The Marlin Miller Jr Family Foundation concentrates large, targeted gifts to national cancer research/charity and higher-education institutions, favoring annual fund support. Their portfolio shows repeat, multi-year support to a small set of flagship organizations rather than broad community giving, with donations directed to well-established research hospitals and universities across the country rather than local Reading-area causes.
Marlin Miller Jr Family Foundation’s largest recent gifts cluster around cancer care and research, with Dana-Farber appearing at the top of its recent grant list in 2024, 2023, and 2025. That same pattern of repeated support appears in higher education, where the foundation has backed The UCLA Foundation and Alfred University across multiple years. The result is a grantmaking profile built on sustained institutional funding rather than one-off awards. Recent giving also shows a clear preference for annual-fund support. Several of the foundation’s largest grants are labeled annual fund, including major awards to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The UCLA Foundation, and Alfred University. In the Berks County area, it has also supported Reading Public Museum, Reading Area Community College, The Foundation for Reading Area Community College, United Way of Berks County, and Reading Hospital & Medical Center Auxiliary. The foundation’s portfolio includes both national and local institutions, but the pattern is selective: repeated grants, familiar recipients, and a mix of research, education, health, arts, and community organizations. It also gives to project-specific needs such as capital campaign work and scholarship funding, including Kutztown University Foundation Inc and The Highlands at Wyomissing.
Cancer research and patient support are central to the foundation’s recent giving. It awarded $664,840 to Dana Farber Jimmy Fund in 2024, $655,000 to Dana Farber Cancer Inst in 2023, and $508,160 to Dana Farber Cancer Inst in 2025, all for annual fund support. Higher education is another recurring area. The UCLA Foundation received $450,000 in 2025, $300,000 in 2023, and $250,000 in 2024 for annual fund support. Alfred University also received repeated support, including $260,000 in 2023, $162,500 in 2024, and $175,000 in 2025 for annual fund, Earth Cloud, and related purposes. In Berks County, the foundation has backed local arts, health, and civic organizations. It gave $100,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025 to Goggle Works Center for the Arts for capital campaign and annual fund purposes, and it supported Reading Symphony Orchestra, United Way of Berks County, and Reading Hospital & Medical Center Auxiliary as part of the same local portfolio.
$1.8M
$32.7M
$3.3M
$2.1M
Most grants fall between $1K and $15K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$15K
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Highly concentrated: few large grants, several repeat gifts to the same national institutions; predominant use of annual/unrestricted fund support rather than project-restricted grants.
Notable grantees: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dana-Farber Jimmy Fund, The UCLA Foundation, Alfred University
Typical grant size is modest relative to the foundation’s largest awards: the p25 is $1,000, the median is $2,500, and the p75 is $15,000. At the same time, its recent grant list includes six-figure institutional gifts, showing a split between many smaller awards and a narrower set of larger commitments. The pattern is highly recurring. Dana Farber, The UCLA Foundation, Alfred University, and Goggle Works Center for the Arts each appear across multiple years, and several grants are explicitly annual fund support. The foundation is a family foundation, and it also funds individuals. Its recent grants are predominantly program- or purpose-specific, including annual fund, capital campaign, and scholarship fund support.
Most giving lands in Pennsylvania, which accounts for 53% of grants. Reading appears repeatedly in the recent list, along with nearby Berks County locations such as Wyomissing, Kutztown, and Trexlertown. Outside Pennsylvania, the foundation has also made sizable awards to recipients in Brookline, Massachusetts; Los Angeles, California; Alfred, New York; Urbana, Illinois; and Nantucket, Massachusetts. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Its recent grants go to cancer research and patient-support organizations, universities, arts institutions, hospitals, and community nonprofits. Named recipients include Dana Farber Cancer Inst, The UCLA Foundation, Alfred University, Reading Public Museum, Goggle Works Center for the Arts, and United Way of Berks County.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Dana Farber Cancer Inst in 2023, 2024, and 2025; The UCLA Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Alfred University in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Goggle Works Center for the Arts in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is small at the center and larger at the top: the 25th percentile is $1,000, the median is $2,500, and the 75th percentile is $15,000. Its recent list also includes much larger annual-fund grants such as $664,840 and $450,000.
Pennsylvania is the top state by grant count, with 53% of grants going to recipients in the state. Recent Pennsylvania recipients include organizations in Reading, Wyomissing, Kutztown, and Trexlertown.
