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
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
No grants recorded for .
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
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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