The Bellwether Foundation
The Bellwether Foundation is a private foundation established in 1985 and based in St. Louis, Missouri. The organization is committed to improving the quality of life for all people in St. Louis by supporting innovative programs that make a positive impact for present and future generations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$73.0M
+4.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.2M
-14.8% YoY
Grant Count
27
-55.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$229K
+89.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to promote the ideals and aspirations of its founders by improving the quality of life for all people, primarily in St. Louis, through the support of innovative programs that make a positive impact for present and future generations.
The foundation supports St. Louis area-based 501(c)(3) organizations with a focus on:
- Arts & Sciences — Projects that feed creativity and generate new ideas
- Education — Quality education programs that support underserved communities
- Environment — Projects that sustain and protect the environment's natural resources in the region for future generations
- Cultural Institutions — Unique cultural organizations that enrich and distinguish the community
The foundation prioritizes projects that:
- Support under-resourced or under-represented communities
- Offer larger scale, measurable impact
- Implement innovative solutions
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation distributed $6,181,500 in grants across 27 awards. Notable recent grants include $2,600,000 to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
Grant Range
s:**
Average Grant
$120,897
Review Cycle
.
Grant Types
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the St. Louis, Missouri region and surrounding area.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $72,970,902 (2024)
- Total Revenue: $10,294,681 (2024)
- Total Expenses: $7,348,581 (2024)
- Annual Giving: $6,181,500 (2024)
- Total Liabilities: $616 (2024)
- Total Giving Since 1985: $65+ million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $72,970,902 | $70,041,889 | $68,831,959 |
| Revenue | $10,294,681 | $7,841,135 | $7,136,378 |
| Expenses | $7,348,581 | $8,427,813 | $5,784,223 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,404,554 | $7,458,158 | $4,979,563 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,418,908 | $7,052,707 | $6,377,094 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,692,198 | $5,230,272 | $5,235,970 |
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
208 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Bellwether Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Robert B. Smith III — Chairman of the Board
- Virginia V. Smith — President/Secretary
- Sally Duffield — Trustee
- Carrie D. Pittenger — Trustee
- John J. Wolfe — Trustee
The foundation operates with limited paid staffing, relying primarily on board members who contribute minimal hours.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIRGINIA V SMITH | PRESIDENT/SECRETARY | 15 | — |
| ROBERT B SMITH III | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD | 0.5 | — |
| SALLY DUFFIELD | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| CARRIE D PITTENGER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| JOHN J WOLFE | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 8000 Maryland Ave, Suite 1165, Saint Louis, MO 63105
Phone: (314) 862-1150
Email: info@bellwetherstl.org
Website: https://www.bellwetherstl.org/
Office Hours: Meetings by appointment only
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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