90 survey respondents
Location: 703 Broadway St Ste 710, Vancouver, 98660 WA
EIN: 23-7456468
89%
11%
40 hours
Median
89%
11%
90%
10%
2017 Deadlines:
Types of Grants Awarded:
Geographic Focus:
For Fiscal Year
Total Assets:
Total Grants:
Change in Assets FY :
Amount of Grants to Minnesota Nonprofits:
Largest Grant:
Smallest Grant:
Average Grant:
Reviewer 6492 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
Confirm your organization is eligible BEFORE submitting an LOI. The Trust does not screen out ineligible organizations until AFTER a full application is submitted, so you'll want to avoid spending 40+hours completing an application for nothing.
Washington
Applied and not funded
2019
Average
40
We are sorry to hear that any nonprofit has this experience while working with the Murdock Trust. We know that time is a precious commodity for the nonprofits serving the Pacific Northwest and teams rarely have time to invest in an effort that does not contribute positively to their stated mission which is why we seek to provide multiple opportunities throughout our grants process to ensure that an applicant and the Trust are a proper fit.
On our website, we provide guidance as to the types of organizations and projects that we typically support. If an organization feels that their program aligns with those guidelines, we request that they complete a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) equivalent to 2-3 pages of writing that provides us a deeper insight into the potential fit before moving on to our application process. In addition, if an applicant has questions about whether their project may be a fit with the Murdock Trust, we encourage them to reach out to us directly at any phase of the process and our program directors are happy to answer questions and provide guidance.
Reviewer 8637 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
They are very transparent about what they do. A phone call is definitely the way to start the conversation. They will respond.
Gives more than money, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Responsive
Montana
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2019
Good
In the area I work in they are doing what they hoped to, which is leverage their resources to increase overall capacity of nonprofits to carry out their missions. I can't speak as well to areas they fund in that I don't know as much about.
Good
Fund admin!
They require a lot from grantees, but they invest deeply - beyond the money. And there are no surprises... you know all the way along what's working and what isn't.
I think they engage deeply with the grantee. They see us as a partner.
80
We are grateful for your positive feedback on our process and appreciate your constructive input as to ways we could expand the projects we fund.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
It is important to know that the Trust covers only brand new expenses. So all work proposed will expand your organization's budget and it is important to think through how to sustain that work beyond the Trust's funding.
Culturally sensitive, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Responsive
Oregon
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2019
Good
We wish in retrospect that we worked closer with a program officer as it would have been helpful in developing our proposal budget and attachments. More specifically, it could have cut down on updating our attachments following our site visit. Since being connected with our program officer, it has been extremely smooth and they always makes themselves available and are very helpful.
Good
We are inspired by their commitment to serve and support diverse communities across the Pacific Northwest and are proud to be a part of their portfolio.
A few of the instructions for the financial attachments did not match current Trust practices and may need an update. We also hope that the Trust may consider funding indirect/shared costs during the first year of a grant period to help nonprofits (particularly small ones) pay for cost of doing business, hosting a program expansion.
Our program officer was particularly helpful as they were familiar with our organization and our past relationship with the Trust.
The Trust is a leader in investing in hard to fund areas such as development, technology improvements, etc. Their willingness to support these areas significantly help nonprofits grow strategically.
50
We appreciate your thoughtful feedback on our process and your kind words regarding the Trust's commitment to fund capacity building projects that help serve and support the mission of our grantees.
We are grateful that our Program Directors were able to help create a smooth application process for your organization. We will take a closer look at our instruction documents o ensure they are fully up to date.
Reviewer 4477 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
They are great for larger projects and capital expenditure. The grant officers are very approachable and helpful.
Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Risk taker, Culturally sensitive, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
Oregon
Current or former grantee
Funded for amount requested
2019
Good
Good
The are focused on their goals and invest accordingly in a wide range of organizations.
Consider funding longitudinal work that addresses current silos and inefficiencies between health, social and educational sectors including best practice for government funders
They are a very important funder for the Northwest
Easy to follow and clear instructions; long range view; equity lens; working with grantees during application process to ensure projects are good fit
40
We appreciate your ongoing commitment to serve the common good of the Pacific Northwest and your thoughtful input regarding potential areas for growth by the Trust.
Reviewer 6336 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
Research the foundation and ask questions so your mission aligns with their mission and goals.
Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Culturally sensitive, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Responsive
Oregon
Current or former grantee
Funded for greater amount
2019
Good
We really appreciated the site visit. The Murdock personnel were helpful and informative. Their accessibility helped us not feel isolated and "on your own."
