Henry Laird Smith Foundation
The Henry Laird Smith Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee, established in 1993. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on philanthropic grantmaking to support various charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.5M
+8.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$623K
-10.1% YoY
Grant Count
50
-5.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
-4.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Henry Laird Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $706K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The foundation made 70 grants in 2023, with a total giving amount of $692,499.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- New York
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total Assets: $11,510,793
- Total Giving: $692,499
- Total Revenues: $1,207,669
- Total Expenses: $799,380
- Total Liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,491,645 | $11,510,793 | $11,102,504 |
| Revenue | $1,732,894 | $1,207,669 | $482,775 |
| Expenses | $752,042 | $799,380 | $853,897 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $677,910 | $740,205 | $739,623 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,677,699 | $1,148,494 | $392,303 |
| Distributable Amount | $705,914 | $657,239 | $722,135 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Harpeth Hall School ($126,000), The Land Trust for Tennessee ($101,000), Second Harvest ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AND-HOF ANIMALS SANCTUARY FOR FARM ANIMALS INC CATSKILL, NY | DONATION | $1,300 |
| BATTLE GROUND ACADEMY FRANKLIN, TN | DONATION | $2,500 |
| BLUE GRASS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LEXINGTON, KY | DONATION | $1,000 |
| BLUEGRASS CONSERVANCY LEXINGTON, KY | DONATION | $1,000 |
| CAMP HORSIN' AROUND LEXINGTON, KY | DONATION | $5,000 |
| CASA OF LEXINGTON LEXINGTON, KY | DONATION | $500 |
| CENTENNIAL PARK CONSERVANCY NASHVILLE, TN | DONATION | $500 |
| CHEEKWOOD NASHVILLE, TN | DONATION | $6,000 |
| CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL NASHVILLE, TN | DONATION | $17,500 |
| CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD BRENTWOOD, TN | DONATION | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Equitable Trust Company serves as Trustee (as of 2023)
The foundation operates with 1 employee.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| EQUITABLE TRUST COMPANY | CO-TRUSTEE | 10 | $86,709 |
| OVERTON T SMITH | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| MARGARET S WARNER | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| RUSSELL O STEWART | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 4400 Harding Pike, Suite 310, Nashville, TN 37205-2314
Telephone: 615-460-9240
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Henry Laird Smith Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Henry Laird Smith Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $100,000 to $200,000. **Recent Grants (2023):** • Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee: $200,000 • The Harpeth Hall School: $126,000 • The Land Trust for Tennessee: $51,000 • Harpeth Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation: $2,500 The foundation made 70 grants in 2023, with a total giving amount of $692,499.
Where does Henry Laird Smith Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Tennessee • Kentucky • New York
What size grants does Henry Laird Smith Foundation award?
In 2024, Henry Laird Smith Foundation awarded 50 grants totaling $623K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Henry Laird Smith Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Henry Laird Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $706K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Henry Laird Smith Foundation's EIN?
Henry Laird Smith Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-6271796. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Henry Laird Smith Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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