Murdock Charitable Trust sets aid records

The Vancouver-based M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust announced Thursday it had a record quarter and record year of giving as the organization celebrated its 45th anniversary serving the Pacific Northwest.

In fall 2020, 70 grants were approved for a total of $20.6 million, given to nonprofit groups in Washington.

For the year, the trust approved 474 grants for $75.9 million, including 167 grants totaling $26.3 million to Washington nonprofits.

“This is a milestone that is inspiring, but also bittersweet, for our organization,” Steve Moore, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust executive director, said in a news release.

Moore noted that the record amount is somber “because a significant part of our giving is related to the COVID-19 response and the historic events of 2020 that have been devastating for many.”

Grantmaking in 2020 marks the third time in four years the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust set a personal best for community investment, previously achieving new highs in 2017 ($57 million) and 2019 ($67 million).