Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
The Smith Richardson Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation incorporated in 1935 and based in Greensboro, North Carolina. The foundation was founded by H. Smith Richardson and his wife, Grace Jones Richardson. H. Smith Richardson was the son of Lunsford Richardson, who created Vicks VapoRub and founded The Vick Chemical Company. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since May 1948.
Key facts about Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 56-0611550
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $22,921,010
- Grants made (2024)
- 282
- Average grant
- $81,280
- Median grant
- $49,715
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (58 of 203, 2024)
- Total assets
- $557,948,572
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (46% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Smith Richardson Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Smith Richardson Foundation Inc's 282 itemized 2024 grants were District of Columbia (46%), California (10%) and Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (76 grants), New York, NY (18 grants), Greensboro, NC (15 grants) and Cambridge, MA (13 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Smith Richardson Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 58 of 203 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $53K; repeat grants $137K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$557.9M
+2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$22.9M
+0.7% YoY
Grant Count
282
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$81K
+0.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Smith Richardson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $26.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission of the Smith Richardson Foundation is to contribute to important public debates and to address serious public policy challenges facing the United States. The foundation seeks to help ensure the vitality of social, economic, and governmental institutions. It also seeks to assist with the development of effective policies to compete internationally and advance U.S. interests and values abroad.
The foundation operates through two primary programs:
International Security & Foreign Policy Program This program assists the U.S. policy community in developing effective national security strategies and foreign policies. The foundation supports projects addressing great power competition, disruptive technologies, and regional security issues in Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East, specifically examining challenges from adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Domestic Public Policy Program This program supports research on and evaluation of existing public policies and programs, as well as projects that inject new ideas into public debates to help the public and policymakers understand and address critical challenges facing the United States.
Grantmaking
The foundation's typical grant awards range from $500 to $404,355. Recent grant opportunities include:
Review Cycle
basis.
Ready to take the next step with Smith Richardson Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects primarily in the District of Columbia, North Carolina, and Connecticut, though it supports projects across a wide range of U.S. cities and states, including major urban centers.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 282 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $558 million
- Annual Revenue: $39.8 million
- Annual Expenses: $34.5 million
- Total Liabilities: $42.2 million
- Total Giving: $22,921,010
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: approximately $557.9 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $557,948,572 | $545,245,316 | $517,774,018 |
| Revenue | $39,816,880 | $44,427,804 | $-54,374,393 |
| Expenses | $34,477,058 | $24,151,633 | $35,127,481 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $29,547,796 | $28,312,157 | $31,603,141 |
| Net Investment Income | $39,342,631 | $18,806,996 | $11,403,112 |
| Distributable Amount | $26,930,805 | $26,338,252 | $27,365,714 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
1,415 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
Smith Richardson Foundation- International Security & Foreign Policy Grant
Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Smith Richardson Foundation: Domestic Public Policy Grant
Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Strategy & Policy Fellows Grant Program
Smith Richardson Foundation Inc
Amount
US $60,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Center for Strategic and International Studies Inc ($2,041,250 across 11 grants), Stanford University ($950,081 across 4 grants), Institute for the Study of War Inc ($818,460 across 3 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY COUNCIL Washington, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $400,000 |
| FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES INC Washington, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $400,000 |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY Stanford, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $374,317 |
| INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF WAR INC Washington, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $321,750 |
| CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES INC Washington, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $300,000 |
| INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF WAR INC Washington, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $300,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME Notre Dame, IN | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $300,000 |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY Redwood City, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $299,999 |
| THE ALEXANDER HAMILTON SOCIETY Washington, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $278,300 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY FOR STRATEGIC EDUCATION Washington, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $275,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Peter L. Richardson serves as President of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PL Richardson | Chairman of the Trustees | 50 | $775,554 |
| Mr Richardson's Supplemental | N/A | — | — |
| Dr Marin Strmecki | President, Director of Programs | 50 | $711,430 |
| Nicole Bateman | Assistant Secretary | 40 | $114,107 |
| Ross Hemphill | Senior VP, CFO, Investment CMT | 47 | $172,660 |
| Wwinburne King III | Vice Chair of the Trustees, Invst CMT | 40 | $70,902 |
| Dr Arvid R Nelson | Trustee, Secretary, Audit CMT. Chair | 22 | $80,000 |
| Michael Blair | Trustee, Audit & Compensation CMT. | 1 | $40,000 |
| John P Richardson Jr | Trustee, Audit Committee | 1 | $40,000 |
| Nicolas L Richardson | Trustee, Investment CMT., Grants CMT | 1 | $40,000 |
| Tyler B Richardson | Trustee, Grants & Investment CMT | 1 | $40,000 |
| E William Stetson III | Trustee, Grants Committee | 1 | $40,000 |
| The Above Compensation Shows the | N/A | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Smith Richardson Foundation Inc fund?
The mission of the Smith Richardson Foundation is to contribute to important public debates and to address serious public policy challenges facing the United States. The foundation seeks to help ensure the vitality of social, economic, and governmental institutions. It also seeks to assist with the development of effective policies to compete internationally and advance U.S. interests and values abroad. The foundation operates through two primary programs: **International Security & Foreign Pol…
How do I apply for a grant from Smith Richardson Foundation Inc?
The foundation's typical grant awards range from $500 to $404,355. Recent grant opportunities include: • Strategy & Policy Fellows Grant Program • International Security & Foreign Policy Grant • Domestic Public Policy Grant The International Security & Foreign Policy Program operates on a rolling deadline basis.
Where does Smith Richardson Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation funds projects primarily in the District of Columbia, North Carolina, and Connecticut, though it supports projects across a wide range of U.S. cities and states, including major urban centers.
What size grants does Smith Richardson Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Smith Richardson Foundation Inc awarded 282 grants totaling $22.9M — an average of about $81K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Smith Richardson Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Smith Richardson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $26.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Smith Richardson Foundation Inc's EIN?
Smith Richardson Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-0611550. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.