February 2012 Awards Announced

At the February program meeting, Meyer Memorial Trust's board of trustees made more than $3.2 million in grants and a program-related investment loan to 43 tax-exempt organizations in Oregon and Clark County, Washington.

The bulk of funds were awarded as Responsive Grants ($1.8 million), with one loan for $500,000. Twenty-two of the awards for $404,386 were made under the Grassroots Grants program, designed primarily for smaller organizations with annual operating budgets under $2 million. Four grants totaling $438,113 were made to support MMT's Willamette River Restoration initiative.

These awards bring the total to 6,752 for nearly $557.5 million since MMT began operating in 1982.

Responsive Grants, Program-Related Investments and Initiative Funding

Albina Opportunities Corporation, Portland
Awarded: $21,000
For an evaluation of business practices to help build the organization's capacity for providing small business loans
 
American Littoral Society, Highlands NJ
Awarded: $20,000
To research future opportunities for philanthropic investment in marine conservation in Oregon
 
Benton Soil and Water Conservation District, Corvallis
Awarded: $188,613
For new partnerships for habitat protection and improvements in the Willamette River floodplain between Albany and Corvallis
 
Children's Home Society of Washington, Vancouver
Awarded: $140,000
To build fundraising capacity of this organization that works to improve the lives of children and families
 
Climate Solutions, Seattle
Awarded: $165,000
To support clean energy plan development and implementation in several Oregon cities and in Clark County, Washington
 
Friendly House, Portland
Awarded: $200,000
To expand programs that help elders to remain in their homes and to diversify the organization's revenue sources
 
Friends of Buford Park and Mt. Pisgah, Eugene
Awarded: $17,000
To plan restoration of Glass Bar Island and other property at the confluence of the Middle and Coast Forks of the Willamette River
 
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Washington
Awarded: $7,475
For annual membership
 
Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington, Portland
Awarded: $100,000
To support an interactive mobile financial literacy program for middle and high school students
 
Liberty Restoration, Astoria
Awarded: $150,000
To complete renovation of the second floor of a historic theater that serves important cultural and economic development roles in the lower Columbia region
 
Morrison Child and Family Services, Portland
Awarded: $100,000
PRI: $500,000
For a grant and a program-related investment loan to refinance the purchase and renovation of the Morrison Building that consolidates departments and programs for improved services to children and families
 
Network of Oregon Watershed Councils, Eugene
Awarded: $100,000
To provide support services to Oregon's unique watershed council system that performs habitat restoration work across the state
 
New Venture Fund, Washington
Awarded: $50,000
To support the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance project designed to restore watersheds, support sustainable business opportunities and explore market-based approaches to conservation
 
Portland Housing Center, Portland
Awarded: $200,000
To implement a new business model to support first-time low- and moderate-income home buyers
 
River Network, Portland
Awarded: $7,500
To support the 2012 River Rally Conference
 
Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, Ashland
Awarded: $100,000
To implement a strategic plan to double its members and conserve 20,000 acres by 2020
 
St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, Eugene
Awarded: $100,000
To help purchase and renovate a building to serve as a retail store, social service office, laundromat and business incubator in Oakridge
 
Street Roots, Portland
Awarded: $80,000
To expand publication of this bi-weekly newspaper that covers issues facing Portland's low income and homeless residents to a weekly schedule to help increase earnings of low-income vendors

Tides Center, Francisco CA
Awarded: $225,000
For continued support for the Willamette River Initiative
 
Tower Theater Foundation, Bend
Awarded: $50,000
To replace an outdated sound system in this historic and well-used central Oregon performance venue
 
United Cerebral Palsy Association of Oregon and Southwest Washington, Portland
Awarded: $150,000
To increase capacity to help individuals with developmental disabilities find employment in their communities
 
Wild Salmon Center, Portland
Awarded: $140,000
To build support for permanent protected areas and sustainably managed forests along Oregon's north coast

Grassroots Grants

Alliance of Forest Workers and Harvesters, Medford
Awarded: $25,000
To support the promotora health and occupational safety education program serving low-income forest workers.
 
Birch Community Services, Portland
Awarded: $25,000
To purchase equipment to make food delivery more efficient
 
BodyVox, Portland
Awarded: $25,000
To support a social media/enhanced technology marketing campaign
 
Center for Diversity and the Environment, Portland
Awarded: $25,000
To support a leadership development program for people of color working for environmental organizations and institutions
 
Children's Center, Vancouver
Awarded: $25,000
To support a shared cross-training program that serves youth with mental health and addiction disorders
 
City of Myrtle Creek, Myrtle Creek
Awarded: $20,000
For repairs and improvements to a public swimming pool serving residents in rural Douglas County
 
Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Portland
Awarded: $25,000
For improvements to increase public access to Nadaka Nature Park and Garden, a 12-acre park surrounded by three communities on the west side of Gresham
 
Film Action Oregon, Portland
Awarded: $25,000
To replace the marquee at the Hollywood Theatre, a historic Portland landmark
 
Hope Community Center, Klamath Falls
Awarded: $7,500
To purchase a van to transport at-risk children to a free after school program in rural southern Oregon
 
Inland Northwest Musicians, Hermiston
Awarded: $7,964
To purchase equipment and musical instruments to continue and enhance live classical music performances in rural eastern Oregon
 
Medical Foundation of Marion and Polk Counties, Salem
Awarded: $25,000
To expand this program that coordinates free medical services for uninsured, low-income residents
 
Monday Musical Club of Tillamook, Tillamook
Awarded: $4,000
To support a cultural event series serving this rural coastal community
 
North Plains Senior Citizens Center, North Plains
Awarded: $23,500
To purchase a vehicle that delivers meals to isolated, low-income seniors with limited mobility.
 
Oregon Coast Children's Theatre, Newport
Awarded: $7,500
To support an arts education and community arts initiative for rural communities along the central Oregon Coast
 
Pendleton Public Library, Pendleton
Awarded: $9,900
For computer equipment to increase access to technology for residents without computers and Internet access
 
Portland Columbia Symphony, Portland
Awarded: $7,566
To support the symphony's 30th anniversary concert series
 
Southern Oregon Cadre of Nurse Executives, North Bend
Awarded: $14,745
To support a program that improves nurses' ability to analyze health outcome data and improve patient services across five southern Oregon counties
 
The Tree Institute, Portland
Awarded: $24,461
To support theater performances that address health equity disparities in African American and Latino communities in Oregon
 
Third Rail Repertory Theatre, Portland
Awarded: $25,000
To support increased production costs associated with the theater company's relocation to Portland Center for the Performing Arts
 
Vida's Ark, Vancouver
Awarded: $20,000
To support this agency that provides shelter and services to teen mothers and their children
 
Willamette Valley Law Project, Woodburn
Awarded: $20,000
To support a youth leadership institute and civic engagement program developed by nine Latino organizations in the mid-Willamette Valley
 
Yachats Lions Charities, Yachats
Awarded: $12,250
For improvements to the organization's facility used by community social service and other charitable groups.

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