Smithburg Family Foundation
The Smithburg Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. It gave $253,000 through 24 grants in 2024, with listed grants supporting charitable organizations in areas including cultural, educational, medical, and athletic support.
Smithburg Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Smithburg Family Foundation gave $253K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $11K), mostly in Illinois. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $253,000
- +12.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +4.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,542
- +7.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,246,927
- -3.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (7 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Smithburg Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 676 N Michigan Avenue Suite 3820, Chicago, IL 60611-4953
Phone: (312) 829-7608
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Smithburg Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was St Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Church ($35K). Together the top 10 received $187K.
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 127 grants of 127 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 6% to Minnesota, 5% to Colorado, 2% to Washington, D.C., and 2% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Smithburg Family Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 24 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $225K (2023) to $260K (2022). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $253K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Church Hinsdale, IL | Cultural Support | $35,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club - Summer Gala Chicago, IL | Educational Support | $25,000 |
| Steppenwolf Theatre Company Chicago, IL | Cultural Support | $25,000 |
| Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, IL | Cultural Support | $22,500 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | Medical Support | $15,000 |
| Northwestern Hospital Chicago, IL | Medical Support | $15,000 |
| Community Empowerment Evanston, IL | Medical Support | $15,000 |
| Aspen Art Museum Aspen, CO | Cultural Support | $12,500 |
| The Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL | Cultural Support | $12,000 |
| Depaul - Golf Carol Stream, IL | Educational Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Smithburg Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,246,927 | $176,202 | $312,440 | $253,000 | 24 | $253,000 | $146,777 | $245,648 |
| 2023 | $4,388,137 | $206,888 | $281,336 | $225,000 | 23 | $225,000 | $175,082 | $227,576 |
| 2022 | $4,460,794 | $123,820 | $316,547 | $260,000 | 29 | $260,000 | $158,778 | $235,630 |
| 2021 | $4,658,932 | $396,000 | $316,949 | $259,500 | 26 | $259,500 | $368,412 | $257,574 |
| 2020 | $4,587,381 | $144,340 | $291,556 | $235,500 | 25 | — | $118,299 | $221,079 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Smithburg Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $246K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation’s grants ranged from $2,000 to $35,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Notable grants included $35,000 to St. Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Church for cultural support; $25,000 each to Boys & Girls Club – Summer Gala for educational support and Steppenwolf Theatre Company for cultural support; and $22,500 to Chicago Botanic Garden for cultural support. Other grants included $15,000 each to Mayo Clinic and Northwestern Hospital for medical support, and $12,500 to Aspen Art Museum for cultural support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists William D. Smithburg as president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and director. It also lists Susan S. Sullivan, Thomas W. Smithburg, and Thomas A. Smithburg as directors.
Smithburg Family Foundation is led by William D. Smithburg, President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
William D. Smithburg
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan S. Sullivan
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Thomas A. Smithburg
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $10K, to Susan S Sullivan (Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Smithburg Family Foundation
How much does Smithburg Family Foundation give each year?
Smithburg Family Foundation gave $253K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $225K across 23 grants.
What is Smithburg Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Smithburg Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $10,542, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Smithburg Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Smithburg Family Foundation give grants?
Smithburg Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Minnesota (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (10 grants), Hinsdale, IL (2 grants) and Evanston, IL (2 grants).
Does Smithburg Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Smithburg Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Cultural Support" (9 grants), "Medical Support" (6 grants) and "Educational Support" (4 grants).
Who are Smithburg Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Smithburg Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include St Isaac Jogues Roman Catholic Church ($35,000), Boys & Girls Club - Summer Gala ($25,000) and Steppenwolf Theatre Company ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Smithburg Family Foundation?
Smithburg Family Foundation reported $4.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $253K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $246K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
How do I apply for a grant from Smithburg Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Smithburg Family Foundation's EIN?
Smithburg Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4475690. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Smithburg Family 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Smithburg Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Smithburg Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Smithburg Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/smithburg-family-foundation-morg_0775f50ae1704f2cb210387e924ec6e6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364475690_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Smithburg Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/smithburg-family-foundation-morg_0775f50ae1704f2cb210387e924ec6e6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Smithburg Family 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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