The LT Murray Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on cultural institutions and regional capital projects in the Pacific Northwest, especially Tacoma/Seattle-area museums and higher-education facilities, while also supporting local children's health. Grants are typically general/unrestricted or designated for building/capital needs, and the foundation favors substantial awards to a small set of organizations rather than broad, dispersed giving.
LT Murray Family Foundation stands out for a consistent pattern of sizable support to a small set of Pacific Northwest institutions, especially Tacoma-area arts and health organizations and regional museums. Its recent giving includes repeated $75,000 grants to Tacoma Art Museum and a matching $75,000 grant to Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation in 2025, alongside multi-year support for Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria and Portland Art Museum. That mix points to a funder that favors established organizations, often with general operating or designated project support rather than many small awards. The foundation’s portfolio also shows a strong interest in capital and facility-related needs. A 2023 grant to the University of Washington Foundation supported the Milgard Building, while another award backed Mariner’s Hall at Columbia River Maritime Museum. In the same period, it also supported children’s health and family services in the Tacoma-Pierce County area, including pediatric care and community health organizations. The result is a giving profile centered on cultural institutions, education infrastructure, and local child-focused services, with recurring gifts to selected grantees over several years.
Cultural institutions are a major thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $75,000 to Tacoma Art Museum in 2025 for general and unrestricted support, and also supported Portland Art Museum with $30,000 in 2025 and $30,000 in 2024. Museum and history projects appear in another cluster of grants. Columbia River Maritime Museum received $50,000 in 2024 for the Mariner’s Hall fund, then followed with $25,000 grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for general and unrestricted support. Children’s health and family services also appear repeatedly. Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation received $75,000 in 2025 for general and unrestricted support, while Step by Step Family Support Center received $10,000 in 2025 for general and unrestricted support and Pediatric Interim Care Center Inc received $10,000 in 2024 and $10,000 in 2023.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $9,000 at the median, and $10,000 at the 75th percentile. That distribution sits below several of the foundation’s largest awards, showing that a small number of higher-dollar grants coexist with many grants around the $10,000 level. The recent record also shows repeat support across multiple years for several recipients, including museum, education, and community organizations. LT Murray Family Foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grant list suggests a mix of general unrestricted awards and designated support for campaigns, buildings, and other specific projects.
$380K
$8.1M
$644K
$488K
Most grants fall between $3K and $10K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in WA.
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Concentrated, high-value grants to a small number of repeat grantees; emphasis on general operating support and capital/building projects rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: Tacoma Art Museum, Mary Bridge Children's Foundation, Columbia River Maritime Museum, University of Washington Foundation
Most grants go to U.S. recipients, and the giving is concentrated in the Pacific Northwest even though the top state by grant count is California. The recent grants list shows recurring recipients in Tacoma, Seattle, Portland, Astoria, Puyallup, Kent, Lakewood, and University Place. Tacoma appears often, including awards to organizations such as Tacoma-based museums and community groups. Outside Washington, Oregon recipients include Portland and Astoria, with the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria receiving multiple grants over several years.
Its recent grants repeatedly support cultural institutions, children’s health and family services, and education-related facilities. Examples include Tacoma and Portland museums, pediatric and family-support organizations in the Tacoma-Pierce County area, and a university building project in Seattle.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years. Columbia River Maritime Museum received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Tacoma Art Museum received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Pediatric Interim Care Center Inc appears in both 2023 and 2024.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $9,000 at the median, and $10,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger awards such as $75,000 and $50,000.
