Smart Growth America logo

Smart Growth America

Public charity · Grantmaker Washington, DC EIN: 27-0038938 Website

Smart Growth America envisions a country where no matter where you live, or who you are, you can enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient. Our mission is to empower communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize our vision of livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity.

Smart Growth America at a glance

Total assets
$8,748,440
-9.0% vs 2024
Revenue (2025)
$7,203,795
+21.9% vs 2024
Net investment income (2025)
$5,008
-73.9% vs 2024
Expenses (2025)
$8,484,848
-12.5% vs 2024
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

How to apply to Smart Growth America

Who Smart Growth America funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

8 grants across all recorded years

3<$50K2$50–100K2$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 3 grants of 8 (38%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

12states
+4 more states

Cities

WashingtonBostonMinneapolisSaint PaulSan FranciscoSeattleAirway HeightsArlingtonChicagoDothanDurhamHuntsvilleIndianapolisLos AngelesNew YorkOaklandPittsburghPort WashingtonWenatcheeWashington DC

How Smart Growth America gives

  • Giving grew 44% from 2020 to 2023. Method

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

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$250K$500K$750K$1M19 grants2019 3 grants2020 5 grants2021 2 grants2022 1 grant2023 0 grants2024 0 grants2025

From 2019 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $239K (2021) to $839K (2019). In 2023 it made 1 grant totaling $356K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Greater Greater Washington Washington, WAPromote transit and shared mobility solutions with a focus on social equity$355,649
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Smart Growth America?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$8,748,440$7,203,795$8,484,848——$5,008
2024$9,610,090$5,907,576$9,699,726——$19,212
2023$8,662,617$11,391,002$6,936,761$355,6491$12,353
2022$4,184,956$5,687,747$5,599,594$298,3682$3,031
2021$4,425,807$5,937,730$5,044,774$239,0675$5,494
2020$3,860,274$5,527,186$5,990,543$247,3613$13,209
2019$3,808,909$5,632,755$6,756,303$838,92019$23,005

About Smart Growth America

Based on IRS filings

Smart Growth America is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Washington, DC. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $8.7M in total assets. Net investment income was $5K.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Smart Growth America is led by Calvin Gladney, President & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2019); 6 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Calvin Gladney

    President & CEO

    President & CEO → President, 2021

    President → President & CEO, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $152K (2019) → $289K (2025)

  • Elizabeth Osborne

    President & CEO

    Vice President, Transportation for America & Thriving Communit → Vice President & Transportation for Ame, 2024

    Vice President & Transportation for Ame → President & CEO, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $161K (2020) → $195K (2025)

  • Erica Cova

    Director of Communications

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $123K (2023) → $164K (2025)

  • John Robert Smith

    Senior Policy Advisor

    Senior Policy Advisor → Senior Advisor, 2021

    Senior Advisor → Senior Policy Advisor, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $149K (2019) → $178K (2025)

  • Katharine Burgess

    Vice President, Land Use & Development

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $168K (2023) → $179K (2025)

  • Isaac Mintz Hired

    Vice President, Finance & Adminstration

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $134K (2025)

  • Andre Leroux

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeremy Madsen

    Board Member

    Co-Chair → Vice Chair, 2023

    Vice Chair → Board Member, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Patrice Frey

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Peter Kasabach

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan D. Daggett

    Board Member

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Camille Manning Broome

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Emeka Moneme

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Madeline F. Cook

    Board Member

    Board Chair → Board Member, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Peter J. Park

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Shalini Vajhala

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stewart Schawartz

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (22)
  • Former: Amy A. Cotter (2019–2025) — Board Member · Filing note: Term ended
  • Former: Anita Cozart (2019–2025) — Board Member · Filing note: Term ended
  • Former: Ashok Gupta (2019–2025) — Board Member · Filing note: Term ended
  • Former: Jack Machek (2019–2025) — Board Member · Filing note: Term ended
  • Former: Danielle Arigoni (2023–2025) — Board Member · Filing note: Term ended
  • Former: Maela Bilonik (2023–2025) — Board Member · Filing note: Term ended
  • Former: Celine Okoh (2023–2024) — Director of Finance
  • Former: Stewart Shwartz (2019–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Dru Schmidt-Perkins (2019–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Madeline Fraser-Cook (2019–2022) — Co-Chair
  • Former: Scot Spencer (2019–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Scott Wolf (2019–2022) — Secretary
  • Former: Camille Manning-Broome (2021–2022) — Board Member Since Sept
  • Former: Chris Zimmerman (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Veronica Vanterpool (2021–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Marta Goldsmith (2022) — Director
  • Former: Beth Osborne (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Christopher Coes (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Christopher Zimmerman (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: F. Kaid Benfield (2019) — Board Member
  • Former: Geoffrey Anderson (2019) — President & CEO
  • Former: Gov Parris Glendening (2019) — President & Smart Growth Leadership

