George D Smith Fund Inc
The George D Smith Fund Inc is a private family foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1956 and incorporated in Delaware, the organization received its IRS tax-exempt status in 1958. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and functions as a private grantmaking foundation with no employees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$51.9M
-3.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.0M
+5.7% YoY
Grant Count
11
-15.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$362K
+24.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, George D Smith Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities focus on:
- Education: Higher education institutions including universities and colleges
- Health and Medical Sciences: Biomedical research, medical specialties, disease research and treatment
- Information and Communications: Public broadcasting, television, and communication media
Grantmaking
The George D Smith Fund operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation proactively identifies and supports organizations aligned with its charitable objectives.
Grant Range
$100,000–$750,000
Average Grant
amount: $290,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation maintains a national focus, with recent grantmaking concentrated in the District of Columbia, New York, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $51,883,383
- Total Revenue: $2,527,757
- Total Expenses: $4,257,120
- Net Income: -$1,729,363
- Total Liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $51,883,383 | $53,477,262 | $55,509,779 |
| Revenue | $2,527,757 | $2,014,760 | $2,458,120 |
| Expenses | $4,257,120 | $4,047,277 | $4,638,933 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,988,042 | $3,776,445 | $4,322,864 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,279,069 | $1,934,538 | $2,199,996 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,310,503 | $3,945,567 | $4,035,654 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Stanford University ($700,000), Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc ($680,000), University of California San Francisco Foundation ($680,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA ST PAUL, MN | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS HAGERSTOWN, MD | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $350,000 |
| GBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION BOSTON, MA | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $325,000 |
| NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO INC WASHINGTON, DC | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $400,000 |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC NEW YORK, NY | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $680,000 |
| PROPUBLICA NEW YORK, NY | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $200,000 |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $700,000 |
| THE CARTER CENTER ATLANTA, GA | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $100,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | ORGANIZATION'S CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $680,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees include:
- George D Smith III
- B Smith-Donald
- A Smith
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BENJAMIN A SMITH-DONALD | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| GEORGE D SMITH III | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| ANDREW J SMITH | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| GEOFFREY B SMITH | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| SARAH A SMITH | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| CAMILLA M SMITH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 1525 E 53rd St Ste 502, Chicago, IL 60615-4530
- Phone: 773-341-1410
- Website: Not available
- Email: Not publicly available
Frequently Asked Questions
What does George D Smith Fund Inc fund?
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities focus on: • **Education**: Higher education institutions including universities and colleges • **Health and Medical Sciences**: Biomedical research, medical specialties, disease research and treatment • **Information and Communications**: Public broadcasting, television, and communication media
How do I apply for a grant from George D Smith Fund Inc?
The George D Smith Fund operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The foundation proactively identifies and supports organizations aligned with its charitable objectives. **Grant Activity:** • Distributes approximately $4 million annually • Makes 11-13 grants per year • Average grant amount: $290,000 • Grant range: $100,000–$750,000 • 2024 total giving: $3,985,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Planned Parenthood Federation of America: $680,000 • Univ…
Where does George D Smith Fund Inc make grants?
The foundation maintains a national focus, with recent grantmaking concentrated in the District of Columbia, New York, and California.
What size grants does George D Smith Fund Inc award?
In 2024, George D Smith Fund Inc awarded 11 grants totaling $4.0M — an average of about $362K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is George D Smith Fund Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, George D Smith Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is George D Smith Fund Inc's EIN?
George D Smith Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6138728. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.