The top state by grant count is California, but the recipient list shows many awards to organizations in Washington and Oregon cities such as Tacoma, Seattle, Astoria, Portland, Puyallup, Kent, Lakewood, and University Place.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TACOMA ART MUSEUM TACOMA WA | TACOMA, WA | $75,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MARY BRIDGE CHILDRENS FOUNDATION | TACOMA, WA | $75,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PORTLAND ART MUSEUM | PORTLAND, OR | $30,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLUMBIA RIVER MARITIME MUSEUM INC | ASTORIA, OR | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HELEN B MURRAY ONCOLOGY FOUNDATION | UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA | $22,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| DEGREES OF CHANGE | TACOMA, WA | $13,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| NOURISH PIERCE COUNTY | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GOODWILL OF THE OLYMPICS AND RAINIER REGION | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GRAND TACOMA CINE CLUB | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTER OF PIERCE COUNTY | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PEDIATRIC INTERIM CARE CENTER INC | KENT, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| STEP BY STEP FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER | PUYALLUP, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ASIA PACIFIC CULTURAL CENTER | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF TACOMA PIERC | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL INC | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SYMPHONY TACOMA | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TACOMA ARTS LIVE | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNITED WAY OF PIERCE COUNTY | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE HOMESTEAD COMMUNITY | GIG HARBOR, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GREATER METRO PARKS FOUNDATION | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | Beyond the Bell Program |
| NW FURNITURE BANK | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | Reading Program |
| ISSAQUAH FOOD & CLOTHING BANK | ISSAQUAH, WA | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHILDRENS MIRACLE NETWORK | SALT LAKE CTY, UT | $2,500 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| SAVE OUR ALLIES | CEDAR PARK, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| EAT LEARN PLAY FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SOGOREA TE LAND TRUST | OAKLAND, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| JUSTICE DANCE PERFORMANCE PROJECT INC | HARTFORD, CT | $1,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| FAMILY-TO-FAMILY INC | HASTINGS HDSN, NY | $183 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TACOMA ART MUSEUM TACOMA WA | TACOMA, WA | $75,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLUMBIA RIVER MARITIME MUSEUM INC | ASTORIA, OR | $50,000 | 2024 | Mariner's Hall fund |
| PORTLAND ART MUSEUM | PORTLAND, OR | $30,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLUMBIA RIVER MARITIME MUSEUM INC | ASTORIA, OR | $25,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| HELEN B MURRAY ONCOLOGY FOUNDATION | UNIVERSITY PLACE, WA | $18,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| DEGREES OF CHANGE | TACOMA, WA | $17,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| HAMLIN ROBINSON SCHOOL | SEATTLE, WA | $15,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| RAINIER SCHOLARS | SEATTLE, WA | $15,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| GOODWILL OF THE OLYMPICS AND RAINIER REGION | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | Power Up Campaign |
| HOPESPARKS | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| TAHOMA AUDUBON SOCIETY | UNIVERSITY PL, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | Ten Thousand Trees for Tacoma Fund |
| GREENTRIKE | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| GREATER METRO PARKS FOUNDATION | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | Whole Child Safe Zones fund |
| COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF TACOMA PIERC | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| GRAND TACOMA CINE CLUB | TACOMA, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| PEDIATRIC INTERIM CARE CENTER INC | KENT, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| NOURISH PIERCE COUNTY | TACOMA, WA | $7,500 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| SYMPHONY TACOMA | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| TACOMA ARTS LIVE | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | TACOMA, WA | $5,000 | 2024 | Reading Program |
| HOOP BUS INC | VENICE, CA | $3,750 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
HELEN B MURRAY ONCOLOGY FOUNDATION
$22,500General & Unrestricted
General & Unrestricted
SEXUAL ASSAULT CENTER OF PIERCE COUNTY
$10,000General & Unrestricted
PEDIATRIC INTERIM CARE CENTER INC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
STEP BY STEP FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER
$10,000General & Unrestricted
COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF TACOMA PIERC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL INC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
THE HOMESTEAD COMMUNITY
$5,000General & Unrestricted
TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$5,000Reading Program
JUSTICE DANCE PERFORMANCE PROJECT INC
$1,500General & Unrestricted
FAMILY-TO-FAMILY INC
$183General & Unrestricted
HELEN B MURRAY ONCOLOGY FOUNDATION
$18,000General & Unrestricted
TAHOMA AUDUBON SOCIETY
$10,000Ten Thousand Trees for Tacoma Fund
COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF TACOMA PIERC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
PEDIATRIC INTERIM CARE CENTER INC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$5,000Reading Program
HOOP BUS INC
$3,750General & Unrestricted