Who We Help

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

• Arts & Culture and Education

• Civic Engagement & Community Services

• Health & Environmental Stewardship

• Nonprofit Leadership & Development

• Scientific Research

The Trust focuses its funding on two main areas: Strategic Projects and Initiatives Grants. 

Strategic Project Grants

Capacity-building awards for mission-focused projects and infrastructure investment.

• Capital Grants- The Murdock Trust regularly makes grants that support construction, renovation, land purchase, and other capital projects. In most cases, we prefer to receive requests for these types of projects once your organization has raised some of the needed funds.

Initiative Grants

A variety of grant programs focused on scientific research, education, and calling.

• Undergraduate Colleges & Universities- the Murdock Trust supports five initiatives for science research at four-year undergraduate institutions across the Pacific Northwest: Research Start-Up Grants for New Science Faculty, Murdock College Research Program for Natural Sciences, Murdock College Science Research Program, RAISE (Research Across Institutions for Scientific Empowerment)—a program of the Collaborative Research Alliance and Murdock College Science Research Program, as well as the Lynwood W. Swanson Scientific Research Award and the Lynwood W. Swanson Promise for Scientific Research Award.'

• Research Universities & Biomedical Institutes- The Murdock Trust supports groundbreaking research by helping to facilitate lab discoveries and bring innovation to where it’s needed most. Grants support the purchase of scientific research instrumentation and the commercialization of bench discoveries at select major research universities, and biomedical institutes.

• Partner in Science- When secondary school science teachers and pre-service science teachers engage in cutting-edge research alongside a scientific mentor, it enriches their students and schools. Teachers become part of a teacher-researcher cohort and learn strategies for translating their research experience into authentic inquiry learning in their classrooms.

• Vision & Call Internships- The Vision & Call Internship program allows interns to consider their vocational direction while gaining meaningful work experience in a nonprofit setting. Grants help faith-based organizations across the Pacific Northwest develop ministry internship programs for young adults, typically traditional-aged college students and recent graduates.