The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation is a private foundation focused on public and societal benefit, based in New York, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $93.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $12.3M. Net investment income was $12.1M.
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation at a glance
In short: The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation gave $12.3M across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $4.1M), mostly in Rhode Island. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $12,350,000
- +28.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,116,667
- +28.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,200,000
- Total assets
- $93,205,307
- -0.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Rhode Island (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Vanguard Charitable ($8.5M). Together the top 3 received $12.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
14 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was $5M or more: 5 grants of 14 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation gives
- Giving grew 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 174% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $9.2M (2022) to $12.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $12.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Charitable Warwick, RI | To Further Donee's Exempt Purpose | $8,500,000 |
| Atlas Network Arlington, VA | To Further Donee's Exempt Purpose | $3,200,000 |
| Cato Institute Washington, DC | To Further Donee's Exempt Purpose | $650,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Donald and Paula Smith 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $93,205,307 | $13,444,661 | $13,784,801 | $12,350,000 | 3 | $12,491,837 | $12,096,324 | $7,187,620 |
| 2024 | $93,627,994 | $11,099,585 | $10,853,705 | $9,650,000 | 3 | $9,789,335 | $10,010,413 | $5,572,742 |
| 2023 | $93,382,114 | $15,841,334 | $11,842,081 | $10,100,000 | 2 | $10,225,323 | $14,884,745 | $4,654,323 |
| 2022 | $89,382,861 | $21,606,966 | $10,460,765 | $9,200,000 | 3 | $9,313,061 | $20,459,262 | $4,357,933 |
| 2021 | $89,524,892 | $3,532,000 | $11,024,807 | $10,050,000 | 3 | — | $2,355,377 | $5,913,691 |
| 2020 | $99,943,545 | $5,693,214 | $11,750,097 | $11,488,145 | 7 | — | $917,573 | $5,791,141 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation is led by Julie Smith, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 9 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Julie Smith
President & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$183K (2021) → $120K (2025)
Jon Hartsel
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ken Levy
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Winner
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nikolaos Monoyios
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paula Smith
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Greenberg
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Gelfond
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Barbee
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Donald Smith (2020) — President & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $120K, to Julie Smith (President/DIR.).
Frequently asked questions about The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation
How much does The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation give each year?
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation gave $12.3M across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $9.7M across 3 grants.
What is The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation's typical grant size?
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,200,000, and its average grant was $4,116,667, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation give grants?
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation gives mostly in Rhode Island: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Virginia (26%) and District of Columbia (5%).
How large is The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation?
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation reported $93.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $12.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation?
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation is a private foundation focused on public and societal benefit, based in New York, NY. It holds $93.2M in total assets as of 2025.
What is The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation's EIN?
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3732524. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 23, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation funds
Public, Societal Benefit Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common
Charles Koch Institute
Arlington, VA
The Charles Koch Institute funds educational programs and dialogue focused on individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and related principles, including classroom education for people affiliated with grantee organizations. Recent filings show grants ranging from about $386,000 to $769,000 total per year, but do not specify typical award sizes or geographic limits. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$445.9M
Grants
1
Total Given
$386K
Atlas Economic Research Foundation
Arlington, VA
Atlas Network funds independent think tanks and nonprofit partners working on individual freedom, free-market policy, public advocacy, education, and organizational capacity, with grants reported worldwide. Its 2025 grants ranged from $9,462 to $409,000, with a median of $31,000. It accepts applications through competitive grant programs; some are limited to Atlas Network partners, while organizational-capacity grants are open to non-partners too.
Assets
$18.6M
Grants
40
Total Given
$2.0M
The Markkula Foundation
Woodside, CA
The Markkula Foundation supports California organizations across areas including education, health care, arts, technology history, and community services. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,200 to $275,000, with a median of $10,125. The foundation says it does not limit giving to preselected organizations, but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.3M
Grants
10
Total Given
$485K
The Beach Foundation
West Conshohocken, PA
The Beach Foundation’s grants support a range of organizations working in areas such as free-market policy, individual liberty, journalism, education, and youth activities, with 2024 awards ranging from $16 to $100,000 and a median of $5,000. Based in Pennsylvania, it funded organizations across several states, with the largest shares going to Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. It supports only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$8.1M
Grants
57
Total Given
$791K
The Armstrong Foundation
Fort Worth, TX
The Armstrong Foundation funds tax-exempt organizations advancing constitutional government and freedoms, especially education about free enterprise, limited government, and American ideals. Its 2024 grants ranged from $830 to $45,000, with a median of $17,500, and went mainly to organizations in Virginia and Washington, D.C., as well as other states. It accepts unsolicited proposals year-round through its website.
Assets
$24.0M
Grants
62
Total Given
$1.2M
Susquehanna Foundation
Bala Cynwyd, PA
The Susquehanna Foundation funds preselected charitable organizations in areas including public policy, education, science, youth programs, and the arts, with most 2025 grant dollars going to organizations in Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $3 million, with a median of $100,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$673.6M
Grants
18
Total Given
$7.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Donald and Paula Smith 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.
The Donald and Paula Smith Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?