Smilow Foundation
The Smilow Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 1987 in Connecticut and currently based in Wilmington, Delaware. The foundation operates as a family foundation with a focus on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
-100.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.4M
+5948.9% YoY
Grant Count
18
+5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$410K
+5612.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Smilow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focuses on:
- The arts
- Higher education
- Health care
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains active grantmaking operations. As of 2023, the organization reported:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $167 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Revenue: $6.31 million
- Expenses: $1.35 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | $167,423,738 | $162,231,943 |
| Revenue | $5,517,917 | $6,312,704 | $159,019,355 |
| Expenses | $8,801,099 | $1,346,067 | $3,600,832 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,368,692 | $1,013,041 | $3,549,003 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,286,214 | $3,747,131 | $2,011,460 |
| Distributable Amount | $8,470,548 | $7,864,549 | $4,709,838 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
84 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Cobbs Creek Restoration & Community ($3,000,000), Yale University ($2,020,000), Norwalk Hospital Foundation Inc ($2,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| FREDERICK GUNN SCHOOL WASHINGTON, CT | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| YALE UNIVERSITY NEW HAVEN, CT | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,020,000 |
| WESTPORT LIBRARY ASSOC WESTPORT, CT | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $800 |
| EARTHPLACE WESTPORT, CT | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| TEMPLE ISRAEL WESTPORT, CT | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $7,000 |
| AMERICA'S VETDOGS SMITHTOWN, NY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| HOMES WITH HOPE WESTPORT, CT | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| NORWALK HOSPITAL FOUNDATION INC NORWALK, NY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,000,000 |
| BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL FOUNDATION INC BRIDGEPORT, CT | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
William "Bill" Smilow serves as President and CEO of the Smilow Foundation. He joined the TGR Foundation Board of Governors in January 2024 and brings extensive experience in philanthropy and community leadership. Smilow currently serves as a member of the Penn Medicine Board, the Penn Cardiovascular Institute Leadership Council, Penn Orthopedics Leadership Council, and Penn Medicine Development Leadership Cabinet.
The Smilow family has a notable history of supporting major institutions, including Yale's Smilow Cancer Hospital, Johns Hopkins University's William S. Smilow Center for Marfan Syndrome Research, and the University of Pennsylvania's Smilow Center for Translational Research.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM SMILOW | TRUSTEE | 40 | $300,000 |
| MR RICHARD J SMILOW | DIRECTOR | 2 | $20,000 |
| STEPHEN FARLEY | DIRECTOR | 2 | $20,000 |
| JOHN P SHOEMAKER | DIRECTOR | 2 | $20,000 |
| MARK LAZARUS | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In September 2025, the Smilow Foundation supported the ribbon-cutting celebration of the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab at the Cobbs Creek Golf and Education Campus in West Philadelphia. This facility, developed in partnership with TGR Foundation and Cobbs Creek Foundation, provides educational enrichment opportunities for local students.
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation awards $99,865 in Economic DevelopmentContact Information
Address: 200 Bellevue Parkway, Suite 250, Wilmington, DE 19809
EIN: 06-6299809
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Smilow Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary giving focuses on: • The arts • Higher education • Health care
How do I apply for a grant from Smilow Foundation?
The foundation maintains active grantmaking operations. As of 2023, the organization reported: • Revenue: $6.31 million • Expenses: $1.35 million The foundation is required to file IRS Form 990-PF annually.
What size grants does Smilow Foundation award?
In 2024, Smilow Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $7.4M — an average of about $410K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Smilow Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Smilow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Smilow Foundation's EIN?
Smilow Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-6299809. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Smilow Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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