culture

What's Next After Meyer Memorial Trust Hiatus

By April Baer (OPB)
Portland, Orgon Dec. 18, 2015 5:21 p.m.

This year, the Meyer Memorial Trust sent a shock wave through the non-profit world, announcing it was taking a hiatus. The flow of grant money did not stop entirely — a number of awards were made this year. But for a time, it has stopped taking applications, as the Trust retools with an eye to equity.

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Doug Stamm is the ex-Nike executive who runs the Meyer Memorial Trust.

Stamm says the restructuring of Meyer Memorial Trust's grant process has been comprehensive. "It would have been easier to start an entirely new organization."

Stamm says the restructuring of Meyer Memorial Trust's grant process has been comprehensive. "It would have been easier to start an entirely new organization."

Courtesy of the Meyer Memorial Trust

He told us the Trust was not idle during the hiatus. It closed all the prior rolling grants, and then took on a massive research project with surveys and focus groups.

The trust announced last week the hiatus will end next April.  As Trust CEO Doug Stamm told us, this was about stepping directly to the community's greatest needs. New staff have been hired with expertise in new focus areas.

In this week's interview, Stamm outlines the Trust's four priorities:

  • Housing
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Building Communities

He also answers concerns about how the changes might affect arts funding.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR: