LHM Charities Overview

Foundation Background

Larry H. Miller Charities is a nonprofit foundation set up in 1995 to operate as the charitable division of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies.  The board of trustees is based in Utah and consists of employees from the automotive, sports & entertainment, and management branches of these companies.  Also serving as trustees are two members of the general public who are interested in the welfare of our communities, and a member of the Miller family.  The total number of trustees is 12, and the board generally meets every 30-90 days to consider donation requests that have passed an initial review and filtering process.  Employee subcommittees are based in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico and Oregon.

Funds available for donation come from three sources:

1. Monthly contributions from Larry H. Miller companies.
2. Contributions from employees of Larry H. Miller companies.
3. Contributions from members of the general public via fundraisers.

Funding Guidelines

Funding is provided to groups whose programs and services benefit those who live in the same communities where Larry H. Miller companies do business.  These communities are located in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico and Oregon.  Our giving focuses on programs that assist children, with an emphasis on health and education.  LHM Charities does not normally purchase tables at, or sponsor fundraising dinners, golf tournaments, races or other similar events.  Donations are not usually provided to start-up groups or programs.  Due to restrictions within the bylaws of Larry H. Miller Charities, we cannot make donations to private individuals or earmark donation funds for use by specific individuals, even through a church or other nonprofit organization.  LHM Charities does not donate vehicles.

Donation Request Guidelines
Proposals that do not include the following information will not be considered for funding. Please be aware that a response to your proposal may take up to 90 days.

1. Briefly describe your organization and/or program, including how long it has been in existence.
2. Attach a copy of your operating budget; also attach a specific program budget if applicable.
3. Indicate the amount of funding requested and specify in detail how it will be spent (i.e. name and description of program(s) involved; who and how many will benefit; where funds will be distributed; itemized costs, etc.).
4. If available, please provide information or statistics that quantify results achieved by your program or organization.
5. It is mandatory that you include a copy of your IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt document.

Additional supplementary materials are welcome, but not necessary. Further clarification regarding proposal guidelines is provided in the appendix which follows. Funding requests should be typewritten and addressed to the Larry H. Miller contact located in your area.

LARRY H. MILLER CHARITIES CONTACT INFORMATION

Proposal Guidelines Appendix
Larry H. Miller Charities makes donations to a wide variety of organizations; however, if your answer is “no” to any of the following questions, your proposal will not be considered for funding.

Is this donation for a nonprofit organization, not a private individual?
Individuals requesting donations or sponsorships for humanitarian trips, beauty pageants, athletic competitions and similar types of individually sponsored activities do not qualify for funding. Requests for donated vehicles or financial assistance due to hardship also do not qualify.

Can you provide us with a copy of your organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) document?
All qualified nonprofit organizations should have a 501(c)(3) document issued by the IRS. Submissions that do not include a copy of this document will not be considered for funding. Documentation must verify that IRS nonprofit status has been in place for at least one year.

Will the proposed donation directly benefit children, preferably in the areas of health and education?
Larry H. Miller Charities focuses its giving on programs and organizations that directly benefit children and teens. Donation requests that aid at-risk youth in the areas of health and education are given priority.

Does this donation benefit those who live near Larry H. Miller businesses?
Donation proposals that primarily benefit people living outside of the country or communities not located near Larry H. Miller companies will not be considered for funding. Larry H. Miller businesses are located in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico and Oregon.

Has your program or organization been in existence longer than one year?
Our foundation has determined that it is not in our best interests to fund start-up programs. Therefore, proposals from programs or organizations less than a year old will not be considered.

Will this be a direct donation that does not involve sponsorship of a fundraiser?
Larry H. Miller Charities prefers to donate directly to nonprofit organizations rather than purchase tables at, or sponsor fundraising dinners, races, golf tournaments and other similar events.

General Information
Though your proposal does not need to be lengthy (two to four pages is usually sufficient), we do need enough detail to make an informed decision. Listed below is a very simple sample of the type of information our foundation would like to see.

Sample: Avoid generalized phrasing such as: Smith Elementary requests funding for its students.

Instead, state your request using details such as: "Smith Elementary requests $1,850 for its remedial reading program. Ready to Read has been in operation for three years and assists upper-grade students whose test results indicate they are two grade levels or more behind their peers in reading skills. 180 students have completed the program so far, and 60 students are enrolled this semester. Standardized testing indicates that 5% of students who completed the program increased their reading levels by three grades, 45% by two grades, 49% by one grade, and 1% by one-half grade level or less. School boundary changes have created a recent influx of new students and nearly doubled the size of our remedial reading classes. Textbooks, teaching materials and instructors are in short supply."

Download a PDF copy of Larry H. Miller Charities Guidelines