Impor­tant update to appli­ca­tion process

Impor­tant update to appli­ca­tion process

Grants Reports

Light Will ALWAYS Break Through – Winter 2021 Grants Report

Published April 29, 2021

Image 1: two wolves rub heads. Image 2: a young girl takes notes while looking at plants. Image 3: a woman uses a stethoscope to listen to a young girl's heart. Image 4: a young boy in a red shirt holds a guitar and smiles for the camera. Image 5: a woman holds a jar of worms next to a garden bed. Image 6: a man and a woman in white lab coats work in a lab.

This year’s winter season may have, at times, made us wonder.

As COVID-19 vaccines became available, questions and confusion emerged on how to distribute them broadly, efficiently and equitably. We came to the end of another challenging political season and continued to see violence and protest disrupt the fragile life of communities. Across the nation, the weather itself dealt blows with storms that paralyzed communities for days on end.

It seemed as if the new year was actually 2020 on repeat.

But one thing we have learned through serving communities across the Pacific Northwest for nearly 46 years is that light will always come to break through darkness.

We have seen this as countless individuals and nonprofits have stepped up to serve the diverse and unique needs of their communities and of communities around the world over the years. And we have seen this spirit continues during these trying times. In fact, our Trustees recently had the opportunity to review dozens of new proposals and projects from organizations seeking to serve the common good in a variety of innovative ways. We are grateful to share that they have approved 78 grants totaling $14,536,080 to nonprofits across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. We’ve highlighted a few examples of these projects below, but you can also find a full list of these grants here. 

These organizations, their perseverance and their continued dedication to serve the urgent and ongoing needs of their communities represent the light that breaks through and reminds us to be hopeful and purposeful. While individuals, families and communities struggled against wave after wave of challenge, resilient individuals and organizations continued to forge ahead, planning and thinking and working on ways to help serve the most vulnerable and advance the common good.

And now, just months removed from those darkest days of winter, light shines bright. The light of vaccines administered more rapidly than first projected. Of businesses reopening. Of communities, schools and faith-based groups making plans to once again join together in person. Of individuals and nonprofits continuing to change lives for the better. To all who have served during these historic and challenging times, to all who served in years before and to all who serve now, we thank you for continuing to find ways to help ensure that every individual, family and community has the opportunity to thrive!

– Steve Moore, executive director, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust

Alaska #

Image 1: two young boys look at a puppet. Image 2: two men smile for the camera outside in front of a plane.

Idaho #

Image 1: a young girl wearing a helmet sitting on a horse. Image 2: the entrance to Steele Memorial Hospital. Image 3: a group of students listening to a lecture outside.

Montana #

Image 1: a woman wearing a white lab coat and protective goggles performs a science experiment. Image 2: a young girl holds laughs while holding a beetle in her hand. Image 3: an adult looks over a student's shoulder at a computer screen. Image 4: a sketch of a new Conservation Legacy Center. Image 5: four people wearing white lab coats and protective goggles work together in a lab.

Oregon #

Image 1: a young girl with curly hair smiles in a classroom. Image 2: A puppy looks at the camera. Image 3: a woman with dark hair smiles at the camera. Image 4: a group of houses by a lake. Image 5: a man wearing a cowboy hat stands in a field in front of farming equipment. Image 6: a young boy plays the electric guitar while a young woman helps. Image 7: a group of people standing on a front porch. Image 8: a woman wearing a plaid shirt stocks shelves with groceries.

Washington #

Image 1: two women stand in a swimming pool. Image 2: a wolf looks at the camera. Image 3: two young men smile for the camera in front of a blue wall. Image 4: a group of adults and children, some using crutches or wheelchairs, smile for the camera. Image 5: a young woman sanding wood on a wooden boat. Image 6: the entrance to Pullman Regional Hospital.

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