The Milken Institute's work is organized around four pillars: finance, health, strategic philanthropy, and the international arm of the Institute.The institute has published studies relating to
human capital, access to capital, financial structures and innovations, regional economics, healthcare economics, and
medical research. It hosts a series of conferences, financial innovation labs, forums, and private events. The Milken Institute hosts several events on annual basis, including regional summits like the Asia Summit and the Middle East and Africa (MEA) Summit, as well as regional investors' symposiums. The Global Investors' Symposium series of events have taken place in Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, and Mexico City. Other Milken Institute annual events are the Global Conference, the Future of Health Summit, and the Future of Finance (previously called the Finance Forum). The Milken Institute Global Conference, first held in 1998, is an annual forum focused on economic and social issues. Speakers include figures from business, finance, government, education, and sports. The institute also hosts an annual State of the State Conference, which examines major issues facing the state of California with Milken joining elected officials in the state as a host speaker.
Finance Milken Institute Finance is a division of the Milken Institute dedicated to addressing challenges across the financial system through thought leadership, research, and data-driven insights. Its work seeks to influence private-sector practices and public-sector policies with the goal of improving fair access, efficiency, and reliability across markets and institutions. The division operates through six portfolio areas: 10,000 Communities; Financial Innovations Labs; FinTech and Innovation; Geo-Economics, Climate Resilience, and Innovation; Inclusive Capitalism; and Lifetime Financial Security. The Institute publishes new research regularly. A feature of the Milken Institute research is recurring indices: Best-Performing Cities US, Global Opportunity Index, and Best-Performing Cities China.
Health Milken Institute Health is a division of the Milken Institute focused on advancing research, policy, and programs to address complex health challenges in the United States and globally. Its work spans four primary areas: biomedical innovation, public health, healthy aging, and food systems, with an emphasis on identifying promising practices and scaling evidence-based solutions to improve health outcomes and resilience. The division operates through four distinct portfolios: FasterCures, Feeding Change, Future of Aging, and Public Health. In addition to portfolio-specific work, Milken Institute Health engages in cross-cutting initiatives that address challenges requiring integrated, multi-sector approaches. Its work is characterized by a research-driven methodology and a commitment to cross-sector collaboration, connecting policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to accelerate the development and adoption of scalable health solutions.
Strategic Philanthropy Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy is a division of the Milken Institute that works to address persistent societal challenges by equipping individuals and foundations with the insights and tools needed to develop giving strategies, implement philanthropic programs, and foster collaboration toward a more equitable world. The division's work is organized into three workstreams: Environmental and Social Innovation; Pathways to Strategic Philanthropy; and the Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC).
International Milken Institute International is a division of the Milken Institute focused on connecting global markets through regional convenings and research to develop locally grounded, globally informed solutions. The division extends the Institute's reach through strategic engagement across five regions: Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Tax policy The institute has held several events regarding
opportunity zones created by the
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In May 2018,
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin instructed his staff to accept a non-low-income tract in
Storey County, Nevada as an Opportunity Zone shortly after attending an Institute event in
Beverly Hills with Michael Milken. Milken was already an investor in the Nevada tract. Notable speakers included
Javier Milei, President of
Argentina;
Queen Rania of
Jordan; former
U.S. President Bill Clinton;
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the
International Monetary Fund; and former
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May. Asha Jadeja, founder of the Motwani Jadeja Foundation, was also a speaker, addressing themes related to India's economic emergence (the foundation was among the sponsors of the event). == Milken Scholars Program ==