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Calvin Gladney — President & CEO (Through 4/2025): $289KCalvin GladneyPresident & CEO (Through 4/2025)$289KElizabeth Osborne — President & CEO (As of 4/2025): $195KElizabeth OsbornePresident & CEO (As of 4/2025)$195KKatharine Burgess — VP, Land Use & Development: $179KKatharine BurgessVP, Land Use & Development$179KJohn Robert Smith — Senior Policy Advisor: $178KJohn Robert SmithSenior Policy Advisor$178KErica Cova — Director of Communications: $164KErica CovaDirector of Communications$164KIsaac Mintz Hired 05302024 — VP, Finance and Adminstration: $134KIsaac Mintz Hired…VP, Finance and Adminstration$134K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $289K, to Calvin Gladney (President & CEO (Through 4/2025)). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Smart Growth America

How large is Smart Growth America?

Smart Growth America reported $8.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.2M.

What is Smart Growth America?

Smart Growth America is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Washington, DC. It holds $8.7M in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Smart Growth America operate?

Smart Growth America has awarded grants in Alabama, California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington.

What is Smart Growth America's EIN?

Smart Growth America's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0038938. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

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

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
  4. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 21, 2020)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 17, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Smart Growth America's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in District of Columbia

Maine Community Foundation Inc

Ellsworth, ME

Maine Community Foundation supports nonprofits and communities in Maine through grants for areas such as community building, arts, land and water, housing, and equity, as well as scholarships. Its 2024 grants had a median amount of $17,500, though awards varied widely. The profile describes online applications for competitive grants but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$807.6M

Grants

1,161

Total Given

$57.6M

RSF Social Finance Inc

San Francisco, CA

RSF Social Finance funds organizations and projects advancing social and environmental change, especially in food and agriculture, climate and energy, education, and community impact. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, with awards ranging from $5,250 to $5.52 million; recipients were primarily in California, Maryland, New York, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. The profile does not state whether RSF accepts unsolicited requests.

Social Science

Assets

$108.4M

Grants

457

Total Given

$48.2M

Park Foundation Inc

Ithaca, NY

The foundation funds work in environmental protection, democracy, civic participation, media, animal welfare, and community needs, supporting both local efforts in Ithaca and Tompkins County and initiatives with national impact. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000, though awards ranged widely; prospective grantees are encouraged to contact the foundation, and it accepts letters of inquiry at any time in its Democracy, Civic Participation, and Animal Welfare programs.

Assets

$406.0M

Grants

457

Total Given

$30.4M

United States Energy Foundation

San Francisco, CA

United States Energy Foundation funds education, outreach, and analysis advancing clean and equitable energy and climate solutions, including renewable energy, efficiency, clean transportation, buildings, and industry, in the United States. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $21 million, with a median of $135,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests or proposals; grant-seekers must be invited.

Assets

$215.7M

Grants

597

Total Given

$166.3M

Rockefeller Family Fund Inc

New York, NY

Rockefeller Family Fund supports advocacy and strategic initiatives focused on climate and the environment, democracy, and economic justice for women. Its 2024 grants ranged from $7,000 to $9.7 million, with a median of $75,000, and went to organizations in multiple states; it does not accept unsolicited requests, though organizations may email staff a brief description of aligned work.

Assets

$216.8M

Grants

203

Total Given

$36.7M

NCRC Community Development Fund Inc

Washington, DC

NCRC Community Development Fund supports affordable housing and homeownership, small businesses—especially minority-owned, women-owned, and low-income businesses—and certain nonprofit programs that provide capital or services to underserved communities. Its listed awards range from $5,000 to $50,000, though typical giving is not stated; it serves communities across the U.S., with some programs focused on Illinois. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$55.6M

Grants

2,666

Total Given

$149.3M

More similar funders

More Funders in District of Columbia

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

Figures come from Smart Growth America'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.

Smart Growth America down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?