Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation logo

Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Boston, MA EIN: 13-7131926 Website

The Herman and Frieda L. Miller Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. It supports advocacy and community organizing in Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, as well as infrastructure for vibrant urban community life.

Key facts about Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation

In short: Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation gave $2.1M across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $57K), mostly in Massachusetts. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
13-7131926
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$2,066,325
Grants made (2025)
36
Average grant
$57,398
Median grant
$55,000
New grantees (estimate)
6% first-time grantees (2 of 35, 2025)
Total assets
$47,556,458
Primary geography
Massachusetts (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$47.6M

+3.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.1M

-24.9% YoY

Grant Count

36

-28.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$57K

+4.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation open to new grantees?

6%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 35 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $68K; repeat grants $59K. How we count

Medians: $68K first-time, $60K repeat.

  • 89% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation identifies strong civic culture and community empowerment, healthy physical settings for community life, and access to employment, housing, education, health care, transportation, and cultural activities as elements of its work.

Its grants support a range of organizing and advocacy organizations. For example, Asian American Resource Workshop describes its work as community organizing, leadership development, and community building for pan-Asian communities in Greater Boston. Boston Tenant Coalition says it educates the public about the circumstances of low-income tenants and possible solutions. Justice at Work describes providing legal support to immigrant worker centers and workers in low-paying jobs.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation gave $2,066,325 through 36 grants. Grants ranged from $25,000 to $100,000, with a median of $55,000. Among the largest were $100,000 to TSNE MissionWorks for Democracy Hubs and general operations; $80,000 each to Central Square Theater for general operating support and Justice at Work; and $75,000 each to FJC A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds for KIRVA, MA Communities Action Network for general operating support, and Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center for general operating request.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation states that it supports advocacy and community organizing in Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. In 2025, 91% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts and 9% to recipients in New York.

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.

Cities

BostonDorchesterChelseaJamaica PlainSomervilleCambridgeRoxburyNew YorkLynnWashingtonEast BostonBrocktonAllstonBrooklynLowellBrooklineDedhamSouth HadleyAmherstFramingham

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M56 grants2019 57 grants2020 54 grants2021 54 grants2022 57 grants2023 50 grants2024 36 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.1M (2025) to $3.0M (2023). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $2.1M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

TSNE Missionworks: $100KTSNE Missionworks$100KCentral Square Theater Inc: $80KCentral Square Theater Inc$80KJustice at Work: $80KJustice at Work$80KFJC a Foundation of Philanthropic Funds: $75KFJC a Foundation ofPhilanthropic Funds$75KMa Communities Action Network (McAn): $75KMa Communities Action Network(McAn)$75KMassachusetts Budget & Policy Center: $75KMassachusetts Budget & PolicyCenter$75KPolitical Research Associates: $75K across 2 grantsPolitical Research Associates$75K · 2 grantsThe Neighborhood Developers Inc: $70KThe Neighborhood DevelopersInc$70KCity Life Vida Urbana: $65KCity Life Vida Urbana$65KEssex County Community Organization: $65KEssex County CommunityOrganization$65K

The largest 2025 recipient was TSNE Missionworks ($100K). Together the top 10 received $760K.

Grant Size Distribution

251 grants across all recorded years

70<$50K174$50–100K7$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 174 grants of 251 (69%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
TSNE Missionworks Boston, MADemocracy Hubs and General Operations$100,000
Central Square Theater Inc Cambridge, MAGeneral Operating Support$80,000
Justice at Work Boston, MAJustice at Work$80,000
FJC a Foundation of Philanthropic Funds New York, NYKIRVA$75,000
Ma Communities Action Network (McAn) Boston, MAGeneral Operating Support$75,000
Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center Boston, MAGeneral Operating Request$75,000
The Neighborhood Developers Inc Chelsea, MA2026 Chelsea and Revere Leadership Development and Housing$70,000
City Life Vida Urbana Jamaica Plain, MABoston Housing Organizing Project$65,000
Essex County Community Organization Lynn, MAMovement Innovation in a Time of Democratic Crisis$65,000
Greater Boston Interfaith Organization Dorchester, MAGeneral Operating Support$65,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grant total Number of grants
2025 $2,066,325 36
2024 $2,752,841 50
2023 $2,987,288 57
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$47,556,458$46,099,585$40,752,760
Revenue$3,355,331$4,329,284$3,116,603
Expenses$2,573,129$3,196,655$3,463,475
Qualifying Distributions$2,180,457$2,879,003$3,129,084
Net Investment Income$2,753,271$4,193,568$2,835,269
Distributable Amount$2,230,900$2,023,538$2,105,518

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 15, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 13, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 7, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 9, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 8, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Myron Miller Co GMA Foundations Inc as trustee.

Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation is led by Myron Miller Co Gma Foundationsinc, Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Myron Miller Co Gma Foundationsinc

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 2 Liberty Square 500, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 426-7080
Website: https://millerfoundation.grantsmanagement08.com

Frequently asked questions about Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation

How much does Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation give each year?

Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation gave $2.1M across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.8M across 50 grants.

What is Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation's typical grant size?

Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $55,000, and its average grant was $57,398, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation that year got $68K on average.

Where does Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation give grants?

Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (14 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Dorchester, MA (3 grants) and Chelsea, MA (3 grants).

Does Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 42% of Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 36) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation's largest grantees?

Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include TSNE Missionworks ($100,000), Central Square Theater Inc ($80,000) and Justice at Work ($80,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation?

Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation reported $47.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation fund?

The foundation identifies strong civic culture and community empowerment, healthy physical settings for community life, and access to employment, housing, education, health care, transportation, and cultural activities as elements of its work. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation's EIN?

Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7131926. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Herman and Frieda L Miller Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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