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 CONTACT US PO BOX 8585 Portland, OR 97207-8585 503.306.5217 for questions or comments, email: info@millerfound.org |
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Statement on Miller Initiatives
The Foundation has recently adopted several initiatives in the areas of nursing, community college scholarships, new teachers, and sustainability. These initiatives do not signal a new emphasis in any of these funding areas on the part of the Miller Foundation and organizations should not try to fashion requests that appeal specifically to these areas. The Miller Foundation will continue to make responsive grants to requests from organizations based in Oregon whose primary focus is in the arts or in education. September 11, 2008 Portland State's Stock Soars
A $25 million gift from the Miller Foundation could help
transform Oregon's view of higher education
It's been hard to see, sometimes, how Portland could sustain its stature in sustainability. For all of the city's many breakthroughs, it's seemed possible that rival regions would soon shred Portland's greenest ambitions. Or so, at any rate, it seemed Tuesday. By Wednesday, the way to get to the top, and stay there, looked dazzlingly clear. A muscular new player on the philanthropic scene not only pointed the way, but also provided a huge boost upwards. The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation announced that it would give $25 million to Portland State University to expand its research in sustainability across all disciplines -- urban affairs, engineering, architecture, even social science. Structured over 10 years, and requiring PSU to raise a matching $25 million, this is a breathtaking gift, three times the size of the largest one PSU has previously received. We can't emphasize enough what a gift of this magnitude can do for the university itself. Click here for the rest of the story...Portland State gets $25 million for sustainability
Portland State University will get $25 million over the next decade,
the largest grant in its history, to research and teach about
sustainable environmental practices, university officials announced
Wednesday.
The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation of Portland, a private
foundation devoted to the arts and education, is donating the money
on the condition Portland State match it dollar for dollar through
its own fundraising.
Wim Wiewel, Portland State's new president, said the money will be
used soon to hire up to 10 professors devoted to studies and
research on sustainability. About 50 to 70 professors already devote
at least part of their work to sustainability issues, he said. The
biggest previous donation to the university was for $8 million.
The new grant will "further enhance Portland State's role as an
engaged civic partner," he said. "We will extend the lessons we
learn not just to the region .. but to the world beyond." Click here to read more of the story...PSU sees greenest ever futureA $25 million grant to Portland State University from the Miller Foundation could galvanize economic development We have worried outloud in the past that "sustainability'' was yet another fad that would pass Portland by - can you spell "bioscience"? -- even as the city was grasping for a hold. And even though Portland has set standards in green building, green streets, sustainable food and environmentally friendly design and transportation. But things are definitely looking way, way up. On Wednesday, a $25 million grant to Portland State University sent the city's stock, metaphorically speaking, through the green roof. Click here to read the rest of the story... September 10, 2008
Miller Foundation Makes Historic $25 Million Challenge Grant To
Portland State University The grant will raise $50 million over the next 10 years to strengthen Portland State’s role as a leading urban research university. The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation announced a $25 million grant today to Portland State University. The $25 million grant is the largest grant in the history of the Foundation and the largest grant in Portland State University history. “Our goal is to raise even more funds for Portland State University programs and to raise even greater local, national and international awareness and support for this outstanding University,” said Charles ‘Chuck’ Putney, a Miller Foundation director and alumnus of Portland State. “We feel this grant can have a great impact at Portland State.” This announcement was at Portland State by Miller Foundation directors and Portland State University President Wim Wiewel (pronounced vee-VELL). The grant is a unique, one-time event for the Miller Foundation and is a challenge grant, requiring Portland State to raise at least an additional $25 million over the next 10 years. “Portland State University is thankful for this incredible vote of confidence in our vision for a university working in partnership with its community, and a university dedicated to global leadership in sustainability research and education,” said University President Wim Wiewel. “And as far as we know, this is the largest grant to support sustainability in higher education.” Click here for more information September 8, 2008
Miller Foundation
Announces Awards for Teachers The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation has initiated a program designed to encourage public high school teachers to stay in the profession and improve their teaching skills. The Foundation will fund up to 50 awards, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Public high school principals have been invited to nominate a teacher who has been in the profession less than 5 years and is likely to benefit from a self-designed professional development project. August 12, 2008 Martha Richards will become New Executive Director of Miller Foundation
Miller Foundation Announces Scholarship
Program for Community
Colleges August 6, 2008 The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation
announced today it will provide $1,500,000 to support students
attending Oregon community colleges.
The colleges will have to match this amount in new funds
from other sources, thus yielding up to $3 million in additional
dollars for college scholarships.
The Miller Scholarships will range from $500 to $3000.
Coupled with the matching funds, this means between 1,000 and
6,000 students will benefit. If each college raises the
designated 1:1 match, the awards to individual colleges will range
from $320,000 to Portland Community College, the largest institution
in the system, to $50,000 to Tillamook Bay Community College, the
smallest institution.
The colleges will have until March 31, 2009 to
raise their matching funds.
Miller Foundation Helps Increase Nursing Professionals July 31, 2008
The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation just completed its
project of helping Oregon baccalaureate schools of nursing increase
the number of Bachelors of Science in Nursing graduates.
The project appealed to the Miller directors because of the
major shortage of nurses that exists today and is projected to
become even worse in the years ahead.
The Miller commitment began several years ago when grants were made
to George Fox and Concordia Universities to help them begin new BSN
programs. It continued
last year when a grant was made to Oregon Center for Nursing to
assist Oregon Health Science University and a group of eight
interested community colleges in developing seamless educations
arrangements that lead to the OHSU baccalaureate degree.
And most recently Miller issued a Request for Proposals to
Oregon’s five private institutions now offering the BSN (University
of Portland, Concordia, George Fox, Linfield, and Walla Walla
University). As in the
earlier effort the goal was to increase the number of baccalaureate
graduates each year and to strengthen quality in the process.
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