John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation
The John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its 2025 filing reports 14 grants totaling $115,500, primarily to organizations in Ohio.
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation at a glance
In short: John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation gave $116K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $115,500
- +33.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,250
- -33.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $1,362,105
- -2.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Ohio (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists a letter as the application material, with applications directed to SMALE FOUNDATION FIFTH THIRD BANK. Awards are restricted to activities that promote, encourage, or aid religious, charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Smale Foundation Fifth Third Bank
Mailing address: 38 Fountain Square Plaza M/D 1090H, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 534-2471
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cincinnati Parks Foundation ($50K). Together the top 10 received $114K.
Grant Size Distribution
39 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 35 grants of 39 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 99% of grant dollars went to Ohio recipients, 1% to Colorado, and less than 1% to North Carolina. The listed grants include recipients in Cincinnati and other Ohio communities, as well as Denver Park Trust in Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation gives
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 494% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $19K (2022) to $116K (2025). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $116K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Parks Foundation Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $50,000 |
| Springer School & Center Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $15,000 |
| Love Grows Program Inc Cincinnati, OH | General Operating Funds | $15,000 |
| Mill Creek Alliance Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $11,500 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $5,000 |
| Ohio River Foundation Blue Ash, OH | Project/Program Support | $5,000 |
| Ziegler Park Cincinnati, OH | General Operating | $5,000 |
| Every Child Succeeds Cincinnati, OH | Scholarship | $3,000 |
| Queen City Book Bank Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $3,000 |
| Denver Park Trust Denver, CO | Project/Program Support | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,362,105 | $115,711 | $150,177 | $115,500 | 14 | $117,691 | $86,149 | $112,546 |
| 2024 | $1,396,909 | $139,341 | $116,110 | $86,500 | 7 | $88,670 | $110,774 | $106,486 |
| 2023 | $1,372,951 | $97,386 | $116,495 | $90,720 | 8 | $91,187 | $75,510 | $93,999 |
| 2022 | $1,410,238 | $217,438 | $46,524 | $19,441 | 7 | $21,385 | $193,733 | $94,341 |
| 2021 | $1,222,326 | $124,961 | $96,694 | $72,128 | 3 | $73,016 | $100,703 | $103,527 |
| 2020 | $1,194,896 | $78,728 | $132,144 | $110,415 | 7 | — | $57,738 | $87,558 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $113K for 2025 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including parks and greenspaces, watershed restoration, youth programs, early childhood development, and hunger relief.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. For example, Cincinnati Parks Foundation says its mission is to build public-private partnerships supporting the conservation and enhancement of city parks and greenspaces. Mill Creek Alliance says it works on stream restoration, greenway construction, environmental education, public recreation, and water-quality monitoring. Freestore Foodbank says its mission is to improve lives by eliminating hunger in partnership with the community.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $115,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median of $4,000.
The largest reported grants included $50,000 to Cincinnati Parks Foundation, $15,000 each to Springer School & Center and Love Grows Program Inc., and $11,500 to Mill Creek Alliance. Other notable awards were $5,000 each to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, Ohio River Foundation, and Ziegler Park.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Chris Caldemeyer as secretary and director; Lisa Diedrichs as president and director; Maddie Caldemeyer, Emma Durham, Sam Durham, Jay Smale, and Lisa Smale as directors. Emma Durham is also listed as vice president.
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation is led by Lisa Caldemeyer Diedrichs, President & Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lisa Caldemeyer Diedrichs
President & Director
Secretary & Treasurer → President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Calemeyer
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emma Durham
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jay Smale
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Smale
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maddie Caldemeyer
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sam Durham
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Cathy Caldemeyer (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Lisa Corbett (2020–2021) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation
How much does John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation give each year?
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation gave $116K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $87K across 7 grants.
What is John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation's typical grant size?
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $8,250, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation give grants?
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (9 grants).
Does John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 21% of John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Project/Program Support" (10 grants).
Who are John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation's largest grantees?
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cincinnati Parks Foundation ($50,000), Springer School & Center ($15,000) and Love Grows Program Inc ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation?
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $118K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $113K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including parks and greenspaces, watershed restoration, youth programs, early childhood development, and hunger relief. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation?
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation's EIN?
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1971145. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Williams Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
The Williams Foundation supports charitable organizations, including arts, child advocacy, human services, and mental health groups, with most of its giving going to Ohio. In 2024, grants ranged from $500 to $100,000, with a median of $15,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$12.5M
Grants
47
Total Given
$1.0M
Carol Ann and Ralph V Haile Jr
Cincinnati, OH
The foundation funds arts and culture, civic and community initiatives, education, and human services in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, with a typical grant around $25,000 (2024 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million). It says it funds preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$283.2M
Grants
167
Total Given
$11.8M
Duke Energy Foundation
Charlotte, NC
The Duke Energy Foundation funds workforce and local economic development, disaster resilience, conservation, clean water, and economic opportunity in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000; applications for grants of $20,000 or less are accepted year-round, after applicants discuss proposals with a state representative.
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
41
Total Given
$25.6M
Vista Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
The Cincinnati-based foundation made 53 grants totaling $719,200 in 2024, supporting organizations in varied fields, with grants ranging from $1,000 to $55,000 and a median of $10,000. Its giving is concentrated in Ohio, with grants also reaching Florida, New Mexico, California, Virginia, and other states. It accepts applications, has no stated deadline, and asks applicants to submit no more than three pages of materials.
Assets
$8.8M
Grants
53
Total Given
$719K
Earthward Bound Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$6.8M
Grants
71
Total Given
$221K
Zaring Family Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
Based in Cincinnati, the Zaring Family Foundation supports medical research, education, religious activities, music and arts, social justice, and community organizations, with most 2025 grant dollars going to Ohio and Maryland. Its 20 grants ranged from $250 to $25,000, with a median of $2,500. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$860K
Grants
20
Total Given
$75K
More similar funders
More Funders in Ohio
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-g-and-phyllis-w-smale-family-foundation-morg_92e40f64c1ce49a9b417a41ffc1f172c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201971145_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John G \& Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-g-and-phyllis-w-smale-family-foundation-morg_92e40f64c1ce49a9b417a41ffc1f172c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 John G & Phyllis W Smale Family 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.
John G & Phyllis W Smale Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?