The Miller Family Foundation concentrates on a small number of very large, place-based gifts that prioritize Catholic parish and diocesan support alongside investments in local education and community revitalization. Major grants fund church general operations and debt reduction, significant capital projects and athletics at Pittsburg State University, and renovation of a historic school building used for community purposes. Their giving is project-focused and aimed at transformational impact rather than many small awards.
A $1.538 million grant for an outdoor track facility and intercollegiate athletics operations at Pittsburg State University Foundation Inc. is the largest recent award on file for Miller Family Foundation Inc. That single gift captures a pattern that runs through the foundation’s giving: large, place-based support for Catholic institutions, education, and community facilities in Pittsburg and nearby Missouri and Kansas communities. Recent grants also include $1 million awards to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Pittsburg for general fund support in 2025, 2024, and 2023, showing repeated support for the same parish over multiple years. Another major award went to Point Forward for refurbishment of the Washington School, a historic building tied to community use. The foundation’s portfolio also reaches diocesan education work, campus ministry, and local public-benefit projects. Its grants are not spread thinly across many small awards; instead, they concentrate on a smaller set of recipients and projects that appear intended to support facilities, operations, and longer-term community assets. The recent record also includes major support for Catholic schools and university-centered initiatives in Pittsburg and Columbia.
Catholic education and parish support are central to the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $1 million to the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City for the Diocesan Excellence in Education Fund and another $500,000 to the same diocese for Fr. Tolton debt reduction. In Pittsburg, it awarded $100,000 to St Mary's Colgan Catholic Schools for general fund support in 2025, after two similar $100,000 grants in prior years. The foundation also supports Catholic ministry on college campuses, including $105,900 to St Thomas More Newman Center for campus ministry. Beyond faith-based work, it funded community access to basic needs with $100,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities Mid-Missouri for a new Ronald McDonald House for children’s hospital families and $50,000 to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri for general fund support in 2025.
Typical awards are small relative to the foundation’s largest grants, with a p25 of $5,000, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $20,000. The recent record still shows occasional seven-figure gifts, but the distribution indicates many grants sit in the lower five figures. Recipients also recur across years, especially Catholic and Pittsburg-based organizations, which suggests relationship-based support rather than one-off transactions. The foundation is structured as a private family foundation and does not fund individuals. The grant history provided shows no program-related investments.
$3.4M
$77.6M
$10.9M
$4.1M
Most grants fall between $5K and $20K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$20K
About 40% of grants go to recipients in MO.
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Concentrated, transformational philanthropy: a very small number of large grants (multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollars), repeat support to the same religious and local higher-ed institutions, and project-specific capital or debt-reduction gifts rather than broad-based annual operating support across many organizations.
Notable grantees: Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City, PSU Foundation / Pittsburg State University Foundation, Point Forward
Grantmaking is regional, but it is heavily concentrated in Kansas and nearby Missouri communities. Kansas is the top state by grant count, and 39% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Pittsburg appears frequently across the recent grants list, alongside Jefferson City and Columbia in Missouri and Wichita in Kansas. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 146 grants to U.S. organizations.
The recent grants show recurring support for Catholic parishes and diocesan education funds, Pittsburg State University-related projects, local schools, campus ministry, and community services such as food assistance and family support. Examples include a diocesan education fund, parish general support, a university athletics project, and a food bank grant.
Typical grant sizes are modest compared with the foundation’s largest awards: the p25 is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the p75 is $20,000. The recent record also includes much larger project grants, including seven-figure awards.
Yes. The grant history includes repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including annual general fund support to a Pittsburg parish and multiple grants to a Catholic diocese and a local Catholic school system.
