Quick trivia question: What do the Hoover Dam, the San Francisco Bay Bridge and Penn Station have in common?
Answer: They were all engineering feats completed by the Morrison-Knudsen Company, a construction and civil engineering firm founded in 1912. In 1947, the company launched the Morrison Knudsen Foundation (MKF) with donations from company employees. This is a well-established corporate philanthropy that maintains a local focus in its giving, backing organizations in and around Boise, Idaho. In 2014, Morrison-Knudsen was acquired by AECOM, but the foundation lives on.
Here are some things to know about the Morrison Knudsen Foundation for grantseekers in Idaho.
All about Boise and Treasure Valley
Since its earliest days, MKF has been committed to individuals and families in need in Boise and the greater Treasure Valley region of Idaho. Morrison-Knudsen always had a strong presence in Boise, since the city was location of the company’s headquarters. The list of construction projects completed in the area includes the Bogus Basin, Boise Memorial Bridge and Cascade Reservoir.
There are two components to MKF’s giving program: one-time grants to needy individuals and small charitable grants to nonprofits. Both of these components have a Boise focus, with grants often supporting people who are disabled, veterans, minorities, the elderly and single heads of household.
Specific topics of interest
There are four grantmaking categories of interest at MKF: health and human services, civic and community, education and culture/arts. Health and human services grants benefit both former company employees and the general public, especially the poor, elderly and disabled. Civic and community grants help to create resilient neighborhoods and improve social activities and quality of life in the Treasure Valley. Education grants help break the cycle of poverty, build the future workforce, and boost financial literacy and self-sufficiency. The foundation’s culture and arts grants bring performances and experiences to young people and the elderly in underserved communities.
Recent foundation support
Since AECOM acquired Morrison-Knudsen, the last employees’ positions in Boise ended in 2015. Yet the foundation carries on the company’s legacy through funding for local projects. Recent local grants have gone to the Boise Depot, Boise River Whitewater Park and the local Girl Scouts.
Beyond just Boise, MKF has given to help victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina. A few example grants to individuals include a three-wheel bicycle for a disabled man who suffered from epilepsy, a scooter to replace a stolen one belonging to a disabled mother of four, and a computer voice communicator to help a woman suffering from athetoid cerebral palsy.
The best place to start as a grantseeker is to send MKF an email to inquire about current funding opportunities and processes. Additional information about this funder is in IP’s full profile of the Morrison Knudsen Foundation, which is part of our Northwest Funding Guide.