Miller-Dwan Foundation is an independent public charity working to create a healthy, resilient region free from mental health crisis. We are advocates, facilitators and mobilizers working in partnership with innovators, providers and donors to be a catalyst for change and provide resources for empowered and dignified lives.
Miller-dwan Foundation’s recent grantmaking shows a dual focus on mental health workforce building and direct support for care infrastructure. The largest recent award in the dataset went to Essentia Health for dialysis equipment, furnishings for Solvay House and Amberwing, and a donor wall, a single grant that tied together medical equipment, housing-like care space, and behavioral health facilities. Other large grants point in the same direction: the foundation has backed PM+ training stipends for The George Washington University, the College of St. Scholastica, and North Lakes Community Clinic, indicating an emphasis on scaling an evidence-informed mental health model through provider training. The foundation also supports child and adolescent behavioral health through Amberwing — Center for Youth & Family Well-Being, which appears as a recurring destination for designated support and salary funding. Beyond mental health, the recent record includes rehabilitation, adaptive recreation, cancer care, and services for people with physical disabilities, older adults, and farmers. The grant list suggests a funder that combines program support, workforce development, equipment, and facility-related funding within a local health and human services portfolio.
A clear theme is mental health workforce expansion. In 2025, Miller-dwan Foundation gave $62,266 to The George Washington University, $55,900 to the College of St Scholastica, and $24,634 to North Lakes Community Clinic for PM+ medial training stipends, showing direct investment in training people who will deliver care. They also support frontline mental health staffing. Lake Superior Community Health Center received $47,980 for a farmer’s mental health counselor salary, and Pavsa received $20,000 for psychotherapist salary in 2023. Another thread is services for people with disabilities and physical challenges. The Regents of the University of Mn received $30,000 for ballet for individuals with disabilities, while Minnesota Ballet received $14,865 in 2025 for the same purpose and $5,175 in 2023 for dance for youth with physical challenges. Older-adult support appears as well: Lighthouse Center for Vital Living received $30,000 for programming to keep elders in their homes, and Victory Chorus - Victory Fund received $15,000 for choir support for those with dementia.
$654K
$35.9M
$3.9M
$3.4M
Most grants fall between $15K and $38K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$38K
TRACI MARCINIAK
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Typical grant sizes cluster tightly around the foundation’s core program level: p25 is $15,000, median is $15,000, and p75 is $37,875. The recent awards show both small training stipends and much larger capital-and-equipment style grants, including one seven-figure package to Essentia Health. Recipients appear across multiple years, with Essentia Health, College of St Scholastica, Pavsa, Minnesota Ballet, and Amberwing-related support recurring in the grant list. Miller-dwan Foundation is structured as an independent public charity, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Several active programs are designated or foundation-managed rather than open-ended general requests, and some program pages note that unsolicited applications are not accepted.
Grantmaking is concentrated in Minnesota, with 94% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and the top state by grant count also Minnesota. Duluth is the main recipient city, with repeated awards to Essentia Health, College of St Scholastica, Pavsa, and others there. Other Minnesota recipients include Minneapolis, Iron River, and Superior just across the border in Wisconsin. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the recent grants sample.
The center of the distribution is $15,000: the p25, median, and a common award level all sit at that figure. Larger grants do occur, including awards above $40,000 and one recent grant above $1 million.
Its active programs and recent grants center on mental health, especially child and adolescent services, PM+ workforce expansion, and Amberwing. The foundation also funds physical rehabilitation, adaptive recreation, cancer care, hospice-related support, and services for people with physical disabilities and older adults.
Several active program descriptions indicate that unsolicited applications are not accepted. That is explicitly stated for programs including HopeX / PM+ Implementation Funding and Mental Health Funding – Child & Adolescent Programs (Amberwing), as well as cancer care and physical rehabilitation funding pages.
Giving is heavily concentrated in Minnesota. The top state by grant count is MN, and 94% of grants in the recent sample went to recipients in the HQ state. Duluth is the most common city among recipients.