Kansas is the top state by grant count, and 39% of grants go to recipients in Kansas. Recent recipient cities include Pittsburg and Wichita in Kansas, plus Jefferson City and Columbia in Missouri.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSU FOUNDATION INC | PITTSBURG, KS | $1,538,200 | 2025 | OUTDOOR TRACK FACILITY & INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS OPERATIONS |
| OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC CHURCH | PITTSBURG, KS | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| ST MARY'S COLGAN | PITTSBURG, KS | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS | PITTSBURG, KS | $90,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE FOOD BANK FOR CENTRAL & NORTHEAST MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| ST PIUS X CATHOLIC STUDENT CENTER | PITTSBURG, KS | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE OPPORTUNITY CAMPUS | COLUMBIA, MO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| GP MADE FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, MO | $33,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| USD 250-PITTSBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOLS | PITTSBURG, KS | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| SEK HUMANE SOCIETY | PITTSBURG, KS | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| VALLEY HOPE FOUNDATION | NORTON, KS | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| CRAWFORD COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM | PITTSBURG, KS | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| JOB POINT | COLUMBIA, MO | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | SHOW-ME STATE GAMES |
| PAWPRINTS ON THE HEARTLAND | PITTSBURG, KS | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE SALVATION ARMY | KANSAS CITY, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| KANSAS BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS | WICHITA, KS | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $16,000 | 2025 | COMOGIVES |
| STUDENT MOBILIZATION | CONWAY, AR | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| HEART OF MISSOURI UNITED WAY | COLUMBIA, MO | $11,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| WOODHAVEN | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| ST MARTIN'S ACADEMY | FORT SCOTT, KS | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| MISSOURI HIGH STEPPERS | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| LOVE COLUMBIA | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| THOMPSON FOUNDATION FOR AUTISM & NEURODEVELOPMENT | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | THE THOMPSON CENTER |
| FAIR MISSOURI FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| PITTSUBRG SUNRISE ROTARY FOUNDATION | PITTSBURG, KS | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| FIRST CHANCE FOR CHILDREN | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| GREENHOUSE THEATRE PROJECT | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| ELLIS FISCHEL GALA SUMMER CELEBRATION | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES - DIOCESE OF WICHITA | PITTSBURG, KS | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| GREATER MISSOURI LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | KANSAS CITY, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| MISSOURI 4-H FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, MO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $7,800 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| LITTLE BALKANS DAYS FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION | PITTSBURG, KS | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI & SOUTHEAST KANSAS | JOPLIN, MO | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES | KANSAS CITY, MO | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| COLUMBIA ART LEAGUE | COLUMBIA, MO | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION | COLUMBIA, MO | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| KC HEALTHY KIDS | KANSAS CITY, KS | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| ACT FOR ALEXANDRIA | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| PITTSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION | PITTSBURG, KS | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| MOTHER TO MOTHER MINISTRY | PITTSBURG, KS | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY | PITTSBURG, KS | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| VIE MEDICAL CLINIC | PITTSBURG, KS | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA - OZARK TRAILS COUNCIL | SPRINGFIELD, MO | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL FUND |
| OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC CHURCH | PITTSBURG, KS | $1,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF JEFFERSON CITY | JEFFERSON CITY, MO | $1,000,000 | 2024 | DIOCESAN EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FUND |
PSU FOUNDATION INC
$1,538,200OUTDOOR TRACK FACILITY & INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS OPERATIONS
OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC CHURCH
$1,000,000GENERAL FUND
ST MARY'S COLGAN
$100,000GENERAL FUND
ST PIUS X CATHOLIC STUDENT CENTER
$50,000GENERAL FUND
THE OPPORTUNITY CAMPUS
$50,000GENERAL FUND
GP MADE FOUNDATION
$33,000GENERAL FUND
USD 250-PITTSBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
$30,000GENERAL FUND
SEK HUMANE SOCIETY
$25,000GENERAL FUND
VALLEY HOPE FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL FUND
CRAWFORD COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM
$25,000GENERAL FUND
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
$20,000SHOW-ME STATE GAMES
PAWPRINTS ON THE HEARTLAND
$20,000GENERAL FUND
THE SALVATION ARMY
$20,000GENERAL FUND
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL MISSOURI
$16,000COMOGIVES
STUDENT MOBILIZATION
$15,000GENERAL FUND
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL MISSOURI
$10,000GENERAL FUND
WOODHAVEN
$10,000GENERAL FUND
ST MARTIN'S ACADEMY
$10,000GENERAL FUND
MISSOURI HIGH STEPPERS
$10,000GENERAL FUND
FAIR MISSOURI FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL FUND
PITTSUBRG SUNRISE ROTARY FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL FUND
GREENHOUSE THEATRE PROJECT
$10,000GENERAL FUND
ELLIS FISCHEL GALA SUMMER CELEBRATION
$10,000GENERAL FUND
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS
$10,000GENERAL FUND
CATHOLIC CHARITIES - DIOCESE OF WICHITA
$10,000GENERAL FUND
GREATER MISSOURI LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL FUND
LITTLE BALKANS DAYS FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION
$7,500GENERAL FUND
UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI & SOUTHEAST KANSAS
$5,000GENERAL FUND
COLUMBIA ART LEAGUE
$5,000GENERAL FUND
COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL FUND
PITTSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL FUND
MOTHER TO MOTHER MINISTRY
$2,500GENERAL FUND
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY
$2,000GENERAL FUND
VIE MEDICAL CLINIC
$1,000GENERAL FUND
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA - OZARK TRAILS COUNCIL
$1,000GENERAL FUND
OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC CHURCH
$1,000,000GENERAL FUND
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF JEFFERSON CITY
$1,000,000DIOCESAN EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FUND