Samuel H And Maria Miller Foundation - Grant Information & Application Details

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $6,342,301 (2024)
Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
Grant Range: $500 - $1,000,000
Geographic Focus: Cleveland, Ohio and Northeast Ohio region

Contact Details

Foundation Contact: c/o Eleanor Fanslau, Treasurer Cleveland, OH EIN: 34-1482231

Note: The foundation does not have a publicly listed website, email, or phone number. Contact is through trustee Eleanor Fanslau.

Overview

The Samuel H. and Maria Miller Foundation was established in November 1985 as a private family foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. As of 2024, the foundation holds total assets of $119.4 million and awarded $6.3 million in charitable disbursements. The foundation honors the legacy of Samuel Henry Miller (1921-2019), a renowned Cleveland businessman and philanthropist who served as co-chairman emeritus of Forest City Realty Trust, Inc. The foundation focuses on supporting healthcare, education (particularly nursing leadership), Jewish and interfaith causes, and social services in the Cleveland area. Sam Miller was widely known as a catalyst for cooperation between the Jewish and Christian communities and was the first Jewish person to receive an Archbishop Edward F. Hoban Award for service to the Catholic Church. The foundation is led by family members and longtime associates who continue Miller's legacy of strategic, proactive philanthropy.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates as a private family foundation making grants to preselected charitable organizations. Recent grant data (2022-2023) shows:

Major Healthcare Grants: $350,000 - $1,000,000 (hospitals, emergency services, nursing education)
Educational Institutions: $300,000 - $400,000 (universities, colleges)
Religious/Community Organizations: $500,000 (synagogues, diocesan programs)
Social Services: $500,000 (disability services, emergency assistance)
Smaller Grants: $500+ (various community causes)

The foundation awarded 43-44 grants annually in recent years with a median grant size of approximately $33,000.

Priority Areas

Healthcare Excellence:

Hospital emergency services and capital projects
Nursing leadership development and education
Medical education and research
Healthcare delivery innovation

Education:

University programs and capital campaigns
Nursing education, particularly executive leadership training
Catholic and independent colleges in Northeast Ohio
K-12 education initiatives

Jewish Community and Interfaith Relations:

Synagogues and Jewish cultural institutions
Jewish media and historical preservation
Catholic-Jewish bridge-building programs
Diocesan social service programs

Social Services:

Emergency assistance (food, rent, utilities)
Disability services and inclusion
Community health and welfare organizations

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but the foundation's practice of supporting only preselected organizations suggests they do not fund:

Organizations outside Northeast Ohio
Individual needs or scholarships
Political campaigns or lobbying
Organizations without established relationships to the foundation or its trustees

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees:

Gabrielle (Gaby) Miller - President, Trustee (family member)
Eleanor Fanslau - Treasurer, Trustee (Sam Miller's longtime secretary and trusted associate)
Bradley Knapp - Trustee
Kimberly Scott - Secretary, Trustee
Abraham (Abe) Miller - Trustee (family member)

Legacy Leadership: The late Samuel H. Miller (1921-2019) established the foundation's philanthropic philosophy. According to family members, Sam Miller and the foundation chose to proactively identify organizations where they could make a difference rather than waiting to be asked. Miller served on numerous boards including Jewish National Fund, Cleveland State University, John Carroll University, Baldwin Wallace University, Notre Dame College, and the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation.

Notable Recognition: Sam Miller received the Archbishop Edward F. Hoban Award and was inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame in 2013. He maintained close friendships with religious leaders including Bishop Anthony Pilla, coordinating significant bridge-building programs between Jewish and Catholic communities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Samuel H. and Maria Miller Foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees, who identify organizations aligned with the foundation's mission and the Miller family's philanthropic interests. The foundation takes a proactive approach to grantmaking, often identifying needs and reaching out to organizations rather than responding to applications.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has a documented pattern of supporting:

Organizations with Board Connections: Sam Miller served on numerous boards during his lifetime, and the foundation continues supporting many of these institutions including Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Baldwin Wallace University, Notre Dame College, and Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.

Key Relationship Channels:

Healthcare Leadership: The foundation has deep connections with Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. Relationships with nursing executives and healthcare administrators in these systems may be relevant.
Jewish Community Networks: Park Synagogue, Cleveland Jewish News, and Jewish Federation of Cleveland are established beneficiaries. Leadership in these organizations may have insight into the foundation's priorities.
Interfaith Initiatives: Organizations working on Catholic-Jewish relations or interfaith cooperation align with Sam Miller's documented passion. The Diocese of Cleveland has received significant support.
Eleanor Fanslau: As treasurer and Sam Miller's longtime secretary, she likely plays a key role in identifying grant recipients and maintaining the foundation's strategic direction.

