MMT Covers MMT

At the June program meeting, MMT trustees made 40 awards for nearly $2 million. Nine of the grants totaling $407,000 were made through MMT's new Operating Fund program, designed to help small to mid-size nonprofit organizations survive the economic recession. Twenty-two grants totaling $363,095 were made under MMT's Grassroots Grants program, which helps organizations with annual operating budgets under $2 million with small but significant projects.

Today MMT announced 23 grants for more than $1.35 million this month. These grants bring the total awarded since MMT began operating in 1982 to more than $481 million. Shared Resources RFP Eight of the most recent awards were made to organizations that applied to the RFP for Shared Service/Space designed to help nonprofit organizations operate more efficiently through sharing resources.

As part of MMT’s response to very challenging economic conditions, MMT is launching an Operating Funds grant program to help small- and mid-sized organizations that have been hit particularly hard by the current economic crisis.The first deadline for proposals is April 15, 2009.

MMT Program Officer Sally Yee and several other staff members are offering Two-Way Street Tour community meetings in Clatsop, Douglas and Columbia counties in coming weeks. Here's how MMT CEO Doug Stamm describes these gatherings: "TWSTs are a way for foundations to build a direct and accessible two-way street with communities across Oregon. We are sending representatives to Clatsop County to talk about our grants programs and to gather information about the needs and issues of area nonprofit organizations and local communities."

This month MMT's Trustees awarded 12 grants for more than $1.3 million. These awards bring the total amount for this fiscal year to more than $27.5 million, with three months remaining. Since MMT began operating in 1982, MMT has given away nearly $477.3 million in 5,786 grants and loans. December's awards include: Bonneville Environmental Foundation Portland, OR $187,670 For program management for the Willamette Model Watershed Program.

MMT has announced the goals of its Willamette River Basin Restoration Initiative and the first two strategies it will implement in support of these goals. MMT has set two ambitious goals in this initiative: • to achieve meaningful, measurable improvements in the health of the Willamette River and selected tributaries by 2015, and • to create a national model for effective approaches to restoration of large, complex ecological systems.

MMT Program Officer Sally Yee and consultant Eric Jones are taking the Two-Way Street Tour to Klamath and Lake Counties, offering 8 community meetings over 5 days from October 6th through 10th. Here's how MMT CEO Doug Stamm describes these gatherings: "TWSTs are a way for foundations to build a direct and accessible two-way street with communities across Oregon. We are sending representatives to Klamath and Lake Counties to talk about our grants programs and to gather information about the needs and issues of area nonprofit organizations and local communities."

MMT Program Officers Sally Yee and Candy Solovjovs are taking the Two-Way Street Tour to Tillamook County this week. Spirit Mountain Community Fund Executive Director Shelley Hanson and Program Officer Louis King will join them.

Meyer Memorial Trust is announcing the third prong of its Affordable Housing Initiative and inviting proposals for projects that make delivery of resident services more financially sustainable for nonprofit housing providers. Proposed projects could include:

The list of Grassroots Grants made during MMT's June program meeting has been released: Assistance League of Klamath Basin, Klamath Falls Awarded: $14,547 For safety improvements to its resale and consignment shop. Brookings-Harbor School District, Brookings Awarded: $25,000 To furnish the career center with computers to assist students with their post-secondary education plans. Carver School Community Center, Damascas Awarded: $20,000 To repair the roof of a historic school building now used as a community center.

Oregon Entrepreneurs Network has announced that nominations are open for the 2008 Tom Holce Awards for Entrepreneurship in the Nonprofit category. Deadline for nominations is June 16, 2008. More information about the award is available from OEN, including a nomination form.