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Chiles Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.4M
Grant Range
$3K - $5.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,437,750 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $3,000 - $5,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: National, with emphasis on Oregon and Pacific Northwest
  • Total Assets: $9,513,648 (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 8338 NE Alderwood Rd Ste 180, Portland, OR 97220-6800

Phone: 541-390-3662

Website: www.chilesfoundation.org

EIN: 93-6031125

Overview

The Chiles Foundation was established in 1949 by Earle A. Chiles, former president of Fred Meyer, Inc. and stepson of Fred Meyer, founder of the retail chain. The foundation has total assets of approximately $9.5 million and distributed $6.4 million in grants during 2023. For over four decades, the foundation was led by Earle M. Chiles (1933-2016), who served as president from 1983 until his death. The foundation has a long history of supporting education, healthcare (particularly cancer research), culture, and social services throughout Oregon and beyond. Under current leadership, the foundation has maintained its broad philanthropic mission while developing a particular focus on person-centered solutions to poverty and homelessness. The foundation is classified as a family foundation and operates as a private grantmaking organization.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Chiles Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with structured application cycles. Instead, the foundation makes discretionary grants to pre-selected organizations. Recent major grants include:

  • Major Institutional Support: $5,000,000 to University of Portland for Chiles Center improvements (2023)
  • Healthcare Access: $1,000,000 to Providence Portland for emergency care expansion
  • Transitional Housing: Significant support for Chiles House (27-unit building) and Kenton Women's Village
  • Typical Grant Range: $3,000 - $5,000,000 (with median around $180,000 based on recent giving)

Priority Areas

Education:

  • Higher education institutions (universities and colleges)
  • Scholarships and student support
  • Educational facilities and infrastructure

Healthcare:

  • Cancer research and treatment (historic priority)
  • Emergency care access
  • Medical research institutes

Social Services:

  • Transitional housing for homeless populations
  • Person-centered poverty solutions
  • Peer support programs
  • Services for vulnerable populations, particularly women

Culture:

  • Arts and cultural institutions (historic giving pattern)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation typically does not fund:

  • Infrastructure projects (though exceptions have been made, such as Chiles House)
  • Unsolicited proposals
  • Organizations outside their established network

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership:

  • Kristi Richards, Executive Director (also listed as Director of Operations)
  • Pedro Garcia, Foundation Board Member (longtime employee)

Historic Leadership:

  • Earle A. Chiles (1904-1982): Founder, established foundation in 1949
  • Earle M. Chiles (1933-2016): Executive Director (1968-1983), then President (1983-2016)

Leadership Philosophy:

Kristi Richards has articulated the foundation's person-centered approach: "You always are looking at a big picture... But when you step back, you know that it's one life." This philosophy reflects the foundation's intentional focus on funding solutions that work "person by person" rather than through broad programmatic approaches alone.

The foundation seeks projects with what nonprofit partners describe as a "compassionate and smart approach" that chooses "those projects which are most effective but have a very deeply personal touch as well."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Chiles Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to pre-selected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are awarded through:

  • Board and staff discretion
  • Pre-existing relationships with organizations
  • Invitation-only basis
  • Direct identification of organizations by foundation leadership

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the Chiles Foundation's documented grantmaking patterns, organizations seeking support should focus on:

Building Relationships in Specific Sectors:

  • The foundation has longstanding partnerships with Catholic Charities of Oregon, Providence Health, and University of Portland
  • Foundation leadership actively visits supported programs and meets with nonprofit leadership
  • Executive Director Kristi Richards personally visits sites and engages with organizations

Geographic Connection:

  • Strong preference for Oregon-based organizations, particularly in the Portland area
  • History of supporting organizations where foundation leadership has personal connections

Demonstrating Person-Centered Impact:

  • The foundation responds to programs that demonstrate individual transformation
  • Personal stories and one-on-one support models align with their stated philosophy
  • Programs should show both effectiveness and "a deeply personal touch"

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, the foundation operates on its own timeline without formal application cycles.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The foundation made 9 grants in 2023, 9 grants in 2022, and 13 grants in 2021, indicating highly selective grantmaking.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept applications. Organizations receiving support typically maintain multi-year relationships with the foundation.

Application Success Factors

Since the Chiles Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional "application success factors" do not apply. However, analysis of their grantmaking patterns reveals what attracts foundation support:

Mission Alignment:

  • Person-centered approaches: The foundation explicitly funds "solutions to poverty that are engineered to work person by person"
  • Individual transformation: Programs should demonstrate impact at the individual level, not just system-level change
  • Holistic support: Peer-to-peer programs, such as their support for a woman who worked her way out of homelessness accompanying others doing the same

Relationship Building:

  • Long-term institutional partnerships (40+ years with University of Portland, decades with Providence Health)
  • Personal connections between foundation leadership and nonprofit leadership
  • Site visits and direct engagement with programs

Types of Organizations That Have Received Support:

  • Major Portland educational institutions (University of Portland, University of Oregon)
  • Healthcare organizations (Providence Portland, cancer research)
  • Social service agencies addressing homelessness (Catholic Charities of Oregon)
  • Organizations where foundation can make transformational impact

Funding Flexibility:

  • While they "typically do not fund infrastructure," they made an exception for Chiles House because of the proven effectiveness of Catholic Charities' approach
  • Foundation leadership considers the bigger picture: "It's a vital community resource and we felt we needed to support it" (regarding emergency care funding)

Evidence of Personal Touch:

  • Programs with personal stories of transformation
  • Services that work on an individualized basis
  • Peer support and mentorship models

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No traditional grant application process exists - this foundation operates exclusively through invitation and pre-existing relationships
  • Person-centered impact is paramount - demonstrate how your work transforms individual lives, not just programmatic outcomes
  • Geographic focus matters - Oregon-based organizations, particularly in Portland, receive the majority of support
  • Long-term relationships drive funding - the foundation supports the same organizations over decades rather than seeking new partners annually
  • Strategic exceptions happen - while the foundation has stated preferences (e.g., "typically don't fund infrastructure"), they will make exceptions for proven partners
  • Foundation leadership values seeing impact firsthand - Executive Director Kristi Richards visits programs and engages personally with organizations
  • Personal experiences influence funding decisions - Richards shared how her personal experience with emergency care access informed a $1M grant to Providence Portland

References

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