The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation
The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation is a private family foundation incorporated in 1955 by industrialist Albert Kelvin Smith. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the foundation makes grants to nonprofit, charitable organizations serving the Greater Cleveland area and Northeast Ohio.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$158.8M
-1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.3M
-4.6% YoY
Grant Count
77
+2.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$121K
-7.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to support nonprofit organizations that adhere to excellence in their missions, creativity in approach, fiscal responsibility, and dynamic leadership in their service to the community, which ultimately makes a positive impact for the citizens of Cleveland.
The foundation's principal interests are in the following fields:
- Nonsectarian education
- Performing and visual arts
- Visual arts
- Environment and conservation
- Health care
- Free enterprise system
- Community funds
The foundation does not provide grants to individuals, endowment funds, scholarships, loans, or matching funds.
Grantmaking
Recent grants made by the foundation include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds nonprofit organizations in Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland area, with some support extending to Northeast Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $158,790,633
- Total Revenues: $6,058,287
- Total Expenses: $10,360,551
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $162,000,000
- Total Revenues: $9,700,000
- Total Expenses: $10,700,000
- Total Liabilities: $0
Historical (1993):
- Assets: Over $61 million
- Annual Disbursements: Over $2.67 million for 36 grants
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $158,790,633 | $161,721,862 | $162,872,876 |
| Revenue | $6,058,287 | $9,697,575 | $13,055,933 |
| Expenses | $10,360,551 | $10,684,236 | $7,942,301 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,826,468 | $10,258,698 | $6,903,263 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,774,039 | $9,378,985 | $12,454,877 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,544,551 | $8,830,748 | $8,784,224 |
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
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Musical Arts Association ($1,200,000), Cleveland Museum of Natural History ($1,000,000), Hospice of the Western Reserve ($530,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACHIEVEMENT CENTERS FOR CHILDREN HIGHLAND HILLS, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| APOLLO'S FIRE CLEVE HTS, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS LAKEWOOD, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| BEECH BROOK PEPPER PIKE, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHEAST OHIO CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $35,000 |
| BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $17,500 |
| BVU THE CENTER FOR NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| CANDID MIDWEST CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY CLEVELAND, OH | ANNUAL FUND | $15,000 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES - DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $3,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
John L. Dampeer served as foundation chair and treasurer (as of 1993).
The foundation currently employs 2 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIROYUKI FUJITA | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| VANESSA MAVEC KING | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| DAVID M LENZ | SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| ELLEN STIRN MAVEC | PRESIDENT & CHAIR | 40 | $280,000 |
| MADELAINE C MAVEC | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| JOHN G NESTOR | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| DANIEL WALSH | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 30100 Chagrin Boulevard, Suite 150 Cleveland, Ohio 44124
Phone: 216-591-9111
Website: www.kesmithfoundation.org
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since August 1957
EIN: 34-6555349
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to support nonprofit organizations that adhere to excellence in their missions, creativity in approach, fiscal responsibility, and dynamic leadership in their service to the community, which ultimately makes a positive impact for the citizens of Cleveland. The foundation's principal interests are in the following fields: • Nonsectarian education • Performing and visual arts • Visual arts • Environment and conservation • Health care • Free enterprise system • Communit…
How do I apply for a grant from The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation?
Recent grants made by the foundation include: • Cleveland Museum of Art (Chair's Challenge): $2,000,000 (2024) • The Cleveland Orchestra ("We Believe" Campaign & General Operating Support): $1,200,000 (2024) • Cleveland Museum of Natural History (Capital Support): $1,000,000 (2024) The foundation made 66 grants totaling $7,569,600 in 2024, with individual grants ranging from $1,500 to $2,000,000. Historical grant recipients of over $100,000 have included the Cleveland Museum of Natural History,…
Where does The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds nonprofit organizations in Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland area, with some support extending to Northeast Ohio.
What size grants does The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation award?
In 2024, The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation awarded 77 grants totaling $9.3M — an average of about $121K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation's EIN?
The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6555349. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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