Linda I Smith Foundation
The Linda I Smith Foundation is a private foundation based in Costa Mesa, California. Its 2025 grants supported California organizations working in areas including animal rescue, education, environmental programs, human services, and support for veterans and people with disabilities.
Linda I Smith Foundation at a glance
In short: Linda I Smith Foundation gave $238K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in California. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $238,400
- +2.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- +3.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,450
- -0.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,500
- Total assets
- $2,125,055
- -0.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (3 of 32, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Linda I 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: 3197-A Airport Loop Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626-3424
Phone: (714) 434-1177
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Linda I Smith Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Pacific Marine Mammal Center ($20K). Together the top 10 received $115K.
Grant Size Distribution
151 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 151 grants of 151 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in 2025 went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Linda I Smith Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 32 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 88% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $182K (2020) to $238K (2025). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $238K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Marine Mammal Center Laguna Beach, CA | General Use - Animal Rescue & Treatment | $20,000 |
| Red Bucket Equine Rescue Huntington Beach, CA | General Use - Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation | $14,700 |
| Way Out West Equine Rescue Orange, CA | General use - rescue horses from slaughter; rehabilitate & end-of-life care | $11,500 |
| Ocean Institute Dana Point, CA | General Use - Education/Environmental Programs | $10,500 |
| Caterina's Club Anaheim, CA | General Use - Meals for Homeless/Low Income Families | $10,000 |
| CDF Firefighters Benevolent Foundation Sacramento, CA | General Use - CA Firefighter Assistance | $10,000 |
| Patriotic Service Dog Murrieta, CA | General use - provide service dogs military & first-responder veterans | $10,000 |
| The Achievers - Dsusa Oc Irvine, CA | General use - help disabled persons to realize that their abilities outweigh their disabilities | $10,000 |
| The Teen Project Inc Sun Valley, CA | General use - drug treatment, education, housing for homeless/sex-trafficked young women | $10,000 |
| Kidsingers Anaheim, CA | General Use - Music Program for Disadvantaged Youth | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Linda I Smith 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 | $2,125,055 | $280,865 | $284,653 | $238,400 | 32 | $238,400 | $251,104 | $223,810 |
| 2024 | $2,128,843 | $426,259 | $278,120 | $233,000 | 31 | $233,000 | $397,706 | $214,465 |
| 2023 | $1,980,704 | $272,341 | $269,638 | $228,000 | 31 | $228,000 | $250,705 | $211,348 |
| 2022 | $1,978,001 | $228,943 | $254,873 | $217,000 | 29 | $217,000 | $200,260 | $221,155 |
| 2021 | $2,003,931 | $170,541 | $242,141 | $207,500 | 28 | $207,500 | $143,668 | $212,784 |
| 2020 | $2,075,531 | $165,796 | $215,250 | $182,000 | 28 | — | $173,548 | $179,701 |
| 2019 | $2,124,985 | $234,196 | $230,507 | $197,500 | 33 | — | $225,765 | $197,789 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Linda I Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $224K 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 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Ocean Institute says it uses the ocean as a classroom to inspire children and provides ocean and maritime history learning experiences, while Kidsingers says it provides musical education and performance opportunities to at-risk youth. Caterina’s Club says it provides free meals, housing assistance, basic needs, and youth job training to low-income families and children in Southern California. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 32 grants totaling $238,400. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $20,000, with a median of $5,500. Notable awards included $20,000 to Pacific Marine Mammal Center for animal rescue and treatment; $14,700 to Red Bucket Equine Rescue for animal rescue and rehabilitation; $11,500 to Way Out West Equine Rescue for horse rescue, rehabilitation, and end-of-life care; and $10,500 to Ocean Institute for education and environmental programs. Other recipients included Caterina’s Club ($10,000), CDF Firefighters Benevolent Foundation ($10,000), Patriotic Service Dog ($10,000), The Achievers - DSUSA OC ($10,000), The Teen Project Inc ($10,000), Kidsingers ($8,000), Laguna College of Art & Design ($8,000), and KidWorks ($7,500).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Linda I Smith as director and president; Tracey L Gaede as director and treasurer; Diana G Blatz as director and secretary; and Tyler I Gaede and Whit Batchelor as directors.
Linda I Smith Foundation is led by Linda I. Smith, Director & President on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Linda I. Smith
Director & President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diana G. Blatz
Director & Secretary
Director, Secretary & Treasurer → Director & Secretary, 2020
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracey L. Gaede
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2020
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tyler I. Gaede
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Whit Batchelor
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Eileen Neill (2019–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Linda I Smith Foundation
How much does Linda I Smith Foundation give each year?
Linda I Smith Foundation gave $238K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $233K across 31 grants.
What is Linda I Smith Foundation's typical grant size?
Linda I Smith Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,500, and its average grant was $7,450, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Linda I Smith Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Linda I Smith Foundation give grants?
Linda I Smith Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Laguna Beach, CA (4 grants), Orange, CA (3 grants), Irvine, CA (3 grants) and Santa Ana, CA (3 grants).
Does Linda I Smith Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Linda I Smith Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (32 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Linda I Smith Foundation's largest grantees?
Linda I Smith Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Pacific Marine Mammal Center ($20,000), Red Bucket Equine Rescue ($14,700) and Way Out West Equine Rescue ($11,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Linda I Smith Foundation?
Linda I Smith Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $238K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $224K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Linda I Smith Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Linda I 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 Linda I Smith Foundation's EIN?
Linda I Smith Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0804049. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Linda I Smith Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 19, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Linda I Smith Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Linda I Smith Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/linda-i-smith-foundation-morg_a0546e07f1ca4e55aad7d54fbdf4c780
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_330804049_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Linda I Smith Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/linda-i-smith-foundation-morg_a0546e07f1ca4e55aad7d54fbdf4c780},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Linda I 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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