José Milton Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The José Milton Foundation supports education, research and health in Miami and throughout South Florida.
IP TAKE: This family foundation has specific interests in South Florida and prefers a proactive grantmaking approach rather than offering a more accessible grant application process. This is not an accessible funder, but given how many family members serve on its boards, we recommend networking. Many family members serve on the boards of other local foundations in Miami, which host events at which you might be able to network. As well, reach out to previous Milton grantees to see how you can get on this funder’s radar. Rather than support grassroots operations, it appears this funder prefers to support more established organizations, such as museums and various research institutions in South Florida, rather than small, grassroots efforts.
A separate, but affiliated philanthropy organization, that involves one specific branch of the family is the Cecil & Ana Milton Family Foundation, broadly supports first responders, military and veterans’ organizations and the environment.
PROFILE: Established in 2012, the José Milton Foundation is a private family foundation based in Coral Gables, Florida, a suburb of Miami. Milton was the family patriarch and a Cuban immigrant of Lebanese heritage who made Miami his home. After falling in love with South Florida, José Milton became a successful entrepreneur there as an architect, builder and developer there. Ana Veiga Milton, J.D. presides over the foundation, which is run by the founder’s three sons, who also manage operations at United Property Management and José Milton & Associates. The foundation also hosts a junior board of Milton family members tasked learning how to continue the family’s philanthropic legacy in South Florida.
The José Milton Foundation works to "invest in programs and organizations in South Florida that improve quality of life and close the opportunity gap, with a particular focus on education, research and healthcare.”
Grants for Education, Youth and Families
The José Milton Foundation’s work focuses on narrow interests that support the local community in which it is headquartered. It appears from tax filings that this funder’s education interests serve established organizations that can scale, rather than grassroots outfits that directly serve locals at the ground level.
Recent education grantees include the University of Miami, where many Milton family members attended or currently do so. Other education and youth grantees include the FIU Foundation, Children & Families Foundation, Jack & Jill Children’s Center, Foundation for New Education Initiatives, Inc. (Dade-County Schools), The Lori Brener Scholarship Fund, The Learning Experience, and the Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, likely another family alma mater.
Other grants have supported United Way organizations and local chapters of Big Brothers and Big Sisters, while also focusing on domestic violence and family support.
Grants for Health, the Arts, and Immigrants
This family funder also invests in local botanical gardens, art museums and various health organizations, such as the American Cancer Society and Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range between about $1,000 and $300,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records.
Grantmaking focuses on South Florida, including the cities of Miami, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coral Gables.
Past local grantees include the Zoo Miami Foundation, United Way of Miami-Dade County and the Perez Art Museum.
This funder typically provides unrestricted operating support grants to local groups that work within it’s local areas of funding.
This foundation does not typically accept unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits, as it only funds pre-selected organizations. Direct general questions to the staff at info@miltonphilanthropy.org or 305-460-6300.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
