Daily Featured Foundation - 1/7/26

1/7/2026

Here is today’s featured foundation.

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

Website: https://murdocktrust.org/

Mission & Purpose: To serve individuals, families, and communities across the Pacific Northwest. The trust invests in transformational ideas and organizations that strengthen the region's educational, social, spiritual, and cultural base.

Broad Funding Guidelines: Grantmaking is focused on Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. They are a major regional funder that supports Health, Human Services, Education, and Arts & Culture. They utilize a Letter of Inquiry process and are known for their rigorous, relationship-based approach. They are one of the few major foundations that explicitly funds faith-based organizations alongside secular ones.

Featured Opportunity: The "Strategic Project Grants" are their core offering. These are designed to help organizations take a "step function" leap in growth—often funding a new staff position (like a Development Director) or a new program launch over a three-year declining scale (e.g., 100% year 1, 67% year 2, 33% year 3).

Recommendation: A growing nonprofit in the Pacific Northwest that is ready to hire its first full-time Development Director or Program Director and needs a multi-year grant to subsidize the salary while they ramp up revenue.