The Smart Family Fund is a private family foundation based in Lisle, Illinois, established in 2016. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization guided by three entrepreneurial brothers committed to fostering social entrepreneurship and supporting emerging nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.3M
+6.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
-4.1% YoY
Grant Count
32
-3.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$47K
-1.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Smart Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $2.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to discover, support, and mentor emerging nonprofit organizations and their leaders, providing necessary backing to help them succeed. The fund describes itself as an "angel philanthropist," focusing on early-stage nonprofits with potential for positive, scalable impact that have not yet demonstrated the efficacy needed for growth funding or sustainable models.
Organizations seeking funding must clearly articulate how they will demonstrate the efficacy of their intervention, quantify their potential positive impact, and communicate how they are differentiated from other ecosystem players.
Grantmaking
The Smart Family Fund makes first-time grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 annually. When the foundation identifies an organization making significant advances, it works with them to grow their programs and prepare them for larger-scale funders.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects throughout the United States, with particular activity in California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $17,262,000
- Total Revenue: $2,976,342
- Total Expenses: $1,985,110
- Net Income: $991,232
- Total Liabilities: $3,190
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $16,282,187
- Total Revenue: $888,206
- Total Expenses: $2,002,405
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,265,221 | $16,282,187 | $17,396,287 |
| Revenue | $2,976,342 | $888,206 | $-460,958 |
| Expenses | $1,985,110 | $2,002,405 | $2,203,377 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,656,947 | $1,725,940 | $1,877,898 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,673,179 | $574,531 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $1,968,358 | $1,667,524 | $1,717,710 |
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
175 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Smart Family Fund
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Recidiviz Inc ($250,000), Votingworks ($200,000), Lets Get Ready Inc ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BLAIR HOUSE RESTORATION FUND WASHINGTON, DC | ONGOING SUPPORT - 2024 | $50,000 |
| THE BRAVE HOUSE BROOKLYN, NY | THE BRAVE HOUSE - ONGOING GRANT 2024 | $60,000 |
| CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK WASHINGTON, DC | DIRECT FOOD SUPPORT - 2024 | $10,000 |
| CHELSEAS FUND LANDER, WY | INITIAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| DARIEN ARTS CENTER DARIEN, CT | DARIEN ARTS CENTER - ONGOING GRANT 2024 | $25,000 |
| EXPERIENCE CAMPS WESTPORT, CT | EXPERIENCE CAMPS - ONGOING GRANT 2024 | $25,000 |
| FORD'S THEATRE SOCIETY WASHINGTON, DC | ANNUAL SUPPORT - 2024 | $25,000 |
| GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | ONE TAM REQUEST 2024 | $10,000 |
| GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION MOOSE, WY | GTNPA 2024 | $10,000 |
| HORIZONS GREATER WASHINGTON INC WASHINGTON, DC | ONGOING SUPPORT - 2024 | $60,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by three brothers:
- Archie Smart — Communications executive based in Washington, D.C.
- Roland Smart — Co-founder and CEO of TheraHive, based in Mill Valley, California
- Jesse Safir — Owner of ABG Print, based in New York City, New York
Each holds an executive role with compensation of $40,000 for 5 hours of work per week.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID ARCHIBALD SMART | PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR | 5 | $40,000 |
| ROLAND M SMART | VP/TREASURER AND DIRECTOR | 5 | $40,000 |
| JESSE SAFIR | VP/SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR | 5 | $40,000 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Smart Family Fund fund?
The foundation's mission is to discover, support, and mentor emerging nonprofit organizations and their leaders, providing necessary backing to help them succeed. The fund describes itself as an "angel philanthropist," focusing on early-stage nonprofits with potential for positive, scalable impact that have not yet demonstrated the efficacy needed for growth funding or sustainable models. Organizations seeking funding must clearly articulate how they will demonstrate the efficacy of their inter…
How do I apply for a grant from The Smart Family Fund?
The Smart Family Fund makes first-time grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 annually. When the foundation identifies an organization making significant advances, it works with them to grow their programs and prepare them for larger-scale funders. **Recent Grant Activity:** • Total giving in 2024: $1,510,000 • 33 grants awarded in 2024 • Recent notable grants include: Recidiviz ($300,000), VotingWorks ($200,000), and Let's Get Ready ($100,000) **Application Process:** Applicants must be US-ba…
Where does The Smart Family Fund make grants?
The foundation funds projects throughout the United States, with particular activity in California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania.
What size grants does The Smart Family Fund award?
In 2024, The Smart Family Fund awarded 32 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $47K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Smart Family Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Smart Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $2.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Smart Family Fund's EIN?
The Smart Family Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2297831. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Smart Family Fund'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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