Chiles Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Chiles Foundation, based in Portland, Oregon, prioritises Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, though it is not territorially restricted, and funds poverty solutions, education, health care, culture and social services for non-profit, publicly supported 501(c)(3) organisations.
- Most requests should be modest: half of its 28 grants were $30,000 or less, and about eight in ten fell between $2,750 and $300,000, though the median was $30,000 and the largest reached $5,000,000.
- Applicants should contact the foundation's offices first to obtain an application form and discuss the proposed request before submitting a formal application, with fixed deadlines running between 1 July and 15 July each year.
- Only 1% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the two previous filings, suggesting it is open to new applicants rather than being a closed, relationship-only funder.
- No eligibility restriction beyond the non-profit, publicly supported 501(c)(3) requirement is stated, so grant writers outside Oregon or the Pacific Northwest need not rule themselves out, given the foundation is not territorially restricted.
Overview
Chiles Foundation is a US private foundation based in Portland, OR.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (catholiccharitiesoregon.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation says it intentionally funds solutions to poverty that are engineered to work person by person. The article describes its approach as choosing effective projects with a deeply personal touch, and says it has funded education, health care, culture and social services. Its filing says applicants generally must be non-profit, publicly supported organisations with 501(c)(3) exemptions. Grants are made primarily within Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, although the foundation is not territorially restricted. Its recorded support includes mentoring and youth enrichment, cancer research, education programmes and community services.
Themes
- Poverty solutions
- Education
- Health care
- Culture
- Social services
Geographic Focus
Priority: Oregon; Pacific Northwest.
How to apply
The foundation prefers applicants to contact its offices first to obtain an application form and review the proposed request before submitting a formal application.
Deadlines: Between July 1st and July 15th each year.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 1% 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 28 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 69% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, <1% of grant dollars went to organisations Chiles Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 10 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $22,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Boston 4 Celebrations Foundation · Support for boston pops july 4 spectacular in 2024, 2025 and 2026$100,0002024 tax year
- Carmelite Monastery of Carmel California · Area of greatest need$100,0002024 tax year
- SAGE - Senior Advocates for Generational Equity · Support for sage mentor program 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 academic years$30,0002024 tax year
- National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother The Grotto · 2024 visitor interpretive center update$30,0002024 tax year
- Holy Family Catholic Church and School · Updating the school and parish offices. part of honoring our past, building our future campaign$25,0002024 tax year
- Friendly House · Operating support for the friendly house community center$20,0002024 tax year
- Germaine's Culinary · Pilot project - nourish and flourish kitchen$10,7502024 tax year
- Oregon Historical Society · To support expansion of the volunteer educator program and to create a new learning guide$10,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Ryan Roth Gallo — Trustee
- Flo Newton Merlo — Trustee
- J Kenneth Menges Jr — Trustee
- Pedro Garcia — Trustee
- Kristi Richards — Director / Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,437,278 | $507,500 | $18,177,834 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $8,105,809 | $6,437,750 | $11,637,246 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $9,820,879 | $333,500 | $9,272,253 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Chiles Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (503) 222-2143
- Portland, OR
Applying to Chiles Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (503) 222-2143
- Portland, OR