Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker San Diego, CA EIN: 22-2506212

The Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation is a private foundation based in San Diego, California. Its 2025 filing reports contributions to charitable organizations including health, hunger-relief, education, and community-service organizations.

Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation at a glance

In short: Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation gave $214K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), top state Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$214,200
+11.2% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
13
+1200.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$16,477
-91.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$3,480,580
-0.8% vs 2024
Primary geography
Pennsylvania (49% 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 Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 888 We Street Unit 2002, San Diego, CA 92101-6020
Phone: (215) 740-7057

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Scripps Health Foundation: $52KScripps Health Foundation$52KBasser Center for BRCA: $50KBasser Center for BRCA$50KPenn Medicine Development: $45KPenn Medicine Development$45KCongregation Bnai Isreal: $10KCongregation Bnai Isreal$10KJewish Family Services San Diego: $10KJewish Family Services SanDiego$10KSharsheret: $10KSharsheret$10KManna: $10KManna$10KFeeding San Diego: $9KFeeding San Diego$9KFrancis Parker School: $5KFrancis Parker School$5KThe Hotchkiss School: $5KThe Hotchkiss School$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Scripps Health Foundation ($52K). Together the top 10 received $205K.

Grant Size Distribution

17 grants across all recorded years

11<$50K2$50–100K4$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 11 grants of 17 (65%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, reported grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania (49%), California (35%), New Jersey (6%), Florida (5%), and Connecticut (2%).

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.

Cities

San DiegoPhiladelphiaBoca RatonLa JollaLakevilleLos AngelesNew YorkPhildelphiaSouth RiverTeaneck

How Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 113% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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$100K$200K$300K1 grant2020 1 grant2021 1 grant2022 1 grant2023 1 grant2024 13 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $189K (2023) to $214K (2025). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $214K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Scripps Health Foundation La Jolla, CAContribution$51,500
Basser Center for BRCA Philadelphia, PAContribution$50,000
Penn Medicine Development Philadelphia, PAContribution$45,000
Congregation Bnai Isreal Boca Raton, FLContribution$10,000
Jewish Family Services San Diego San Diego, CAContribution$10,000
Sharsheret Teaneck, NJContribution$10,000
Manna Phildelphia, PAContribution$10,000
Feeding San Diego San Diego, CAContribution$8,500
Francis Parker School San Diego, CAContribution$5,000
The Hotchkiss School Lakeville, CTContribution$5,000
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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$3,480,580$187,190$214,303$214,20013$214,200$125,237$189,910
2024$3,507,693$154,108$193,400$192,7001$193,114$127,477$171,950
2023$3,546,985$157,889$190,350$189,2001$190,064$84,244$167,806
2022$3,579,446$138,916$207,397$206,0251$207,130$59,974$181,508
2021$3,647,927$217,065$196,163$191,1931$195,915$74,210$191,196
2020$3,627,025$86,289$202,680$200,0001—$58,695$185,453

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $190K 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 include support for organizations whose own stated missions include cancer support and education, food assistance, and education. For example, Sharsheret describes its work as providing personalized support, education, financial assistance, and genetic counseling for people affected by or at increased genetic risk of breast or ovarian cancer. Feeding San Diego describes its mission as connecting people facing hunger with nutritious meals through food rescue, direct service, and community partnerships. Francis Parker School and The Hotchkiss School describe their missions in terms of educating students and preparing them to contribute to society.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation gave $214,200 through 13 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $51,500, with a median grant of $10,000. Its largest reported grants were $51,500 to Scripps Health Foundation, $50,000 to Basser Center for BRCA, and $45,000 to Penn Medicine Development. Other reported grants included $10,000 each to Congregation Bnai Isreal, Jewish Family Services San Diego, Sharsheret, and MANNA; $8,500 to Feeding San Diego; $5,000 each to Francis Parker School, The Hotchkiss School, and The Dalton School; and $3,200 to Jewish Federation in the Heart of NJ. The Pad Project also received $1,000.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Debra Fishman as president and Linda Kivits as vice president.

Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation is led by Debra Fishman, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Debra Fishman

    President

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Linda Kivits

    V President

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

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 Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation

How much does Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation give each year?

Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation gave $214K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $193K across 1 grant.

What is Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation's typical grant size?

Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,477, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation give grants?

Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 49% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (35%) and New Jersey (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (3 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (2 grants).

Does Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contribution" (13 grants).

Who are Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation's largest grantees?

Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Scripps Health Foundation ($51,500), Basser Center for BRCA ($50,000) and Penn Medicine Development ($45,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 68% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation?

Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $214K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $190K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own stated missions include cancer support and education, food assistance, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation's EIN?

Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2506212. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Phyllis and Irving 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

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 7, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 14, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 13, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 23, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/phyllis-and-irving-smith-foundation-morg_73dd5430543a46178c0a54735238aafb

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_222506212_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Phyllis and Irving Smith Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/phyllis-and-irving-smith-foundation-morg_73dd5430543a46178c0a54735238aafb},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 Phyllis and Irving 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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