Summer Funding Opportunity

Meyer Memorial Trust, one of Oregon’s largest private foundations with over $880 million in assets, has launched its 2025 Summer Funding Opportunity. With a total allocation of $7.2 million, this grant round supports work advancing racial, social, and economic justice across Oregon. Rooted in movement-building, policy advocacy, and systems transformation, this funding initiative is aimed at dismantling structural inequities and promoting community resilience. Applications will be accepted from June 17, 2025, through July 22, 2025, with award notifications expected between November 2025 and January 2026. The foundation’s philanthropic strategy prioritizes long-term change by funding both specific issue areas and broader infrastructure for grassroots power-building. The opportunity includes four key portfolios: Our Collective Prosperity ($1.5M), Our Empowered Youth ($2.6M), Our Resilient Places ($1.5M), and Together, We Rise ($1.6M). Each focuses on targeted strategies to build justice through organizing, community-rooted leadership, and resilience initiatives. Applicants must select one portfolio area, and within it, one goal and one corresponding strategy. For example, Our Collective Prosperity seeks to close the racial wealth gap through projects like workforce advocacy, asset-building programs, and equitable entrepreneurship efforts. Similarly, Our Empowered Youth centers educational justice through community organizing, narrative change, and supporting educators and leaders who reflect the diversity of Oregon’s student population. The grant is open to 501(c)(3) public charities, state, local, and tribal governments, faith-based organizations, and fiscally sponsored charitable projects. Operating support grants are available only to public charities, while project support grants are available to all eligible applicants. Collaboratives may also apply, and organizations may submit one additional application if they are acting as a lead in a collaborative or a fiscal sponsor. All applicants must affirm that their work is conducted in Oregon and complies with Meyer’s non-discrimination and anti-proselytizing policies. Specific guidance is provided for fiscally sponsored projects under both Model A (comprehensive) and Model C (pre-approved grant relationship) structures. Grants can be requested for up to 12 months for individual organizations and up to 24 months for collaboratives. The maximum request is $200,000 per year, and the average award is expected to be around $100,000. Meyer strongly encourages the inclusion of indirect costs at a minimum of 10% of direct project costs. Budgets must be included with all applications and may be submitted in any format that meets Meyer’s criteria. Prohibited expenses include construction, lobbying, voter registration, and general social services or health-related programs that lack clear alignment with the funding strategies. Applications must be submitted through Meyer’s Giving Data portal by 5 p.m. PDT on July 22, 2025. All applications must specify the strategy and goal they support and include a detailed project description and budget. Organizations submitting for fiscally sponsored or collaborative projects must include additional documentation such as fiscal sponsorship agreements or Memorandums of Understanding. Faith-based groups are eligible for project support as long as their services are not contingent on religious participation. Meyer also outlines how it will fund projects that include minor lobbying components, provided the lobbying budget is clearly separated and comprises only a small part of the overall request. No direct contact person is listed in the source document for the funding opportunity. Applicants seeking more information can access guidance through Meyer’s website (https://mmt.org/apply), which includes a Grantee Portal Quick Guide and FAQ. This funding round is not offered on a rolling basis but does appear to be recurring. Based on the current schedule, the next cycle would likely reopen in summer 2026.

Applicants are encouraged to include at least 10% indirect costs in their project budget. Fiscal sponsors must demonstrate discretionary control over the funds.