Notable Proactive Grantmaking: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation proactively contributed $500,000 to the Diocese of Cleveland Emergency Assistance Fund, demonstrating their approach of identifying urgent community needs without waiting for applications.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. As a private family foundation with quarterly or periodic trustee meetings, grants are likely approved on a rolling basis throughout the year based on trustee deliberations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, the traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, organizations that have received funding share these characteristics:

Strong Cleveland Roots: All documented grants go to Northeast Ohio organizations, with a concentration in Cleveland proper. The foundation demonstrates deep loyalty to the Cleveland community and its institutions.

Healthcare and Nursing Excellence: The foundation has made substantial, multi-year commitments to nursing leadership education at Case Western Reserve. Recent grants include $1 million to Cleveland Clinic Emergency Room, $450,000 to Parma Hospital Foundation, and $350,000 to the Francis Payne Bolton School of Nursing.

Jewish Heritage and Interfaith Bridge-Building: Organizations that preserve Jewish culture (Cleveland Jewish News digital archive was renamed in Sam Miller's honor) or advance Catholic-Jewish understanding receive support. The $500,000 gift to the Diocese of Cleveland Emergency Assistance Fund exemplifies this interfaith commitment.

Proactive Problem-Solving: According to family members quoted in news coverage, Sam Miller and the foundation "chose to support organizations that directly help the community" and often identified needs proactively. Organizations addressing urgent community crises may attract attention.

Existing Relationships: Many beneficiaries are institutions where Sam Miller served on boards or maintained personal relationships with leadership. The foundation appears to support organizations where trustees have direct knowledge and confidence in institutional effectiveness.

Capital and Capacity-Building: Large grants to emergency rooms, nursing fellowship programs, and institutional endowments suggest the foundation values investments that build organizational capacity and infrastructure rather than just program support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application process exists - this is an invitation-only foundation that proactively identifies grant recipients
Cleveland focus is absolute - all documented grants support Northeast Ohio organizations, particularly those in Cleveland
Healthcare and nursing leadership are top priorities - substantial investments in Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve nursing programs
Interfaith relations matter - Catholic-Jewish bridge-building reflects Sam Miller's documented passion and legacy
Board connections are critical - many beneficiaries are organizations where Sam Miller served or trustees have direct relationships
Proactive grantmaking model - the foundation identifies urgent needs and reaches out, exemplified by their $500,000 COVID-19 emergency gift
Trustees operate with significant assets - $119 million in assets and $6.3 million in annual giving provide substantial capacity for major gifts

References

ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Samuel H And Maria Miller Foundation (EIN 34-1482231), Form 990 data through 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/341482231 (Accessed January 2026)
Cause IQ - Samuel H and Maria Miller Foundation profile, financial data and leadership information. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/samuel-h-and-maria-miller-foundation,341482231/ (Accessed January 2026)
Grantmakers.io - Samuel H and Maria Miller Foundation profile, grant recipient data 2022. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/341482231-samuel-h-and-maria-miller-foundation/ (Accessed January 2026)
Diocese of Cleveland, "$500,000 gift from Samuel H. & Maria Miller Foundation benefits diocesan Emergency Assistance Fund," April 24, 2020. https://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/news/2020/04/24/500000-gift-from-samuel-h-maria-miller-foundation-benefits-diocesan-emergency-assistance-fund (Accessed January 2026)
Cleveland Jewish News, "Miller Foundation supports CJN through grant; digital archive renamed in honor of the late Sam Miller," July 2020. https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/local_news/miller-foundation-supports-cjn-through-grant-digital-archive-renamed-in-honor-of-the-late-sam/article_fe886d9e-c1ff-11ea-8598-1ba9d6536486.html (Accessed January 2026)
Cleveland Jewish News, "Sam Miller, former Forest City co-chair emeritus, dies at 97," March 2019. https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/local_news/sam-miller-former-forest-city-co-chair-emeritus-dies-at-97/article_c0805c9c-40db-11e9-93c1-279a927d0eee.html (Accessed January 2026)
Catholic Community Foundation, "Sam Miller" profile page on impact. https://www.catholiccommunity.org/about/our-impact/sam-miller (Accessed January 2026)
Case Western Reserve University, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, "Miller Foundation Fellowships" program description. https://case.edu/nursing/programs/shaughnessy-nurse-leadership-academy/education-programs/miller-foundation-fellowships (Accessed January 2026)
Cleveland International Hall of Fame, "Sam Miller - 2013" inductee profile. https://clevelandinternationalhalloffame.com/sam-miller-2013/ (Accessed January 2026)
Wikipedia, "Sam Miller (businessman)" biographical entry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Miller_(businessman) (Accessed January 2026)