Good
Exceptionally well.
Keep doing what you are doing.
Reaching out to smaller areas of the state.
25
We believe in-person engagement between the Trust and the nonprofits we serve through our site visits is a critical element of building relationships and ensuring projects are set up for long term success. We appreciate your feedback!
Reviewer 955 - Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
This was our first application to the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, and we found the process to be quite smooth. The turnaround time for both the LOI to be reviewed/accepted and for the final evaluation/board review to take place was shorter for us than the website had led us to believe (though I'm not sure whether this is typical). Our program officer was genuinely interested in our project and organization and was communicative throughout the process.
Positive leader in the field, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Responsive
Washington
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2019
Good
Our program officer was communicative throughout the process, from scheduling the site visit to offering feedback on our application, to calling when she said she would to let us know about the status of our grant determination (probably knowing that we were waiting with bated breath).
Good
From our limited experience with them (this was our first grant application and award), they seem to be accomplishing their current philanthropic goals. They seem to fund a variety of projects and organizations across the region.
I'd be interested to hear more feedback from the board trustees about our application. Were they excited to hear from us as a first-time applicant? What did they like about our application vs. what didn't they like? What could we have done to make our application stronger (to potentially secure full funding)? What do they want to see from us for our next application?
Their funding of capital projects and capital campaigns in the Northwest is pretty incredible, and so critical to the regional nonprofit ecosystem. Very few funders can have the impact on a capital campaign that the Murdock Charitable Trust can (and does), which is a service in itself given how much nonprofits give of their time and resources to capital campaigns.
15
Thank you so much for this feedback regarding our process and your relationship with your Program Director.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
The Trust invests time and energy into developing relationships with their grantees. They view projects collaboratively and rarely fund a project without a financial investment from their grantees. They seem to enjoy site visits and are actually pretty delightful. We have worked with them on several projects over many years and appreciate the care and attention they invest in ensuring a successful investment of their funds.
Positive leader in the field, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, Responsive
Washington
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2019
Good
Good
We really enjoy our relationship with our program officer and appreciate the ongoing communication about their initiatives.
0
We do believe that site visits provide invaluable, in-person connection and engagement that strengthens the entire grantmaking process. Thank you for your feedback!
Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
The Trust provides clear directives and outlines for the information they need in order to consider your request. Follow directions, they are wonderful to work with.
Washington
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2019
Bad
Grant web interface is easy to navigate. The employees at every level are receptive and ready to assist.
Bad
32
Thank you for your kind feedback regarding our staff!
Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust really personalizes the experience. We were impressed by how quickly they responded to us at each step of the process, and how well our Program Officer guided us, particularly in preparation for their final presentation to the Trustees. The proposal does take a long time, so plan to spend several days both writing and pulling together all the needed documents. But the promise of multi-year funding for operations or capacity building makes it worth it.
Positive leader in the field, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
Washington
Current or former grantee
Funded for lesser amount
2019
Good
I found the Trust to be very accessible and responsive. We got a very swift response to our LOI, and we were assigned a Program Director who worked with us one on one. They even helped us revise our proposal even towards the very end, so it would be more clear for the Trustees to evaluate. During the application process, when I called to ask a question, someone picked up the phone and answered my question right away!
Good
The Trust is really active in supporting Pacific Northwest based organizations, and they are particularly well known and respected locally for their willingness to fund operations and capacity building. Their generous, reliable funding I think has helped tons of organizations become more sustainable.
The Trust application platform is not easy to use and made the process more unwieldy than maybe it needed to be. I also really appreciate anytime that common forms can be used, or an organization is invited to submit impact reports or financial reports that they use most commonly.
They provide funding in just the way most in the non-profit field long for: flexible, multi-year, generous funding that is available for operations and capacity building.
20
We truly appreciate your feedback regarding our application process and platform. We recently introduced a new grant application tool and we are constantly seeking to update and improve our application experience based on feedback. Thank you for sharing your experience and recommendations.
Grant Applicant - applied in 2019
Understand your needs and have the ability to communicate them.
Positive leader in the field, Gives more than money, Culturally sensitive, Insightful, Friendly, Builds relationships, Likes site visits, "Gets" nonprofits and issues, Openminded, Responsive
Oregon
Current or former grantee
Other
2019
Good
Good
They are doing an amazing job. Don't change anything.
Technology was only funded at 50% per their policy. The rest of the grant was funded at 100%
Works with you to have a successful grant outcome.
80
Thank you for your feedback!
