Campus & Community

Head of Denver Foundation to start new institute for philanthropy at University of Denver

Denver Foundation CEO David Miller will start the Institute for Philanthropy and Social Enterprise at the University of Denver.

Denver Foundation CEO David Miller will start the Institute for Philanthropy and Social Enterprise at the University of Denver.

After 19 years as president and CEO of the Denver Foundation, David Miller has announced he will depart his position at the end of 2015 to start the new Institute for Philanthropy and Social Enterprise, which is scheduled to open at the University of Denver in 2016.

Miller will leave an indelible legacy on the Denver Foundation and the Denver community. When he was hired, the Denver Foundation had $58 million in assets, six staff, a few dozen charitable funds, and awarded $2 million in grants per year. Today, the foundation has more than $740 million in assets, 42 staff, more than 1,000 funds, and last year granted more than $67 million. Under his leadership, the foundation started the Strengthening Neighborhoods Program, the Nonprofit Inclusiveness Project, more than 60 different types of scholarships, and countless other philanthropic efforts.

“As a fifth generation Denverite, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been able to serve our community by working at the Denver Foundation for the past two decades,” Miller says. “I am thrilled that the next step in my career will be working with the extraordinary people at the University of Denver and helping to make new connections between DU and the broader community.”​

The first of its kind in the Rocky Mountain region, the University of Denver’s Institute for Philanthropy and Social Enterprise will maximize the expertise of DU’s schools and departments to explore and promote philanthropy from different disciplines. The primary goal of the institute is to bring leaders together to create the innovation and active engagement that is vital in making a positive impact on the Denver community and beyond.

“I am delighted that David will be joining our University community to found the Institute for Philanthropy and Social Enterprise,” says University of Denver Chancellor Rebecca Chopp. “He is the ideal person to lead an institute on philanthropy, which continues to be one of the most interesting, important and impressive aspects of American culture.“

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