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
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James F & Marion L Miller Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Portland Opera ($400,000), Kids Unlimited of Oregon ($150,000), Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (omsi) ($125,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HOLLYWOOD THEATRE PORTLAND, OR | ONE YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT FOR FILM EDUCATION AND EXHIBITION ORGANIZATION | $60,000 |
| CENTRAL OREGON MASTERSINGERS BEND, OR | ONE YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT FOR ADULT AND YOUTH CHORAL ARTS ORGANIZATION | $2,200 |
| OREGON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION PORTLAND, OR | PARTNERSHIP; ONE YEAR PROJECT SUPPORT FOR BUILD INITIATIVE PROVIDING OREGON EARLY CHILDHOOD FIELD WITH POLICY AND STRATEGY SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| PORTLAND BAROQUE ORCHESTRA PORTLAND, OR | ONE YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT FOR BAROQUE AND EARLY CLASSICAL MUSIC ORCHESTRA | $50,000 |
| PEAR PORTLAND, OR | TWO YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT FOR ARTS EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS YOUTH | $20,000 |
| WILLAMETTE LIGHT BRIGADE PORTLAND, OR | TWO YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT FOR PORTLAND WINTER LIGHT FESTIVAL | $22,200 |
| ROGUE VALLEY SYMPHONY ASHLAND, OR | THREE YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT FOR ORCHESTRA IN SOUTHERN OREGON | $47,000 |
| CONDUIT DANCE INC PORTLAND, OR | ONE YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT GRANT FOR CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY AND ARTS SERVICE ORGANIZATION | $5,500 |
| BRIDGING VOICES PORTLAND, OR | ONE YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT GRANT FOR YOUNG ADULT CHORUS FOR LGBTQ+ AND COMMUNITY | $3,700 |
| EUGENE GAY MEN'S CHORUS EUGENE, OR | ONE YEAR OPERATING SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY CHORAL GROUP | $3,600 |
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does James F & Marion L Miller Foundation fund?
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 num…
How do I apply for a grant from James F & Marion L Miller Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Approach** 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. The foundation accepts applications through multiple grant cycles per year, allowing it to reach a greater number of organizations with modest-to-generous grants. It also conducts…
Where does James F & Marion L Miller Foundation make grants?
Oregon, with emphasis on supporting Oregonians and Oregon-based organizations.
What size grants does James F & Marion L Miller Foundation award?
In 2024, James F & Marion L Miller Foundation awarded 237 grants totaling $11.9M — an average of about $50K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is James F & Marion L Miller Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, James F & Marion L Miller Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is James F & Marion L Miller Foundation's EIN?
James F & Marion L Miller Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 03-0373895. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in James F & Marion L Miller Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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