Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Knoxville, TN EIN: 62-1310938
Community and economic developmentReligionHuman services

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation is a private foundation focused on Community and economic development, based in Knoxville, TN. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $637K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $18K. Net investment income was $15K.

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation at a glance

In short: Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation gave $18K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$18,000
+0.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
4
-20.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$4,500
+25.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$4,000
Total assets
$636,969
-3.7% vs 2024
Primary geography
Tennessee (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.

Who Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 4 recipients in 2025

East TN Historical Society: $9KEast TN Historical Society$9KSequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church: $5KSequoyah Hills PresbyterianChurch$5KUniversity of Tennessee: $4KUniversity of Tennessee$4KCornerstone Church: $1KCornerstone Church$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was East TN Historical Society ($9K). Together the top 4 received $18K.

Grant Size Distribution

35 grants across all recorded years

35<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 35 grants of 35 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

Cities

KnoxvilleBoulderCharlotteMemphisMerrifieldGarden ValleyKodakNew YorkNyc

How Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 97% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K5 grants2020 9 grants2021 10 grants2022 7 grants2023 5 grants2024 4 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $16K (2021) to $24K (2022). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $18K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
East TN Historical Society Knoxville, TNTo preserve and promote the history of Tennessee, focusing on east Tennessee, to educate and connect the region$9,000
Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church Knoxville, TNA Church Sharing the Message of Jesus Christ.$4,500
University of Tennessee Knoxville, TNEducation$3,500
Cornerstone Church Knoxville, TNA Church Sharing the Message of Jesus Christ.$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$636,969$83,261$107,427$18,0004$38,986$14,727$40,187
2024$661,135$35,059$102,571$18,0005$39,597—$40,090
2023$731,364$44,414$97,953$19,6007$39,615—$37,503
2022$781,903$84,958$107,466$24,00010$45,251$22,063$41,400
2021$804,568$61,364$88,755$15,6009——$40,893
2020$829,459$53,252$104,242$24,0005——$42,187

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $40K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation is led by Oliver A. Smith IV, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Oliver A. Smith IV

    President

    Vice President → President, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    $3K (2020) → $3K (2025)

  • Dooley Tombras

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    $3K (2020) → $3K (2025)

  • Evelyn Zinaveah

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    $3K (2025)

  • Richard D. Wynn

    Secretary

    President → Director, 2022

    Director → Secretary, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    $3K (2020) → $3K (2025)

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Diana Flaherty (2020–2024) — Director

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Oliver a Smith IV — President: $3KOliver a Smith IVPresident$3KRichard D Wynn — Secretary: $3KRichard D WynnSecretary$3KDooley Tombras — Director: $3KDooley TombrasDirector$3KEvelyn Zinaveah — Director: $3KEvelyn ZinaveahDirector$3K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $3K, to Oliver a Smith IV (President). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation

How much does Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation give each year?

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation gave $18K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $18K across 5 grants.

What is Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation's typical grant size?

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,000, and its average grant was $4,500, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation give grants?

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Knoxville, TN (4 grants).

Does Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

How large is Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation?

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation reported $637K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $39K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $40K (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 is Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation?

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation is a private foundation focused on Community and economic development, based in Knoxville, TN. It holds $637K in total assets as of 2025.

What is Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation's EIN?

Oliver and Evelyn Smith Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1310938. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Oliver and Evelyn 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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