J M Smith Foundation
The J M Smith Foundation is a private foundation based in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Its 2026 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including churches, a meal-service organization, United Way of the Piedmont, a college, an arts organization, and an animal-welfare organization.
J M Smith Foundation at a glance
In short: J M Smith Foundation gave $539K across 102 grants in 2026 (avg $5K), mostly in South Carolina. 19% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $539,160
- +0.5% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 102
- -5.6% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $5,286
- +6.4% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $908,352
- -7.5% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (19 of 102, 2026)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (74% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to J M Smith Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 101 West Saint John Street 305, Spartanburg, SC 29306
Phone: (864) 542-9419
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who J M Smith Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Mobile Meals ($28K). Together the top 10 received $187K.
Grant Size Distribution
585 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 578 grants of 585 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, South Carolina organizations received 74% of grant dollars. Tennessee received 6%, Arkansas 5%, Georgia 4%, and North Carolina 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 102 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is J M Smith Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 19 of 102 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 70% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−13%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $537K (2025) to $1.4M (2021). In 2026 it made 102 grants totaling $539K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Meals Spartanburg, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $28,200 |
| Grace Baptist Church Duncan, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $28,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church Spartanburg, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $26,000 |
| Calvary Hmong Alliance Church - Spartanburg Spartanburg, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $17,400 |
| First Baptist Church of Spartanburg Spartanburg, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $17,000 |
| Lake Bowen Baptist Church Inman, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $14,400 |
| United Way of the Piedmont Spartanburg, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $14,274 |
| Chesnee First Baptist Church Chesnee, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $14,000 |
| Freedom House Church of God Knoxville, TN | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $14,000 |
| Lyman Methodist Church Lyman, SC | Unrestricted Charitable Contribution | $14,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $908,352 | $471,833 | $547,135 | $539,160 | 102 | $539,160 | $32,862 | $48,649 |
| 2025 | $981,590 | $294,927 | $536,890 | $536,524 | 108 | $536,890 | $49,027 | $54,690 |
| 2024 | $1,218,870 | $573,028 | $540,432 | $539,882 | 107 | $540,432 | $33,788 | $51,207 |
| 2023 | $1,186,274 | $549,403 | $629,880 | $623,079 | 111 | $629,880 | $3,253 | $53,016 |
| 2022 | $1,266,751 | $560,257 | $1,221,126 | $1,215,551 | 157 | $1,219,751 | $7 | $73,306 |
| 2021 | $1,927,620 | $275,494 | $1,401,201 | $1,395,818 | 166 | — | $2,881 | $72,341 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, J M Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $49K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2026 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, Mobile Meals received a grant, and United Way of the Piedmont describes its mission as strengthening educational opportunity, economic mobility, and access to healthcare for families across three South Carolina counties. Wofford College describes itself as a liberal arts institution, while Ballet Spartanburg says it enriches, educates, and inspires through professional ballet productions. The Spartanburg Humane Society says its mission is to care for lost and unwanted pets and raise awareness about companion-animal issues.
Many of the largest listed 2026 grants were described as unrestricted charitable contributions to churches and other charitable organizations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation made 102 grants totaling $539,160. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $28,200, with a median grant of $2,000.
Among the largest 2026 grants were $28,200 to Mobile Meals, $28,000 to Grace Baptist Church, and $26,000 to First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg. Other recipients included Calvary Hmong Alliance Church – Spartanburg ($17,400), First Baptist Church of Spartanburg ($17,000), and United Way of the Piedmont ($14,274).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2026 filing lists Rob Barrett as president; Tammy Devine as secretary/treasurer; and Terry Cash, Joe Strayer, and Wade Lewis as directors.
J M Smith Foundation is led by Rob Barrett, President since 2023 (on filings since 2021); none of the 5 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Rob Barrett
President
Director → President, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Strayer
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wade Lewis
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terry Cash
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tammy Devine
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Kyle Waltz (2023–2025) — Director
- Former: Wade Crow (2023) — Director
- Former: Kenneth R. Couch (2021–2022) — President
- Former: Russ Weber (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: James Smith (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about J M Smith Foundation
How much does J M Smith Foundation give each year?
J M Smith Foundation gave $539K across 102 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $537K across 108 grants.
What is J M Smith Foundation's typical grant size?
J M Smith Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,286, across 102 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from J M Smith Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does J M Smith Foundation give grants?
J M Smith Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Tennessee (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Spartanburg, SC (32 grants), Greenville, SC (8 grants), Hilton Head Island, SC (4 grants) and Columbia, SC (4 grants).
Does J M Smith Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of J M Smith Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (102 of 102) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are J M Smith Foundation's largest grantees?
J M Smith Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Mobile Meals ($28,200), Grace Baptist Church ($28,000) and First Presbyterian Church ($26,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is J M Smith Foundation?
J M Smith Foundation reported $908K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $539K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $49K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does J M Smith Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2026 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from J M Smith Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is J M Smith Foundation's EIN?
J M Smith Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-1046595. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does J M Smith Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in J M Smith Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). J M Smith Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/j-m-smith-foundation-morg_c64e940f760347689d96939df68ee37f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_571046595_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{J M Smith Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/j-m-smith-foundation-morg_c64e940f760347689d96939df68ee37f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from J M Smith Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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