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The Miami Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$131.9M
Grant Range
$40K - $0.1M
Decision Time
5mo
Success Rate
14%

The Miami Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $131.9 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $438 million (2022)
  • Success Rate: Approximately 14% (127 awards from ~900 applications in 2025)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 4-6 months from application deadline
  • Grant Range: $40,000 - $70,000 (two-year awards)
  • Geographic Focus: Miami-Dade County, Florida

Contact Details

Address: 40 NW 3rd Street, Suite 305, Miami, FL 33128

Website: https://miamifoundation.org

Contact: Contact form available on website; Program and Grantmaking Team handles grant-related inquiries

Overview

Established in 1967 as the Dade Community Foundation, The Miami Foundation is Greater Miami's premier community foundation with over $438 million in assets. For nearly 60 years, the foundation has served as a bridge between philanthropists and community needs, investing over $772 million to strengthen Greater Miami. Under the leadership of President and CEO Rebecca Fishman Lipsey (appointed June 2020), the foundation has grown by 50% and infused a commitment to equity and collective impact into every initiative. The foundation manages more than 1,000 charitable funds and has served 35,000 donors. In 2023, the foundation made a significant shift from annual to bi-annual grant cycles, reflecting their commitment to trust-based philanthropy with unrestricted, multi-year general operating support. The foundation has received recognition for its innovative participatory grantmaking approach, partnering with over 100 Community Advisors to review proposals and ensure community voices are centered in funding decisions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Grants Program: $40,000 - $70,000 (two-year general operating support)

  • Award amounts determined by organization's annual operating budget
  • Bi-annual application cycle (applications accepted every two years)
  • 2025-27 cycle awarded $7 million to 127 organizations
  • Next application cycle opens in 2027
  • All grants are unrestricted, mission-building general operating support

Safe Communities Program: Partnership with The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, Miami-Dade County, State Attorney's Office, and Taft Foundation

  • Supports organizations assisting victims of crime, reducing crime in communities, and helping offenders rehabilitate

Scholarship Programs: Various scholarships and fellowships for Miami-Dade County residents

  • Separate application process from Community Grants
  • Application deadline typically March 15, with notifications in April

Donor-Advised Funds: The foundation operates donor-advised funds through which donors can direct distributions

Priority Areas

The foundation funds organizations working in six core categories:

  1. Access to Health and Wellness: Connecting people to quality health resources and education, reducing health disparities, and tackling social determinants of health

  2. Economic Stability: Promoting self-sufficiency, entrepreneurship, financial independence, and personal stability to help residents meet affordability challenges

  3. Inclusion: Expanding opportunities for people with disabilities across all aspects of community life

  4. Inspiring Arts and Culture: Championing community diversity, expanding access to arts and culture experiences, and increasing opportunities for artistic expression

  5. Safer Communities: Crime prevention and deterrence, reducing substance abuse and addiction, combating human trafficking, supporting survivors of violence, and youth development programs that promote safety

  6. Thriving Youth and Families: High-quality education, personal development, and ensuring safety and stability for families from early childhood to elder-aged

Cross-cutting emphasis: The foundation conducts much of its grantmaking through a racial equity lens and prioritizes organizations serving marginalized communities.

What They Don't Fund

Per IRS regulations, grant funds may not be used for:

  • Lobbying activities
  • Partisan political activities
  • Grants to individuals for travel, study, or similar purposes
  • Subgrants to other organizations
  • Any activity outside approved charitable and educational purposes

Additional restrictions:

  • Collaborative proposals are not considered (funding is intended to invest in individual organizations' sustainability)
  • Work must directly serve Miami-Dade County residents
  • Organizations with current grants must be in compliance to apply for new funding
  • Each applicant may submit only one application to one category (except colleges, universities, and local government entities may submit up to three from different departments)

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Rebecca Fishman Lipsey (appointed June 2020, unanimously selected by the Board of Trustees)

Rebecca has infused a commitment to equity and collective impact into every initiative at the foundation. In her words: "In leading the foundation, my responsibility is to identify issues that matter in Miami—and to bring together resources and power to help solve those issues." Under her leadership, the foundation has grown by 50% with a strong emphasis on equity in every grant program. She is currently focused on building a physical home base for nonprofit strength and community solutions.

Board Chair: Richard Berkowitz, founder and chairman of Berkowitz Pollack Brant

Board of Trustees: The board comprises diverse community volunteers who provide stewardship and establish/govern all policies regarding operations, investments, and grants.