The foundation often gives annual fund support, and it also makes capital campaign and scholarship fund grants. Recent examples include annual fund support to multiple universities and hospitals, a capital campaign grant to The Highlands at Wyomissing, and a scholarship fund grant to Kutztown University Foundation Inc.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANA FARBER CANCER INST | BROOKLINE, MA | $508,160 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| THE UCLA FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $450,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| ALFRED UNIVERSITY | ALFRED, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND, EARTH CLOUD, ETC. |
| READING AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | READING, PA | $112,860 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| GOGGLE WORKS CENTER FOR THE ARTS | READING, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, ANNUAL FUND |
| CRAFT EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (CERF) | URBANA, IL | $90,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| THE HIGHLANDS AT WYOMISSING | WYOMISSING, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC | KUTZTOWN, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| UNITED WAY OF BERKS COUNTY | READING, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| NANTUCKET COTTAGE HOSPITAL | NANTUCKET, MA | $35,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| READING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | READING, PA | $25,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| OPPORTUNITY HOUSE | READING, PA | $25,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| EGAN MARITIME FOUNDATION | NANTUCKET, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF NE PA | TREXLERTOWN, PA | $15,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CENTRO HISPANO | READING, PA | $11,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CARON FOUNDATION | WERNERSVILLE, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND, CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| HAYSTACK MOUNTAIN SCHOOL OF CRAFTS | DEER ISLE, ME | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, ANNUAL FUND, SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| AMERICAN CRAFT COUNCIL | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BERKS BUSINESS EDUCATION COALITION | WYOMISSING, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| HAWK MOUNTAIN COUNCIL BSA | READING, PA | $5,500 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| HELPING HARVEST | READING, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| SPOTLIGHT PA | HARRISBURG, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| MASS AUDUBAN | LINCOLN, MA | $4,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| MARIA MITCHELL ASSOCIATION | NANTUCKET, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| NANTUCKET LAND COUNCIL | NANTUCKET, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| READING MUSIC FOUNDATION | READING, PA | $2,500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| ARCHIE BRAY FOUNDATION | HELENA, MT | $2,500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| MUSEUM OF ART & DESIGN | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| NANTUCKET BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB | NANTUCKET, MA | $2,500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| WATERSHED CENTER | NEWCASTLE, ME | $2,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | TEMPLE, PA | $2,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BERKS ENCORE | READING, PA | $2,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| THE CLAY STUDIO | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $2,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| DANA FARBER JIMMY FUND | BROOKLINE, MA | $2,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| PA FREE ENTERPRISE WEEK | ERIE, PA | $1,500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| READING PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION | READING, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| OLIVET BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF READING & BERKS COUNTY | READING, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| PENLAND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS | PENLAND, NC | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| NANTUCKET CONSERVATION FOUNDATION | NANTUCKET, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BERKS HISTORY CENTER | READING, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| THE NANTUCKET ANTHENEUM | NANTUCKET, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BERKS ART COUNCIL | READING, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| OUR HOUSE NANTUCKET | NANTUCKET, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER | READING, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BERKS NATURE | READING, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION | NANTUCKET, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BERKS YOUTH CHORUS | READING, PA | $500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CLAY ON MAIN | OLEY, PA | $500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| NANTUCKET SHELLFISH ASSOCIATION INC | NANTUCKET, MA | $500 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
DANA FARBER CANCER INST
$508,160ANNUAL FUND
ALFRED UNIVERSITY
$175,000ANNUAL FUND, EARTH CLOUD, ETC.
READING AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$112,860ANNUAL FUND
GOGGLE WORKS CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$100,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, ANNUAL FUND
CRAFT EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (CERF)
$90,000ANNUAL FUND
THE HIGHLANDS AT WYOMISSING
$50,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
NANTUCKET COTTAGE HOSPITAL
$35,000ANNUAL FUND
READING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$25,000ANNUAL FUND
EGAN MARITIME FOUNDATION
$15,000ANNUAL FUND
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF NE PA
$15,000ANNUAL FUND
CARON FOUNDATION
$10,000ANNUAL FUND, CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
HAYSTACK MOUNTAIN SCHOOL OF CRAFTS
$10,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, ANNUAL FUND, SCHOLARSHIP FUND
AMERICAN CRAFT COUNCIL
$10,000ANNUAL FUND
BERKS BUSINESS EDUCATION COALITION
$10,000ANNUAL FUND
HAWK MOUNTAIN COUNCIL BSA
$5,500CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
$5,000ANNUAL FUND
HELPING HARVEST
$5,000ANNUAL FUND
MASS AUDUBAN
$4,000ANNUAL FUND
NANTUCKET LAND COUNCIL
$2,500ANNUAL FUND
MUSEUM OF ART & DESIGN
$2,500ANNUAL FUND
WATERSHED CENTER
$2,000ANNUAL FUND
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$2,000ANNUAL FUND
BERKS ENCORE
$2,000ANNUAL FUND
THE CLAY STUDIO
$2,000ANNUAL FUND
DANA FARBER JIMMY FUND
$2,000ANNUAL FUND
PA FREE ENTERPRISE WEEK
$1,500ANNUAL FUND
READING PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$1,000ANNUAL FUND
BERKS HISTORY CENTER
$1,000ANNUAL FUND
BERKS ART COUNCIL
$1,000ANNUAL FUND
BERKS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
$1,000ANNUAL FUND
BERKS YOUTH CHORUS
$500ANNUAL FUND
CLAY ON MAIN
$500ANNUAL FUND
NANTUCKET SHELLFISH ASSOCIATION INC
$500ANNUAL FUND