Smyth County Charitable Fund

Foundation · Grantmaker Marion, VA EIN: 31-1650055

To support the mission of smyth county community foundation by identifying and supporting qualified programs and projects that serve to improve the overall health, wellness and education across smyth county and the surrounding communities.

Key facts about Smyth County Charitable Fund

In short: Smyth County Charitable Fund gave $3.3M across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $272K), mostly in Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
31-1650055
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$3,268,838
Grants made (2025)
12
Average grant
$272,403
Median grant
$31,641
Total assets
$57,185,785
Primary geography
Virginia (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

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

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$57.2M

-0.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.3M

+163.1% YoY

Grant Count

12

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$272K

+163.1% YoY

How Smyth County Charitable Fund gives

  • 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 2190% from 2022 to 2025. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

About Smyth County Charitable Fund

Based on IRS filings

Smyth County Charitable Fund is a nonprofit organization focused on Health, based in Marion, VA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $57.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 12 grants totaling $3.3M. Net investment income was $1.8M.

Focus Areas

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of all 12 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

States

Cities

MarionAbingdonBlandBristolTroutdaleWythevilleAtkinsChillhowieRichmondRoanokeSaltvilleSugar Grove

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M2 grants20191 grants20201 grants20214 grants20228 grants202312 grants202412 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Appalachian Center for Hope Inc: $2.6MAppalachian Center for HopeInc$2.6MCommunities in Schools of Appalachian Highlands: $317KCommunities in Schools ofAppalachian Highlands$317KThe Town of Saltville: $88KThe Town of Saltville$88KAtkins Elementary School: $75KAtkins Elementary School$75KMount Rogers Planning District Commission: $33KMount Rogers Planning DistrictCommission$33KSmyth County Community Foundation: $33KSmyth County CommunityFoundation$33KProject Crossroads: $30KProject Crossroads$30KMel Leaman Free Clinic: $29KMel Leaman Free Clinic$29KMount Rogers Community Services: $25KMount Rogers CommunityServices$25KRye Valley Water: $22KRye Valley Water$22K

Grant Size Distribution

37 grants across all recorded years

23<$50K6$50–100K4$100–250K2$250–500K1$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
APPALACHIAN CENTER FOR HOPE INC Marion, VAFUNDING FOR RENOVATION OF ADDICTION REHABILITATION FACILITY$2,600,000
COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS Bristol, VASUPPORT SUPPORT FOR COVERAGE IN ALL MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN SMYTH COUNTY$316,965
THE TOWN OF SALTVILLE Saltville, VAGOLF COURSE SUPPORT$87,670
ATKINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Atkins, VAINCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND FOR SCHOOL AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITY$75,000
MOUNT ROGERS PLANNING DISTRICT COMMISSION Marion, VAPROPERTY FEASABILITY STUDY$33,434
SMYTH COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Marion, VASMYTH PROMISE$33,282
PROJECT CROSSROADS Marion, VARAMP CONSTRUCTION$30,000
MEL LEAMAN FREE CLINIC Marion, VASUPPORT FOR FREE CLINIC$29,122
MOUNT ROGERS COMMUNITY SERVICES Wytheville, VASMOKING CESSATION PROGRAM FOR SMYTH COUNTY RESIDENTS$25,000
RYE VALLEY WATER Sugar Grove, VASUPPORT FOR CLEAN WATER FOR THE RYE VALLEY COMMUNITY$21,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$10M$20M$30M$40M2019202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$57,185,785$57,574,641$49,639,167
Revenue$3,308,326$2,670,521$3,236,097
Expenses$5,653,058$3,318,973$2,552,417
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income$1,849,168$1,333,407$1,978,674
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Smyth County Charitable Fund is led by Lynda Helton, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2019); 2 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Lynda Helton

    Executive Director

    Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2022

    Vice Chair → Executive Director, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $100K (2024) → $109K (2025)

  • Michael Robinson PhD

    Chair

    Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2021

    Chairman → Chair, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brian Thompson DMD

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Graham Esq.

    Director

    Chairman → Director, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Kiser MD

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dennis Carter EdD

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Emily Bralley

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chelsea Hamman MD

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Fields

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dickie Kegley

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sarah Gillespie

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kevin Vernon

    CFO

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $59K (2024) → $63K (2025)

  • Paul Holcombe Esq.

    Vice Chair

    Vice Chariman → Secretary, 2022

    Secretary → Vice Chair, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sandra Catalan

    Secretary

    Secretary → Director, 2024

    Director → Secretary, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brian Cregger

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2023

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (10)
  • Former: Merrelle Ward (2019–2024) — Director
  • Former: Robert Watkins (2019–2023) — Executive Director
  • Former: Brian Haynes (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Christopher Snodgrass (2019–2022) — Treasurer
  • Former: Dawn Archer (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Amanda Currin (2019–2021) — Secretary
  • Former: Amy Blue-Spiker (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Chelsea Hammonds (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Dara Watson (2019) — Director
  • Former: Scott Richards (2019) — Director

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

Lynda Helton — Executive Director: $109KLynda HeltonExecutive Director$109KKevin Vernon — CFO: $63KKevin VernonCFO$63K

Frequently asked questions about Smyth County Charitable Fund

How much does Smyth County Charitable Fund give each year?

Smyth County Charitable Fund gave $3.3M across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 12 grants.

What is Smyth County Charitable Fund's typical grant size?

Smyth County Charitable Fund's median grant in 2025 was $31,641, and its average grant was $272,403, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does Smyth County Charitable Fund give grants?

Smyth County Charitable Fund gives mostly in Virginia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Marion, VA (6 grants).

Does Smyth County Charitable Fund give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Smyth County Charitable Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.

Who are Smyth County Charitable Fund's largest grantees?

Smyth County Charitable Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Appalachian Center for Hope Inc ($2,600,000), Communities in Schools of Appalachian Highlands ($316,965) and The Town of Saltville ($87,670), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Smyth County Charitable Fund?

Smyth County Charitable Fund reported $57.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.3M.

What is Smyth County Charitable Fund?

Smyth County Charitable Fund is a nonprofit organization focused on Health, based in Marion, VA. It holds $57.2M in total assets as of 2025.

What is Smyth County Charitable Fund's EIN?

Smyth County Charitable Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1650055. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

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

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