Yes. Recent grants include PM+ medial training stipends to The George Washington University, the College of St Scholastica, North Lakes Community Clinic, St Louis County Public Health & Human Services, Trans Northland, and others, along with a psychiatrist or psychotherapist salary grant and counselor support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESSENTIA HEALTH | DULUTH, MN | $449,290 | 2025 | MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, PATIENT PROGRAMS, AMBERWING SALARY |
| THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $62,266 | 2025 | PM+ MEDIAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| COLLEGE OF ST SCHOLASTICA | DULUTH, MN | $55,900 | 2025 | PM+ MEDIAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| NORTH LAKES COMMUNITY CLINIC | IRON RIVER, MN | $24,634 | 2025 | PM+ MEDIAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| HGA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $16,650 | 2025 | LIVE WELL NORTHER WI PROJECT |
| MN MASONIC CHILDRENS | DULUTH, MN | $15,000 | 2025 | PM+ MEDIAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| TRANS NORTHLAND | DULUTH, MN | $15,000 | 2025 | PM+ MEDIAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| MINNESOTA BALLET | DULUTH, MN | $14,865 | 2025 | BALLET FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES |
| ESSENTIA HEALTH | DULUTH, MN | $749,886 | 2024 | MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, PATIENT PROGRAMS, AMBERWING SALARY |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MN | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $30,000 | 2024 | BALLET FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES |
| VICTORY CHORUS - VICTORY FUND | DULUTH, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | CHOIR SUPPORT FOR THOSE WITH DEMENTIA |
| INDIGO | SUPERIOR, WI | $15,000 | 2024 | PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| PAVSA | DULUTH, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| YMCA | DULUTH, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| AICHO | DULUTH, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| ST LOUIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES | DULUTH, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND |
| MINNESOTA BALLET | DULUTH, MN | $6,900 | 2024 | BALLET FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES |
| ESSENTIA HEALTH | DULUTH, MN | $1,013,687 | 2023 | DIALYSIS EQUIPMENT ($863,902); DESIGN AND FURNISHINGS FOR SOLVAY HOUSE AND AMBERWING ($119,540); DONOR WALL ($30,245) |
| ESSENTIA INSTITUTE OF RURAL HEALTH | DULUTH, MN | $51,358 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
| LAKE SUPERIOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER | DULUTH, MN | $47,980 | 2023 | FARMER'S MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR SALARY |
| COLLEGE OF ST SCHOLASTICA | DULUTH, MN | $40,500 | 2023 | MOBILITY RESEARCH |
| LIGHTHOUSE CENTER FOR VITAL LIVING | DULUTH, MN | $30,000 | 2023 | PROGRAMMING TO KEEP ELDERS IN THEIR HOMES |
| PAVSA | DULUTH, MN | $20,000 | 2023 | PSYCHOTHERAPIST SALARY |
| MN MASONIC CHILDREN'S CLINIC | DULUTH, MN | $14,000 | 2023 | PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH WHO HAVE DISABILITIES |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $9,100 | 2023 | EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS WORKING WITH YOUTH WITH PHYSICAL CHALLENGES |
| MINNESOTA BALLET | DULUTH, MN | $5,175 | 2023 | DANCE FOR YOUTH WITH PHYSICAL CHALLENGES |
NORTH LAKES COMMUNITY CLINIC
$24,634PM+ MEDIAL TRAINING STIPEND
HGA
$16,650LIVE WELL NORTHER WI PROJECT
MN MASONIC CHILDRENS
Current and upcoming funding from Miller-Dwan Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Eligible entities are Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center and Essentia Health/Miller-Dwan Rehabilitation Services.
Deadline: Not specified.
Who can apply: Essentia Health/Miller-Dwan departments focused on the historic specialty areas of the former Miller-Dwan Medical Center, Solvay Hospice House, and Amberwing.
Deadline: No deadline dates apply; ongoing applications accepted.
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PM+ MEDIAL TRAINING STIPEND
TRANS NORTHLAND
$15,000PM+ MEDIAL TRAINING STIPEND
MINNESOTA BALLET
$14,865BALLET FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MN
$30,000BALLET FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
VICTORY CHORUS - VICTORY FUND
$15,000CHOIR SUPPORT FOR THOSE WITH DEMENTIA
INDIGO
$15,000PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND
PAVSA
$15,000PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND
YMCA
$15,000PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND
AICHO
$15,000PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND
ST LOUIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
$15,000PM+ MENTAL TRAINING STIPEND
MINNESOTA BALLET
$6,900BALLET FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
DIALYSIS EQUIPMENT ($863,902); DESIGN AND FURNISHINGS FOR SOLVAY HOUSE AND AMBERWING ($119,540); DONOR WALL ($30,245)
LIGHTHOUSE CENTER FOR VITAL LIVING
$30,000PROGRAMMING TO KEEP ELDERS IN THEIR HOMES
PAVSA
$20,000PSYCHOTHERAPIST SALARY
MN MASONIC CHILDREN'S CLINIC
$14,000PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH WHO HAVE DISABILITIES
EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS WORKING WITH YOUTH WITH PHYSICAL CHALLENGES
MINNESOTA BALLET
$5,175DANCE FOR YOUTH WITH PHYSICAL CHALLENGES
