John I Smith Charities Inc
John I Smith Charities Inc is a private foundation based in Greer, South Carolina. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina, including educational institutions, human-service organizations, and religiously affiliated organizations.
John I Smith Charities Inc at a glance
In short: John I Smith Charities Inc gave $1.3M across 44 grants in 2025 (avg $28K), mostly in South Carolina. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,252,000
- -9.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 44
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $28,455
- -17.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $23,432,448
- +2.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (10 of 44, 2025)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (87% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John I Smith Charities Inc
- How to Apply
-
Contact Jefferson V Smith Jr. No particular form is required, and the filing states that there are no restrictions on awards. The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- No deadlines.
- Deadline
- No deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Jefferson V Smith Jr
Mailing address: PO Box 1687, Greer, SC 29652
Phone: (864) 259-2574
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John I Smith Charities Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Columbia Seminary ($100K). Together the top 10 received $600K.
Grant Size Distribution
203 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 150 grants of 203 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Carolina, 9% to Georgia, and 4% to North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John I Smith Charities Inc open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 44 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $31K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−17%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 88% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2025) to $1.6M (2021). In 2025 it made 44 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Seminary Decatur, GA | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Pendleton Place Inc Greenville, SC | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| American Red Cross Upstate Greenville, SC | Funding for Disaster Relief and Military Member Support | $50,000 |
| Davidson College Davidson, NC | Support Student Scholarships | $50,000 |
| Furman University Greenville, SC | Funding Riley Institute | $50,000 |
| Greenville Tech Foundation Greenville, SC | Funding for star center and caring corner food pantry | $50,000 |
| Presbyterian College Clinton, SC | Funds for Unrestricted Use | $50,000 |
| United Ministries Greenville, SC | Funding for "the journey from scarcity to sufficiency" project | $50,000 |
| Heritage Institute Greenville, SC | Human Resources Support | $50,000 |
| Meyer Center for Special Children Greenville, SC | Funding for an Occupational Therapist | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $23,432,448 | $1,977,403 | $1,473,966 | $1,252,000 | 44 | $1,266,400 | $1,824,262 | $1,442,625 |
| 2024 | $22,929,011 | $1,358,994 | $1,569,164 | $1,382,000 | 40 | $1,396,400 | $1,211,414 | $1,359,935 |
| 2023 | $23,139,181 | $475,855 | $1,531,556 | $1,345,000 | 41 | $1,359,400 | $574,742 | $1,307,197 |
| 2022 | $24,194,882 | $1,262,760 | $1,768,898 | $1,503,000 | 37 | $1,517,400 | $1,090,814 | $1,477,189 |
| 2021 | $24,701,020 | $3,434,974 | $1,836,860 | $1,631,000 | 41 | — | $3,272,622 | $1,437,429 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John I Smith Charities Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.4M 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Pendleton Place describes its work as providing safe housing, prevention services, and supportive programs for youth and young adults facing homelessness, housing instability, foster care involvement, or family instability. Meyer Center for Special Children says it provides education and therapy services to preschool children with disabilities. Presbyterian College describes its purpose as developing students’ capacities within the framework of Christian faith.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 44 grants totaling $1,252,000. Awards ranged from $5,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $25,000. Among the largest were $100,000 to Columbia Seminary for unrestricted use and $100,000 to Pendleton Place for general operating support. Grants of $50,000 included support for scholarships at Davidson College, the Riley Institute at Furman University, the Star Center and Caring Corner Food Pantry through Greenville Tech Foundation, and the “Journey from Scarcity to Sufficiency” project at United Ministries.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jefferson V Smith Jr as director and president, Elizabeth Clayton as director and vice president, and Travis V Olmert as director and treasurer.
John I Smith Charities Inc is led by Jefferson V. Smith Jr., Director & President on every filing since 2021; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jefferson V. Smith Jr.
Director & President
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
$12K (2021) → $12K (2025)
Elizabeth Clayton
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
$12K (2021) → $12K (2025)
Travis V. Olmert
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
$12K (2021) → $12K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $12K, to Jefferson V Smith Jr (Director, President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about John I Smith Charities Inc
How much does John I Smith Charities Inc give each year?
John I Smith Charities Inc gave $1.3M across 44 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 40 grants.
What is John I Smith Charities Inc's typical grant size?
John I Smith Charities Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $28,455, across 44 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John I Smith Charities Inc that year got $18K on average.
Where does John I Smith Charities Inc give grants?
John I Smith Charities Inc gives mostly in South Carolina: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Georgia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Greenville, SC (32 grants), Greer, SC (3 grants), Decatur, GA (2 grants) and Clinton, SC (2 grants).
Does John I Smith Charities Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 14% of John I Smith Charities Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are John I Smith Charities Inc's largest grantees?
John I Smith Charities Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Columbia Seminary ($100,000), Pendleton Place Inc ($100,000) and American Red Cross Upstate ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John I Smith Charities Inc?
John I Smith Charities Inc reported $23.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does John I Smith Charities Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John I Smith Charities Inc?
Contact Jefferson V Smith Jr. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John I Smith Charities Inc's EIN?
John I Smith Charities Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-0806327. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John I Smith Charities Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-i-smith-charities-inc-morg_da8d6847c57943ab8c886386c7511e6c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_570806327_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John I Smith Charities Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-i-smith-charities-inc-morg_da8d6847c57943ab8c886386c7511e6c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 I Smith Charities Inc'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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