James F & Marion L Miller Foundation
The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation is an independent private foundation based in Portland, Oregon. Established in 2002, it operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for Oregonians through strategic philanthropic support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$178.5M
+13.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.9M
-26.2% YoY
Grant Count
237
+2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$50K
-28.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation was established to enhance the quality of life of Oregonians through support of classroom education and the performing, visual, and literary arts.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Arts and cultural organizations
- Creative writing
- Historic preservation
- Journalism
- Youth development and leadership
- Scouting organizations
- Education
The foundation demonstrates a particular strength in arts funding, with arts grants significantly outweighing education grants in both number and value of awards.
Grantmaking
The Miller Foundation is known for its accessible and transparent grantmaking practices. It provides grants to organizations of all sizes and prefers general operating support as its funding mechanism. Operating support grants are scaled to match the size of applicants' operating budgets.
Review Cycle
per year, allowing it to reach a greater number of organizations with modest-to-generous grants. It also conducts invitation-only initiative work that typically results in larger grants.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Oregon, with emphasis on supporting Oregonians and Oregon-based organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $178,512,283
- Total Giving: $11,927,552
- Total Revenues: $37,478,142
- Total Expenses: $15,789,515
- Staff: 5 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $178,512,283 | $157,676,181 | $162,216,699 |
| Revenue | $37,478,142 | $14,528,601 | $11,093,790 |
| Expenses | $15,789,515 | $19,254,333 | $13,140,061 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $13,651,386 | $17,695,300 | $11,525,805 |
| Net Investment Income | $35,904,279 | $13,153,075 | $9,652,770 |
| Distributable Amount | $10,509,090 | $10,120,497 | $10,464,725 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from James F & Marion L Miller Foundation
Miller Foundation Fiscal Sponsorship
JAMES F & MARION L MILLER FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Miller Foundation: Arts (Large Org.) Grant
JAMES F & MARION L MILLER FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $150,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Miller Foundation: Arts (Small Org.) Grants
JAMES F & MARION L MILLER FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Carrie Hoops - Executive Director
- Michelle Reynolds - Director of Strategic Grantmaking
- Patricia M Reynolds - Director of Programs
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAROLYN HOOPS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $222,574 |
| CHARLES H PUTNEY | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD | 5 | $8,750 |
| PETER KOEHLER | PRESIDENT | 5 | $35,000 |
| JOHN TAPOGNA | TREASURER | 5 | $35,000 |
| SUBASHINI GANESAN-FORBES | SECRETARY | 5 | $35,000 |
| KALI LADD THORNE | DIRECTOR | 5 | $35,000 |
| WILLIAM SWINDELLS | DIRECTOR | 5 | $35,000 |
| DONALD L GROTTING | DIRECTOR | 5 | $35,000 |
| GIYEN KIM | DIRECTOR | 5 | $35,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced the second round of its Spark Award for Oregon Artists in November 2024, distributing $500,000 to 20 literary and media artists. This represents the second year of a three-year pilot project supporting individual artists across different disciplines. The third round will support 20 visual artists in the following year.
Miller Foundation kicks off Round Two of its $1.5 million artists\u2019\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with James F & Marion L Miller Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
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