Meyer Memorial Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Meyer Memorial Trust funds work across Oregon, with an explicit focus on racial, social and economic justice themes such as community-based economies, education, climate and environmental solutions, Black Oregonians, immigrant and refugee populations, Native nations and a healthy democracy, so applicants should check their work fits one of these issue areas or portfolios before approaching.
- Most grants are modest: about eight in ten fall between $900 and $200,000, and the median grant across its filings is $75,000, so a request in that range is realistic for most organisations, though larger regranting arrangements can occur.
- Application routes vary by programme, so check the Trust's website for open opportunities, guidelines and timelines, and note that the Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative accepts applications year-round on a rolling basis.
- A large share of grant dollars (82%) goes to organisations already funded in the prior two filings, suggesting an element of relationship-building and continuing partnership alongside open pathways for new applicants, who can introduce themselves via the interest form.
- Organisations should not apply if their work lacks meaningful impact in Oregon, seeks scholarships or direct grants to individuals, is a private foundation, seeks endowment funding or help eliminating operating deficits, involves medical research, animal welfare or hospital capital projects, does not meet the Trust's nondiscrimination policy, involves partisan political activity, voter registration or lobbying, would violate tax-exempt status requirements, or involves proselytizing.
Overview
Meyer Memorial Trust is a US private foundation based in Portland, OR.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Meyer Memorial Trust is a private philanthropic foundation focused on accelerating racial, social and economic justice for Oregon’s lands and peoples. It organises funding into issue-based portfolios and strategic initiatives, including community-based economies, education, climate and environmental solutions rooted in culture and community, priorities identified by Black Oregonians, immigrant and refugee populations, Native nations, and the networks needed for a healthy democracy. It supports community-based programmes, movement-strengthening strategies and efforts to transform systems, with long-term flexible support alongside open, invited and continuing-partnership pathways. Eligible recipients include public charities, government and tax-exempt tribal entities, and fiscally sponsored charitable projects carrying out work in Oregon. The Trust prioritises alignment with its justice-centred goals and organisations rooted in or working with BIPOC communities.
Themes
- Community-based economies
- Education
- Climate and environmental solutions
- Black Oregonians
- Immigrant and refugee populations
- Native nations
- Healthy democracy
Geographic Focus
Oregon.
What They Don't Fund
- Work without meaningful impact in Oregon
- Scholarships or direct grants to individuals
- Private foundations
- Endowments
- Elimination of operating deficits
- Medical research, animal welfare, or hospital capital projects
- Projects that do not meet Meyer’s nondiscrimination policy
- Partisan political activity, voter registration, or lobbying
- Any expenditures that would violate Meyer’s or a grantee’s tax-exempt status
- Proselytizing
How to apply
For open opportunities, Meyer provides guidelines, timelines and ways to learn more, such as information sessions or office hours. Check the Trust’s website for open opportunities and their application details.
Deadlines: The Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative accepts applications year-round and issues grants on a rolling basis.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 82% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 1,572 grants to organisations were $75,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Organisations should align their work with Meyer’s mission, values and the goals of the funding opportunity.
- Organisations should share Meyer’s justice-centred goals and values.
- Organisations should show a strong track record of working with BIPOC communities, or root proposed work in those communities.
- Organisations should collaborate across communities and coalitions to build collective strength.
- Organisations should recognise how their work connects to larger systems and policies.
- Organisations should commit to evaluation, learning and transparency alongside the communities they serve.
- Competitive proposals should address disparities and centre communities most impacted by injustice.
- Competitive proposals should work towards systemic change and long-term impact.
- Competitive proposals should strengthen community capacity and movements.
- Competitive proposals should be rooted in thoughtful planning, data and community voice.
- Organisations new to Meyer can introduce their work through its interest form.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 1% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to organisations Meyer Memorial Trust had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 11% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 388 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $100k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Oregon Community Foundation - Meyer Memorial Trust Donor Advised Fund · For the meyer memorial trust donor advised fund$900,0002024 tax year
- Oregon Worker Relief · For program support$500,0002024 tax year
- Seeding Justice · For project support$500,0002024 tax year
- Coalition of Communities of Color · For general operating support$451,0002024 tax year
- Center for Intercultural Organizing · For project support$450,7432024 tax year
- Black Parent Initiative · For project support$400,0002024 tax year
- Latino Network · For general operating support$355,5852024 tax year
- Native American Youth and Family Center · For general operating support$354,2502024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Kathleen Kee — Trustee (From 1/2025)
- Andrew Colas — Trustee (From 1/2025)
- Mitchell Hornecker — Trustee
- Janet Hamada — Chair
- Charles Wilhoite — Trustee
- Amy Tykeson — Trustee
- Alice Cuprill Comas — Trustee
- Latoya Fick — CEO
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $36,935,977 | $44,993,096 | $844,630,189 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $54,735,207 | $44,647,391 | $885,167,113 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $89,306,097 | $45,163,915 | $901,210,834 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Meyer Memorial Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (503) 228-5512
- communications@mmt.org
- questions@mmt.org
- Portland, OR
- mmt.org
Applying to Meyer Memorial Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (503) 228-5512
- communications@mmt.org
- questions@mmt.org
- Portland, OR
- mmt.org