Strategic Project Grants (Capital Grants)

Strategic Project Grants (Capital Grants) is sponsored by M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust.

The Murdock Trust provides grants to support construction, renovation, land purchase, and other capital projects for nonprofit organizations. They generally prefer requests once an organization has raised a portion of the needed funds.

Strategic Project Grant Application Process | M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust Strategic Project Grant Application Process Submission windows and step-by-step application guidance Review the submission windows and application process below for Strategic Project grants.

Three-Period Grant Submission Cycle Note: All deadlines are 5 PM Pacific Time Zone Last Submission LOI Submission Period Oct 15–Dec 26, 2025 LOI intake capped at 300 eligible submissions. Window closes once reached.

Returning grantees who received a grant award in the last 4 years (February 2022 or later) : March 9- April 9 All other applicants, including first time: March 16- April 9 LOI Decision for Eligible Organizations and Projects By Jan 31, 2026 Full Application Submission Period for Approved LOIs Feb 1–Mar 20, 2026 Receive Grant Decision Sept 2026 grants meeting Review the Eligibility Guidelines for Grantseekers to confirm that your organization meets geographical and tax status requirements and that your project fits within the Trust’s funding priorities and limitations.

Review our current LOI and application submission periods at the top of this page to determine the right time to submit. Look through our Nonprofit Resources to learn about grant writing tips, nonprofit development, and more. Direct any remaining questions to info@murdocktrust.

org Eligibility Guidelines for Grantseekers Application Process Roadmap Eligibility & Priorities Webinars (March 2026) If your organization and project seem to be a good fit for Trust funding, move on to the next step. Create a Submittable account . Access the Murdock Trust Grants Portal .

(We're not publicly listed on Submittable, so this link is the only way to find us.) If you are within an LOI submission period, the first step is to complete a brief eligibility quiz to confirm that your organization and project are potentially eligible for a strategic project grant. If you meet eligibility criteria, a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) will be made available to you in the grants portal.

Complete the LOI to further help the Trust determine whether your organization and project are eligible and aligned with current funding priorities. LOIs received during the LOI submission periods will receive formal decisions by the end of the 3-month window. Organizations that do not meet eligibility guidelines will receive declination notices as soon as possible.

If your LOI is approved, you will be invited to submit a full application. If your LOI is approved, you will receive an invitation to begin the application process in our grants portal. Note our application submission windows above.

Fill out all fields in our application. Upload required documents. Review and double-check figures.

When complete, click the Submit Form button. Grant Application Resources Staff will review your documents and request additional information needed via email. Once the document reviewer confirms your application is complete, a program officer will be assigned to your application.

Your program officer will schedule a site visit to discuss project details, leadership, the board, plans for executing and sustaining the project, criteria for success, and more. Your program officer will complete a thorough analysis and prepare a detailed report for peer review and Trustee decision. The Trust will notify you as soon as a decision has been made.

Trustees review all requests and make decisions. While merit is evident in nearly every application, we are not able to award every request that we receive. Your program officer will contact you about the Trustees’ decision regarding your application.

If a grant is awarded, you will receive an email requesting that you complete a form with your signer and financial contact information. Once complete, your signer will receive the grant agreement. Denied applications will not be carried over for future consideration and, under normal circumstances, are not permitted for resubmission.

Declined applicants may submit a new LOI for a different project one year after decision date. We recommend exploring our Nonprofit Resources to help you with your next application. Returning grantees may submit a new LOI three years after their last award date.

Grant Administration Overview