The Miles Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation is invitation-only and does not accept unsolicited requests, and its website does not describe a submission channel, so a cold proposal is unlikely to get a hearing; the practical route is to make contact through its existing relationships and wait to be invited.
- Its focus on education, family support and workforce development, including early childhood education, is the main test of fit, and only tax-exempt public charities or qualified public entities can be invited, while individuals, international organisations, capital programmes and political organisations are excluded.
- Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 61 grants to organisations fall between $5,000 and $220,000, and half are $55,000 or less, so a request in that region is realistic, although the largest grant was about $1,100,000 and that band is not a ceiling.
- Be ready to develop and share measures of programme effectiveness, as the foundation expects this.
- Because 86% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded before, the foundation looks relationship-led and repeat-giving, so a newcomer should expect a long, relationship-based process rather than a quick award.
Overview
The Miles Foundation is a US private foundation based in Fort Worth, TX.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Miles Foundation invests in education to promote the next generation’s success and seeks to ensure every child has the foundation to succeed in school and in life. It connects families with information and resources to access educational opportunities from cradle to career, and co-designs programmes that help families build skills, community connections and confidence in their children’s education. Its work also promotes quality early childhood education as a strategy for developing the future workforce, supporting working parents and attracting and retaining talent for local businesses. It works through strategic partnerships and programmes; invited organisations must be tax-exempt public charities or qualified public entities. The Foundation expects organisations to develop and share measures of programme effectiveness and builds long-term relationships based on shared values.
Themes
- Education
- Family support
- Workforce development
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in the United States and Texas.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- International organizations
- Capital programs
- Political organizations
How to apply
The grants process is invitation-only. Invited organisations submit a grant proposal; the site does not describe a submission channel or further application steps.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 86% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 61 grants to organisations were $55,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Organisations should be prepared to develop and share metrics measuring their programmes’ effectiveness.
- The Foundation builds long-term relationships based on shared values and deeply engages in its partnerships.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
4 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 46% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to organisations The Miles Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 75% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 10 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $92,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- North Texas Community Foundation · The miles foundation community funds$1,113,7502024 tax year
- Donors Trust · The miles foundation fund$600,0002024 tax year
- Vela Education Fund · Expand vela micro-grants across texas$250,0002024 tax year
- Families Empowered · General operations$150,0002024 tax year
- Basis Texas Charter Schools · Fort worth expansion$100,0002024 tax year
- Trinity Christian Academy · Innovative learning initiative$85,0002024 tax year
- Philanthropy Roundtable · General operations$75,0002024 tax year
- Communities Foundation of Texas · Philanthropy advocates$55,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Sherry A Wilson — Director
- Jack L Burdett — Chairman
- Christopher G Coates — CEO / Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $4,879,643 | $2,479,832 | $63,736,962 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $4,852,928 | $2,275,654 | $68,377,372 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $4,986,173 | $2,478,750 | $67,864,787 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Miles Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@milesfdn.org
- Fort Worth, TX
- milesfdn.org
Applying to The Miles Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@milesfdn.org
- Fort Worth, TX
- milesfdn.org