camille truly exemplified the Murdock Trust’s mission of serving others “… in creative and sustainable ways.” From her work to assist applicants and grantees through the grants process to her ability to create and craft grantee stories on our blog and annual reports, her heart to serve others and impact the communities in which we serve were both remarkable and inspiring.

Conner Peckham, Business Systems Analyst, Murdock Trust

Camille is fully dedicated to all aspects of her life—family, friends, work, school, other business adventures, favorite family trips. Because of her, we will always remember the importance of friendship. She is a true gem.

Marybeth Stewart Goon, Senior Grants Manager, Murdock Trust

 

Carroll College, MT
Lahai Health, WA

Total Assets, Grants Approved, & Grants Paid

Hover over the graph for more information. Amounts in thousands. Example: $1,140,574 = $1,140,574,000

Asset Diversification

The Murdock Trust divides all potential investments into three “Buckets”: Bucket 1 (low risk/return), Bucket 2 (medium risk/return), and Bucket 3 (high risk/return). The Trust considers all types of investment products—without preconceived ideas or built-in biases—for all three Buckets. Our investment objectives follow directly from this three-Bucket allocation strategy. More information on this strategy ›

Target Allocation

Bucket  

low Risk/Return

Investments
  • Cash
  • Fixed Income
  • Real Estate (debt-back, lower risk)
  • Private Credit (lower risk)
  • Infrastructure (lower risk)

Bucket  

medium Risk/Return

Investments
  • Public Equity
  • Private Credit/Mezzanine (higher risk)
  • Real Estate (equity financed, higher risk)
  • Distressed Debt
  • Private Equity Secondaries
  • Infrastructure (higher risk)
  • Evergreen Strategies

Bucket  

high Risk/Return

Investments
  • Private Equity
  • Venture Capital
  • Growth Equity
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Meet Jack Murdock

The late Melvin J. “Jack” Murdock, co-founder of Tektronix, Inc., was an entrepreneurial leader with business interests throughout the Pacific Northwest. Born and raised in southeast Portland, Jack turned a passion for radio and electronics repair into one of the largest employers in Oregon’s history through innovation and a commitment to building a workplace where his team could thrive.

Upon his untimely death in 1971, his will directed three Trustees to establish a charitable trust “to nurture and enrich the educational, cultural, social and spiritual lives of individuals, families and community.”

Watch the full documentary ›

The Jack Murdock Story – Trailer

Our Mission

To serve individuals, families and communities across the Pacific Northwest by providing grants and enrichment programs to organizations that strengthen the region’s educational, social, spiritual and cultural base in creative and sustainable ways.

‹ Visit the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Website

© 2012-2024 M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

Visit the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Website
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The Trust guides nonprofit organizations through every level of their development through grants and other resources.

Grants and Programming

Grant Resources

Sectors the Trust is committed to enriching in the Pacific Northwest:

Grant Stories

Honoring Native American Heritage Month: Nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest

Stories of Impact: Oregon State University

The Trust has a wealth of knowledge and experience that can make all the difference to you and your organization.

Resource Categories

Featured Resources

Starting a Nonprofit

How to Put Your Best Foot Forward When Applying for a Grant

News & Announcements

Honoring Native American Heritage Month: Nonprofits in the Pacific Northwest

Murdock College Science Research (MCSR) Conference 2024 

Why Faith-Based Nonprofits Matter