Our K-12 Education grants support organizations working to create a more holistic K-12 education system that provides equal opportunities for all children.
We accept applications three times annually. The first step is to complete our Inquiry Form. We will notify you if a full application is invited.
The minimum allowable annual operating expense for eligibility is $25,000. This excludes any expenses covered through in-kind.
Applicants may apply for one, two, or three years of support. However, please note that newer applicants are unlikely to receive multi-year support. We recommend first-time applicants request a one-year grant.
Grant history can be non-sequential. (i.e. Past funding does not need to have been in 5 consecutive years.)
Our operating support grants typically represent between 3-5% of an organization’s annual operating expenses.
(We consider an average of the organization's expenses over recent years).
Here are typical examples of how our operating support grants are commonly funded:
A note to broader-missioned organizations:
For those broader organizations working beyond K-12 Education activities: Our operating support grant amounts are based on the portion of your organization budget dedicated to K-12 activities.
Please feel free to reach out to our program team at grants@millerfound.org if you have questions about how much to request. We are happy to discuss an appropriate amount.
Please consult our Education page for details on the types of activities we fund.
Please be sure to review the list of activities that are ineligible for funding.
The Miller Foundation understands that funding general operations is the best way to help organizations thrive. We strongly encourage eligible applicants to request Operating Support, as we know it provides you with maximum flexibility in doing your work.
Organizations that have broader missions but that deliver ongoing K-12 Education programs are eligible to request only Project Support.
Miller Foundation operating support grants can be used for a grantee's operating expenses. Examples:
Expenses not considered operating support include debt repayment and capital campaigns.
For special opportunities in need of project support, we recommend that project support request amounts not exceed 10% of the organization’s overall annual budget, nor significantly exceed previous grants from Miller. We are unlikely to fund the entirety of a project’s costs.
Examples of special opportunities for project support grants:
We value your time. To keep staff, grantwriters, and volunteers from applying for something we don't currently fund, please see the list below.
The Miller Foundation has collaborated with the Oregon Community Foundation and the Oregon Arts Commission to fund individual artists. Specifically, we participated in funding the Artist Relief Program and the Artist Resilience Program as part of our COVID-19 response efforts.
WHAT'S NEXT: In 2024, the Miller Foundation will begin providing grants directly to Individual Artists. Stay informed: sign up for our newsletter.