The Smidt Foundation
The Smidt Foundation is a private foundation based in Beverly Hills, California. Its 2024 filing reports $21,114,495 in grants to 145 organizations, including support for healthcare, Jewish community and anti-hate organizations, and skilled trades education.
The Smidt Foundation at a glance
In short: The Smidt Foundation gave $21.1M across 145 grants in 2024 (avg $146K), mostly in California. 37% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $21,114,495
- -2.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 145
- -2.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $145,617
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $35,000
- Total assets
- $269,880,874
- +0.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (42 of 115, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Smidt Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 9355 Wilshire Boulevard 400, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Phone: (310) 800-1873
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Smidt Foundation
Who The Smidt Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cedars-Sinai Medical Center ($3.0M). Together the top 10 received $13.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 30 grants to individuals ($726,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
700 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 413 grants of 700 (59%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California recipients received 51% of grant dollars, New York recipients 27%, Rhode Island recipients 9%, and recipients in Washington, D.C., and Oregon received 3% and 1%, respectively.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 145 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Smidt Foundation open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 42 of 115 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $87K; repeat grants $233K. How we count
Medians: $35K first-time, $90K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 61% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 173% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $13.1M (2021) to $21.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 145 grants totaling $21.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA | Smidt Heart Institute | $3,000,000 |
| Anti-Defamation League New York, NY | General Operating Support | $2,030,000 |
| Holocaust Museum LA Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support; Project Support | $2,030,000 |
| PEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc New York, NY | Nonprofit Support | $1,740,000 |
| United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support; Project Support | $1,000,000 |
| Big Picture Company Inc Providence, RI | Advancing Skilled Trades Education | $975,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Warwick, RI | Nonprofit Support | $800,000 |
| Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $520,000 |
| Israel Policy Forum Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support | $515,000 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor San Pedro, CA | Advancing Skilled Trades Education | $479,990 |
Ready to take the next step with The Smidt 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $269,880,874 | $8,134,180 | $17,163,900 | $21,114,495 | 145 | $23,050,141 | $7,859,774 | $13,334,324 |
| 2023 | $267,841,665 | $6,459,114 | $26,913,265 | $21,548,823 | 148 | $23,341,749 | $6,878,354 | $13,513,193 |
| 2022 | $265,678,716 | $2,683,724 | $19,732,083 | $19,715,178 | 159 | $20,668,791 | $2,645,353 | $13,990,277 |
| 2021 | $297,009,974 | $102,197,850 | $9,458,537 | $13,078,715 | 124 | $13,940,141 | $2,105,447 | $14,259,023 |
| 2020 | $209,740,330 | $127,822,107 | $18,102,210 | $17,681,335 | 124 | — | $7,816,408 | $4,913,895 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Smidt Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The grants listed for 2024 show support for healthcare, Holocaust education, anti-hate work, Jewish organizations, and skilled trades education. The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools program aims to increase understanding, support, and investment in skilled trades education in U.S. public schools.
Grantees describe their own missions in varied terms. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center says it delivers healthcare enhanced by research and education and works to transform biomedical discoveries for better health. Holocaust Museum LA says it teaches the lessons of the Holocaust and their continued relevance, aiming to build empathy and encourage people to speak out against antisemitism, bigotry, and hatred. The Anti-Defamation League describes its mission as stopping the defamation of Jewish people and securing just and fair treatment for all.
Other 2024 recipients include PEF Israel Endowment Funds, which says it supports relief and physical well-being for needy people in Israel, as well as hospitals, clinics, and educational and religious institutions; and Big Picture Learning, whose stated mission is to advance student-driven, real-world learning.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 145 grants totaling $21,114,495. Grants ranged from $500 to $3,000,000, with a median of $35,000. It awarded 148 grants totaling $21,548,823 in 2023 and 159 grants totaling $19,715,178 in 2022.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $3,000,000 to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for the Smidt Heart Institute; $2,030,000 each to the Anti-Defamation League and Holocaust Museum LA; $1,740,000 to PEF Israel Endowment Funds; $1,000,000 to the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York; and $975,000 to Big Picture Company for advancing skilled trades education.
The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools program awarded $2 million in cash prizes in 2026 to 25 U.S. public high school skilled trades teachers and their programs. These prizes support the program’s participants and are not grants for outside applicants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Eric L. Smidt as director and president; Allan G. Mutchnik as director and treasurer; Saba Yazdani as secretary; and Susan Smidt as a board member, with a term beginning July 1, 2024.
The Smidt Foundation is led by Eric L. Smidt, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Eric L. Smidt
Director & President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allan G. Mutchnik
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Saba Yazdani
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Smidt
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Jason Kupper (2021–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Deborah S. Guerra (2020–2021) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Smidt Foundation
How much does The Smidt Foundation give each year?
The Smidt Foundation gave $21.1M across 145 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $21.5M across 148 grants.
What is The Smidt Foundation's typical grant size?
The Smidt Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $35,000, and its average grant was $145,617, across 145 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Smidt Foundation that year got $87K on average.
Where does The Smidt Foundation give grants?
The Smidt Foundation gives mostly in California: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (27%) and Rhode Island (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (26 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Providence, RI (2 grants).
Does The Smidt Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 33% of The Smidt Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (48 of 145) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Advancing Skilled Trades Education" (37 grants) and "Project Support" (9 grants).
Who are The Smidt Foundation's largest grantees?
The Smidt Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Cedars-Sinai Medical Center ($3,000,000), Anti-Defamation League ($2,030,000) and Holocaust Museum LA ($2,030,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 30 grants to individuals ($726,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Smidt Foundation?
The Smidt Foundation reported $269.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $23.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $13.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Smidt Foundation fund?
The grants listed for 2024 show support for healthcare, Holocaust education, anti-hate work, Jewish organizations, and skilled trades education. The Harbor Freight Tools for Schools program aims to increase understanding, support, and investment in skilled trades education in U.S. public schools. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Smidt Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Smidt Foundation's EIN?
The Smidt Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4631478. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Smidt Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Smidt Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Smidt Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-smidt-foundation-morg_aa3a354d066d45e590aa9868e4aad0e5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_814631478_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Smidt Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-smidt-foundation-morg_aa3a354d066d45e590aa9868e4aad0e5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Smidt 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.
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