M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust is a private, non-profit foundation based in Vancouver, Washington.

M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Named afterMelvin Jack Murdock
Established1975
Legal statusCharitable organization
HeadquartersVancouver, Washington
Region
Pacific Northwest
Executive director
Romanita Hairston[1]
Key people
Jeff Grubb
Jeff Pinneo
John Castles
(Trustees)
Main organ
Board of Trustees
DisbursementsUS$ 66.3 million
(year total, 2019)[2]
US$ 1 billion
(cumulative total, as of 2019)[3]
Endowment (1971)$80 million USD (91 million by 1975)
Websitemurdocktrust.org

History

Following the 1971 death of Tektronix co-founder Jack Murdock, $90 million from his estate was transferred to a charitable foundation which, in 1975, became the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.[4][5] The Trust was initially overseen by Tektronix General Counsel James B. Castles, attorney Paul L. Boley, and Walter P. Dyke as trustees, with Sam C. Smith appointed as its first CEO.[6]

The Trust is led by executive director Romanita Hairston and a board of three trustees: Jeff Grubb, Jeff Pinneo, and John W. Castles (son of James B. Castles).[7]

Activities

Based in Vancouver, Washington, the trust funds grant-making for projects in the areas of scientific research, arts and culture, education, health and human service needs for non-profits operating in the Pacific Northwest — specifically Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.[3] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Murdock Trust expanded its grant-making to include emergency support for non-profit organizations utilizing an abridged application.[8][9] The trust organizes training and educational programs for educators, students and non-profit professionals, and works to further an expansion of opportunities for collaboration through the convening of groups to discuss various issues and challenges.[10]

The Murdock Trust's funding priorities were criticized in 2016 for its donations to political organizations,[11] specifically, the $975,000 given to the Alliance Defending Freedom, including $375,000 in 2016.[12] The Alliance Defending Freedom has been described as an anti-LGBTQ organization and was designated a hate group in February 2017 by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[13] Murdock trustee Jeff Grubb responded to this criticism by stating that "the Murdock Trust does not give money to anti-gay or anti-women groups."[14] The Murdock Trust faced additional scrutiny from philanthropy oversight organizations for their $240,000 donation in 2015 to the Freedom Foundation,[15] a group based in Olympia, Washington that seeks to "bankrupt and defeat" government employees' labor unions, according to one of their fundraising letters.[16]

References
  1. "M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust announces new CEO". The Columbian. 26 September 2023.
  2. Hastings, Patty (January 22, 2020). "M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust hits milestones in giving". The Columbian.
  3. Hastings, Patty (June 28, 2019). "Murdock Charitable Trust passes $1 billion in giving". The Columbian. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  4. Pat Jollota (2012). "Legendary Locals of Vancouver, Washington". Arcadia Publishing. p. 124. Retrieved 2017-10-18.
  5. "Melvin J. Murdock". Clark History. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  6. "History". M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust. MurdockTrust.org. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  7. "M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust announces new trustee". Daily Insider. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  8. Yorke, Joanna (2020-05-05). "M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust pivots their process amid COVID-19 pandemic". Vancouver Business Journal. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  9. "How 25 Big Grant Makers Are Responding to the Covid Crisis". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. 2020-04-30. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  10. "Enrichment Program Convenings". M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.
  11. Monahan, Rachel (2016-04-11). "A Vancouver Charity is Funding a Group Backing North Carolina's Anti-Transgender "Bathroom Bill"". Willamette Week. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  12. "Grants Awarded Archive". M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.
  13. "Alliance Defending Freedom". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  14. Mathew Kish (May 1, 2017). "Controversial Wells Fargo executive announces retirement". Portland Business Journal.
  15. Petegorsky, Dan (2016-03-16). "Local Foundation Provides Surprising Support for Right-Wing Campaign". National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. NCRP. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
  16. Greenhouse, Steven (2016-03-10). "The Door-to-Door Union Killers: Rightwing Foundation Takes Labor Fight to the Streets". The Guardian. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
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