Robert H Smith Family Foundation
The Robert H Smith Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Arlington, Virginia. Its 2023 filing reports 16 grants totaling $7,427,048, including support for a university, arts and history organizations, and social-service organizations.
Key facts about Robert H Smith Family Foundation
In short: Robert H Smith Family Foundation gave $7.4M across 16 grants in 2023 (avg $464K), mostly in Maryland. 38% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 52-1502273
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023
- Annual giving (2023)
- $7,427,048
- Grants made (2023)
- 16
- Average grant
- $464,191
- Median grant
- $40,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (6 of 16, 2023)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (92% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2023 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$7.4M
-15.2% YoY
Grant Count
16
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$464K
-15.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert H Smith Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $289K for 2023 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Robert H Smith Family Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 6 of 16 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $726K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 50% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving grew 92% from 2020 to 2023. Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2023). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants included organizations whose work spans several areas. The National Gallery of Art says it welcomes people to explore and experience art, creativity, and shared humanity. President Lincoln’s Cottage says it preserves the site to connect people to the Lincolns, build empathy, and inspire action for justice. Hebrew Home of Greater Washington describes its work as providing care and rehabilitation services to older adults in the Washington, DC region. The New-York Historical Society says its founding mission is to collect, preserve, and interpret material relevant to US, New York State, and New York City history.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $7,427,048. Grant amounts ranged from $548 to $6,007,000, with a median of $40,000. The largest grant was $6,007,000 to the University of Maryland College Park Foundation. Other notable grants included $400,000 to the National Gallery of Art, $391,000 to American Friends of Hebrew University, and $186,000 to Charles E Smith Jewish Day School. Hebrew Home of Greater Washington and Jewish Federation of Greater Washington each received $100,000.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with Robert H Smith Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The reported 2023 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Maryland (92%), followed by New York (6%), DC (2%), Virginia (1%), and California (0%), as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $2.8M (2021) to $8.8M (2022). In 2023 it made 16 grants totaling $7.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was University of Maryland College Park Foundation ($6.0M). Together the top 10 received $7.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 105 (43%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland College Park Foundation College Park, MD | Donation | $6,007,000 |
| National Gallery of Art Landover, MD | Donation | $400,000 |
| American Friends of Hebrew University New York, NY | Donation | $391,000 |
| Charles E Smith Jewish Day School Rockville, MD | Donation | $186,000 |
| Hebrew Home of Greater Washington Rockville, MD | Donation | $100,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Greater Washington North Bethesda, MD | Donation | $100,000 |
| National Sporting Library & Museum Middleburg, VA | Donation | $50,000 |
| President Lincoln's Cottage Washington, DC | Donation | $50,000 |
| Capital Jewish Museum Washington, DC | Donation | $30,000 |
| Jewish Social Services Agency (JSSA) Rockville, MD | Donation | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | −$2,864,960 | $7,450,764 | $7,427,048 |
| 2022 | $10,315,724 | −$3,599,936 | $8,776,107 | $8,755,090 |
| 2021 | $22,691,767 | $13,169,230 | $2,872,545 | $2,847,475 |
The 2023 filing reports 16 grants; the 2022 and 2021 filings report 16 and 15 grants, respectively.
| Metric | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $10,315,724 | $22,691,767 |
| Revenue | $-2,864,960 | $-3,599,936 | $13,169,230 |
| Expenses | $7,450,764 | $8,776,107 | $2,872,545 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $7,438,332 | $8,761,866 | — |
| Net Investment Income | $10,128 | $395,971 | $372,951 |
| Distributable Amount | $288,916 | $353,232 | $596,929 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 8, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists David B Smith as president and Menachem Gottlieb as secretary/treasurer.
Robert H Smith Family Foundation is led by David B. Smith, President since 2023 (on filings since 2019); none of the 2 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
David B. Smith
President
Treasurer → President & Former Treasurer, 2022
President & Former Treasurer → President, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Menachem Gottlieb
Secretary & Treasurer
Secretary → Secretary & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Clarice R. Smith (2019–2022) — Former President
- Former: Michelle Smith (2019–2020) — Former President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 2345 Crystal Drive 1101, Arlington, VA 22202
Phone: (703) 769-1023
Frequently asked questions about Robert H Smith Family Foundation
How much does Robert H Smith Family Foundation give each year?
Robert H Smith Family Foundation gave $7.4M across 16 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $8.8M across 16 grants.
What is Robert H Smith Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert H Smith Family Foundation's median grant in 2023 was $40,000, and its average grant was $464,191, across 16 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert H Smith Family Foundation that year got $28K on average.
Where does Robert H Smith Family Foundation give grants?
Robert H Smith Family Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (5 grants), Rockville, MD (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Robert H Smith Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Robert H Smith Family Foundation's 2023 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (16 grants).
Who are Robert H Smith Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert H Smith Family Foundation's largest 2023 grantees include University of Maryland College Park Foundation ($6,007,000), National Gallery of Art ($400,000) and American Friends of Hebrew University ($391,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
What does Robert H Smith Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants included organizations whose work spans several areas. The National Gallery of Art says it welcomes people to explore and experience art, creativity, and shared humanity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert H Smith Family 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 ↑
How much is Robert H Smith Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, Robert H Smith Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $289K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Robert H Smith Family Foundation's EIN?
Robert H Smith Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1502273. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2023.
Does Robert H Smith Family 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.
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