Wednesday’s keynote speaker also hails from an influential organization, also with roots in the tech industry – although the Northwest tech industry. Steve Moore, executive director of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, spoke at lunch Tuesday. While the Murdock Trust is not as large or well known as Amazon, it too has the ability to influence the actions of others.
So How is the Murdock Trust Influential?
The most obvious way that Murdock Trust, created in 1975, influences environmental efforts in the Northwest is through grants and programs. Moore said the trust serves the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska by focusing on four areas:
• Education
• Science & research (including programs in colleges & high schools)
• Health & human services
• Arts and culture
The Trust’s Conservation Work
Moore said the Murdock Trust has a particular interest in conservation, which is pursues through a variety of avenues, including:
• Natural resource protection projects
• Conservation and environmental education
• Support of zoos and aquariums
• Wildlife preservation
• Sustainable development efforts
A Commitment to Collaboration
A less obvious use of Murdock’s influence is its commitment to collaborating with other nonprofits to make them more effective. “If you know of a nonprofit organization interested in building its capacity to fulfill its mission and help people, that’s what we do,” Moore said.
You can learn more about the Murdock Trust here: