Organization · Grant Maker
Miller Center for Global Impact
The Miller Center for Global Impact, part of Santa Clara University, accelerates social enterprises focused on ending global poverty and protecting the planet. It supports local leaders addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in women's economic empowerment and climate resilience.
Overview
What Miller Center for Global Impact does
What Miller Center for Global Impact is
The Miller Center for Global Impact, part of Santa Clara University, accelerates social enterprises focused on ending global poverty and protecting the planet. It supports local leaders addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in women's economic empowerment and climate resilience.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports grantor and community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Grant Maker
- Founded
- Founded in 1997
- Approximate age
- About 29 years
- Structured capabilities
- Grantor · Community
- Last reviewed
- April 2, 2026
Official channels
Find Miller Center for Global Impact elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Miller Center for Global Impact as a grantor
Grant thesis
The Miller Center for Global Impact supports social enterprises that address pressing social issues and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It empowers local leaders to create scalable and replicable solutions to end poverty.
Focus narrative
Miller Center invests in social enterprises focusing on women's economic power and climate resilience. The organization provides mentorship, resources, and funding to help these enterprises grow and scale their impact, emphasizing local leadership in creating sustainable solutions.
Value and support
Beyond funding, Miller Center provides mentorship, resources, and access to a network of experts and peers, helping social enterprises refine their business models and enhance their impact.
Grant economics
- Dilutive
- No
- Nonprofit only
- Yes
Eligibility and fit
- Stages
- Accelerator
- Audience
- Founders
- Inclusion focus
- women-founded
- Sectors
- Climate & Sustainability
- Regions
- Global
Process and recipient context
Application process
Miller Center offers various programs, including an Accelerator Program for social enterprise leaders to refine their business models and impact strategies. The application process typically involves submitting a proposal detailing the enterprise's mission and impact potential.
Recipient context
Notable portfolio companies include Someone Somewhere, which collaborates with rural artisans in Mexico; Mtindo Design Studio in Uganda; Nazava Water Filters in Indonesia and Kenya; Sistema.bio in East Africa, India, and Latin America; and VITALITE, providing solar energy solutions.
Capability profile
Miller Center for Global Impact as a community
Community overview
The Miller Center for Global Impact is a social entrepreneurship organization based at Santa Clara University, founded in 2003. It focuses on supporting social enterprises that address pressing social issues and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The center aims to empower local leaders to create scalable and replicable solutions to end poverty.
Community focus
Miller Center invests in social enterprises that tackle poverty through two primary focus areas: women's economic power and climate resilience. The organization provides mentorship, resources, and funding to help these enterprises grow and scale their impact. It emphasizes the importance of local leadership in creating sustainable solutions.
Member value
Members benefit from mentorship, resources, and funding to grow their social enterprises. The center provides structured programs to refine business models and impact strategies, along with access to a network of experienced mentors and industry professionals.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- cohort-based
- Commitment
- moderate
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
- Next recorded event
- June 1, 2026
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Students
- Benefits
- mentorship and network-access
- Program types
- accelerator, fellowship, and community
- Selection criteria
- application
- Regions
- United States
Community activity
Events and activity
Miller Center hosts various events, including the In-Residence Program, an annual event at Santa Clara University for high-potential social enterprises, and Mock Investor Panels, where entrepreneurs pitch to a panel of investors for feedback.
Notable members
Notable portfolio companies include Someone Somewhere, Mtindo Design Studio, Nazava Water Filters, Sistema.bio, and VITALITE. Key team members include Andy Lieberman and Brigit Helms.
Common questions
What to know about Miller Center for Global Impact
Upseed classifies Miller Center for Global Impact under the Grant Maker organization type. Its current public profile includes grantor and community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
April 2, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.