The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has granted $300,000 to the Friends of Frog Ferry, which is evaluating the benefits, costs and feasibility of adding a public passenger ferry service in the Portland-Vancouver area along the Columbia and Willamette rivers.
“We believe that innovative solutions can be key in helping serve the evolving needs of the communities of the Pacific Northwest,” said Steve Moore, executive director of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. “The Columbia and Willamette rivers present great, untapped potential to serve the transportation needs of Oregonians and Washingtonians alike. We are grateful to organizations like Friends of Frog Ferry that are thoughtfully examining creative and sustainable ways to serve emerging needs of individuals and families in our region.”
The grant to Frog Ferry reflects Murdock Trust’s continued investment in the Pacific Northwest, having donated more than $1 billion to nonprofits that serve the Pacific Northwest since 1975. The proposed Frog Ferry would take passengers from Vancouver to downtown Portland in an estimated 38 minutes. It would provide a new public transportation option that would help:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Help build resiliency in the region by adding water-based transport for moving first responders and citizens.
- Help stimulate the economy with new jobs and support the regional economy by connected workers to central employment centers
- Provide a new mode of transit that enhances the transit grid while removing cars from roadways
- Connect residents and visitors to our riverways building appreciation for natural resources and wildlife habitat.
“Leading a nonprofit that benefits the community, like our ferry initiative, is challenging in the best of times,” said Susan Bladholm, founder and president of Friends of Frog Ferry. “In the COVID-19 environment, it’s even more challenging. We applaud and appreciate Murdock’s vision and assistance to help us be successful as we believe this initiative will make our region an even better place to live, work and raise a family.”
Since 2009, the Murdock Trust has awarded $164 million to organizations in Washington state to support education, research, human services, the arts and more.
