Our K-12 Education grants support organizations working to create a more holistic K-12 education system that provides equal opportunities for all children.
The minimum allowable annual operating expense for eligibility is $25,000. This excludes any expenses covered through in-kind.
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.
We accept applications three times annually. The first step is to complete our Inquiry Form. Inquiry Forms are open 24/7 and have three deadlines each year. We will notify you three weeks after the deadline if a full application is invited.
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 [email protected] if you have questions about how much to request. We are happy to discuss an appropriate amount.
The Miller Foundation understands that funding general operations is the best way to help organizations thrive. Our Standard Application Process provides operating support to help organizations have maximum flexibility.
Miller Foundation operating support grants can be used for a grantee's operating expenses. Examples:
Expenses not considered operating support include:
In rare cases, an organization may wish to apply for project support for a discrete opportunity, rather than operating support. While we strongly encourage applicants to apply for operating support, the Miller Foundation also provides project support. Please note: we are unlikely to fund the majority of a project’s costs.
Examples of discrete 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.