SMS Foundation Inc is a private independent foundation established in 2004 and based in Madison, Wisconsin. The organization operates as a grantmaking foundation with a focus on supporting charitable causes through financial grants to nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.9M
+8.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$481K
+0.2% YoY
Grant Count
62
+1.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
-1.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sms Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $521K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
SMS Foundation Inc is an active grantmaker with the following characteristics:
Grant Range
$5,000
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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
Assets & Giving Rate
- Total assets (2024): $10.1 million
- Annual expenses (2024): $532,000
- Giving rate: 4.8% of assets
Historical Assets
- 2023: $9.0 million
- 2022: $10.7 million
- 2021: $9.6 million
- 2020: $8.5 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,930,223 | $10,051,515 | $9,042,541 |
| Revenue | $893,030 | $896,758 | $535,028 |
| Expenses | $543,773 | $531,730 | $544,766 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $481,000 | $480,000 | $475,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $822,974 | $494,071 | $101,395 |
| Distributable Amount | $521,144 | $458,301 | $460,338 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Hodan Center Inc ($40,000), Madison Community Foundation ($15,000), American Indian College Fund ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A BAND OF ANGELS OVERLAND, KS | PROVIDE LOW-INCOME AND UNDERSERVED CHILDREN WITH MUSICIAL INSTRUMENTS | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE FUND DENVER, CO | SUPPORT NATIVE STUDENTS' ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION | $10,000 |
| ARTS & LITERATURE LABORATORY MADISON, WI | ENCOURAGE VISUAL, LITERARY AND PERFORMING ARTISTS TO EXPLORE/DEVELOP THEIR CRAFTS | $5,000 |
| ARTS FOR ARTS INC NEW YORK, NY | SUPPORT THE ADVANCEMENT OF FREEJAZZ | $8,000 |
| ARTS HORIZONS ENGLEWOOD, NJ | SUPPORT ARTS PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN | $10,000 |
| ASPCA NEW YORK, NY | PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS | $10,000 |
| CATHERINE MARIAN HOUSING INC (DBA BETHANY APARTMENTS) RACINE, WI | TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE | $10,000 |
| CHIEF BLACKBIRD CENTER ODANAH, WI | PROVIDE GOVERNMENT SERVICES TO TRIBAL MEMBERS | $10,000 |
| CLEAN LAKES ALLIANCEFRIENDS OF CLEAN LAKES MADISON, WI | IMPROVE WATER QUALITY OF LAKES, STREAMS AND WATERSHEDS | $5,000 |
| DANE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY MADISON, WI | CARE OF HOMELESS ANIMALS | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARAH E SPENCER | PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW D SILVERSTEIN | VICE PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| THOMAS G TIERNEY | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DAVID B BILLING | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| MARK SPENCER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address PO Box 5324 Madison, WI 53705-0324 United States
Phone 608-577-8260
Tax Information
- EIN: 20-1878599
- IRS Classification: 501(c)(3) Private Non-Operating Foundation
- Ruling Date: January 2005
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Sms Foundation Inc?
SMS Foundation Inc is an active grantmaker with the following characteristics: **Grant Activity (2024)** • Total giving: $480,000 • Number of grants: 61 • Median grant size: $5,000 • Grant range: $5,000–$40,000 **Historical Giving Trends** • 2023: $475,000 in grants across 60 awards • 2022: $460,000 in grants across 57 awards • 2021: $477,000 in grants across 58 awards • 2020: $472,000 in grants across 53 awards **Application Policy** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and …
What size grants does Sms Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Sms Foundation Inc awarded 62 grants totaling $481K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Sms Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Sms Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $521K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sms Foundation Inc's EIN?
Sms Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1878599. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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