Recent board appointees include:

  • Kareem T. Brantley: Twenty years of engineering and real estate experience; Miami Foundation Fellows Class VIII member
  • Rebekah Monson: Co-founder and COO of WhereBy.Us
  • Joe Natoli: Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Baptist Health South Florida
  • Madeline Pumariega: Former chancellor of the Florida College System, first female and first Hispanic in that role

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted online through the foundation's grants portal at grants.miamifoundation.org using the Submittable platform.

Application requirements:

  • Active 501(c)(3) status as a public charity OR established fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status
  • Government entities and religious organizations that are nonprofit equivalents are also eligible
  • Must have operations in Miami-Dade County and serve Miami-Dade County residents
  • One application per organization, per cycle (exceptions for colleges, universities, and government entities)

Application cycle:

  • Bi-annual (every two years)
  • 2025-27 cycle: Applications opened January 1, 2025; deadline February 28, 2025
  • Next cycle opens in 2027

Decision Timeline

Community Grants Program:

  • Applications due: Late February (2-month window)
  • Review process: 100+ Community Advisors review all eligible proposals over 48 hours of meetings
  • Decision notification: Approximately 4-6 months after deadline
  • Grant awards begin: Following notification

Based on the 2025 cycle, proposals submitted by February 28, 2025, with awards announced and grants beginning later in the year.

Success Rates

The Community Grants program is highly competitive:

  • 2025 cycle: ~900 proposals submitted; 127 organizations funded (approximately 14% success rate)
  • 2023 cycle: 697 proposals submitted; 95 organizations funded (approximately 14% success rate)

The foundation notes that the volume of applications has increased significantly, reflecting growing community need and awareness of the program.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation operates on a bi-annual grant cycle, meaning organizations funded in one cycle (e.g., 2025-27) would naturally be eligible to apply in the next cycle (2027-29). Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented, but the bi-annual structure suggests unsuccessful applicants may apply in subsequent cycles. Organizations should contact the foundation directly for clarification on reapplication timing and guidance.

Application Success Factors

The Miami Foundation emphasizes trust-based philanthropy and community-led decision-making. Key success factors include:

Alignment with funding categories: Organizations must demonstrate clear work in one of the six priority areas. The foundation states proposals are reviewed to ensure alignment with category priorities and mission.

Community impact and equity focus: The foundation conducts much of its grantmaking through a racial equity lens. Applications should demonstrate how work serves marginalized communities and addresses disparities in Miami-Dade County.

Geographic focus: Proposals must show direct service to Miami-Dade County residents. The foundation's commitment is specifically to Greater Miami.

Organizational readiness for general operating support: Since grants are unrestricted, mission-building support, organizations should demonstrate how flexible funding will strengthen sustainability, impact, and growth. The foundation trusts organizations to determine best use of funds.

Community voice and perspective: With over 100 Community Advisors reviewing proposals, applications that resonate with community members' lived experiences and professional expertise are more likely to succeed. Advisors bring "rich perspectives from people with personal and professional experiences related to each funding category."

Operating budget alignment: Award amounts are determined by annual operating budget ($40,000-$70,000 range for two years). Organizations should be prepared to provide budget information demonstrating operational scale.

Compliance and good standing: Organizations with existing foundation grants must be in compliance to apply. This suggests the foundation values strong grantee relationships and accountability.

Quality over complexity: The foundation has moved away from detailed project budgets in favor of streamlined proposals focusing on mission and impact. This reflects their trust-based approach—simpler, clearer applications that focus on the "why" may be more effective than overly complex proposals.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Timing is everything: Applications open once every two years. The next cycle opens in 2027, so begin preparation early and mark calendars now.

  • Unrestricted support is the model: The foundation provides general operating support, not project grants. Frame your application around organizational mission and sustainability rather than specific projects.

  • Equity lens is critical: Rebecca Fishman Lipsey has stated the foundation conducts grantmaking through a racial equity lens. Demonstrate how your work addresses disparities and serves marginalized communities.

  • Community Advisors matter: Over 100 community members with lived and professional experience review proposals. Write for this audience—use accessible language and demonstrate authentic community connection.

  • Geographic focus is non-negotiable: Must serve Miami-Dade County residents directly. Regional or statewide organizations should clearly articulate Miami-Dade impact.

  • Competition is intense: With a 14% success rate, applications must be compelling and clearly differentiated. The foundation received nearly 900 applications in 2025—quality and clarity are essential.

  • One category only: Choose your funding category carefully—you can only apply to one. Review category descriptions thoroughly and select the strongest fit for your organization's primary mission.

References

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