Meyer Memorial Trust

Since its founding in 1982, Meyer Memorial Trust has awarded grants in excess of $840 million to more than 3,380 organizations. ¹ In 2013, the trust shifted its focus to support the critical race theory-influenced concept of equity ² and in 2022 the trust again shifted its priorities to focus on its activities through a critical theory-inspired “anti-racist and feminist perspective.” ³ Meyer Memorial Trust supports the far-left Black Lives Matter movement ⁴ and the codification of Roe v. Wade, calling abortion a “bellwether of democracy.” ^{3 5} The trust has also said that Oregon was created at “the behest of white supremacy.” ⁶

Meyer Memorial Trust’s single-largest initiative in its 40-year history is Justice Oregon for Black Lives. The five-year, $25 million initiative ⁷ aims to dismantle what it identifies as “systemic racist policies” ⁴ in Oregon, invests in black-led organizations in the state, ⁸ and has claimed that Oregon is a state “founded on stolen lands.” ⁹

In 2020, the Meyer Memorial Trust distributed $30,191,005 of grants, including ¹⁰ $750,000 to the left-of-center New Venture Fund (NVF) and $375,000 to the left-of-center Tides Center. ¹⁰

History and Leadership

Meyer Memorial Trust was founded following the death of Fred G. Meyer, the owner of the regional Fred Meyer grocery store chain, in 1982. ¹ The Trust was initially funded with $63 million from Meyer’s estate. ² In 2013, the trust shifted its focus to support the critical race theory-influenced concept of equity. ² In 2022 the trust again shifted its priorities to focus its activities through a critical theory-inspired “anti-racist and feminist perspective.” ³

Since its founding, Meyer Memorial Trust has awarded grants in excess of $840 million to more than 3,380 organizations. ¹

Toya Fick has been the CEO of Meyer Memorial Trust since April 2022. Previously she was a teacher with Teach for America, was a member of the legislative staff of then-Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), and was Oregon executive director for the left-of-center Stand for Children. ^{11 12}

Former Meyer Memorial Trust CEO Michelle DePass was an “unapologetic social justice activist and agitator” ² who worked in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s office of international affairs during the Obama administration. ²

Activities and Funding

Meyer Memorial Trust is a left-of-center grantmaking organization that uses its grants to advocate for critical race theory-inspired “racial, economic, educational, environmental, housing, and social justice” priorities. ^{13 14} Two-thirds of the Trust’s grants go to foundations and organizations looking to advance critical race theory-influenced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) grants in Oregon. ^{15 16}

Meyer Memorial Trust supports the far-left Black Lives Matter movement ⁴ and the codification of Roe v. Wade, calling abortion a “bellwether of democracy.” ^{3 5} The Trust has said that Oregon was created at “the behest of white supremacy,” ⁶ claiming it has one of the “most racist histories of any state in the union.” ¹⁷

Meyer Memorial Trust also produces critical race theory-influenced “diversity, equity, and inclusion” spectrum tools and a guide for companies working with so-called “equity consultants.” ^{18 19}

In 2020, the trust outlined efforts surrounding the 2020 Census as one of its top priorities, leveraging funding from 14 area foundations, Gov. Kate Brown (D-OR) and the city of Portland’s Office of Community and Civic Life for #WeCountOregon campaign. ²

In 2016, Meyer Memorial Trust funded Muslim Education Trust, Causa, Basic Rights Oregon, Family and Community Together, Rural Organizing Project, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Unite Oregon. ²⁰ The trust has also worked with the left-of-center Ford Foundation to create the Community Rebuilding Fund to reinvest in wildfire-damaged Oregon Communities. It also works with the Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funders Collaborative, Census Equity Funders Committee of Oregon, Chalkboard initiative, Tipping Point Fund, the Health and Education Fund, ¹³ Pride Foundation, and the Collins Foundation. ²¹

Justice Oregon for Black Lives

Meyer Memorial Trust’s single-largest initiative in its 40-year history is Justice Oregon for Black Lives. The five-year, $25 million initiative ⁷ aims to dismantle what it identifies as “systemic racist policies” ⁴ in Oregon, invests in black-led organizations in the state, ⁸ has claimed that Oregon is a state “founded on stolen lands,” and advocates for critical race theory-influenced concepts of racial justice and equity. ²²

Grantmaking

In 2020, the Meyer Memorial Trust distributed $30,191,005 in grants. ¹⁰ These grants included $500,000 to New Venture Fund; $375,000 to the left-of-center Tides Center; $300,000 to Bridge Meadows; an additional $250,000 to the left-of-center New Venture Fund; ¹⁰ $250,000 to The Nature Conservancy (TNC); $250,000 to Sustainable Northwest; $225,000 to Center for Diversity and the Environment; $203,000 to Causa of Oregon; $199,000 to World Resources Institute (WRI); $185,000 to Ecotrust; $185,000 to Sustainable Northwest; $184,995 to Willamette Partnership;  $167,000 to Northwest Diversity Project; $150,000 to Health Care Without Harm; $150,000 to Rogue Climate; $138,500 to Social Venture Partners Portland; $127,350 to Center for Diversity and the Environment;  $125,000 to Center for Intercultural Organizing; $125,000 to Sponsors; $115,000 to Mano a Mano; $135,000 to National Forest Foundation; $100,000 to Causa of Oregon;  $100,000 to Latino Network; $100,000 to Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation; $100,000 to Center for Intercultural Organizing; $100,000 to Project Access NOW; $100,000 to ACLU of Oregon; $100,000 to Rural Organizing Project $100,000 to Immigration Counseling Service; $100,000 to Women’s Foundation of Oregon; $100,000 to Northwest Pilot Project $100,000 to Oregon Community Foundation; $125,000 to Native American Youth and Family Center; $100,000 to Communities of Color; $100,000 to Family Forward Oregon; and others. ¹⁰

Funding

The Meyer Memorial Trust was initially funded with $63 million from the estate of grocery store chain owner Fred Meyer’s estate. ² As of 2022, the trust holds assets worth roughly $1.1 billion. ²³ The trust also relies on investment returns to fund its activities. ¹⁵

In 2020, Meyer Memorial Trust reported revenue of $92,282,031 and expenses of $44,352,846. ²⁴ That same year, the trust’s investment values increased by 26.7 percent. ¹⁵