The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2024, it reported $1,053,000 in grants to 13 organizations; its filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $81K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,053,000
- +15.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- -13.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $81,000
- +33.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $21,794,594
- -1.9% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (89% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 200 Bellevue Parkway Suite 250, Wilmington, DE 19809-3747
Phone: (302) 793-3284
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Kleinhans Music Hall Management Inc ($250K). Together the top 10 received $993K.
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 33 grants of 54 (61%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 11% to recipients in Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation gives
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 32% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $37K (2020) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kleinhans Music Hall Management Inc Buffalo, NY | General | $250,000 |
| Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society Buffalo, NY | General | $250,000 |
| Graycliff Conservancy Inc Derby, NY | Program Support | $200,000 |
| Erie Community College Foundation Inc Buffalo, NY | Program Support | $67,725 |
| Mercy Flight Inc Buffalo, NY | Program Support | $65,275 |
| Western New York Public Broadcasting Association Buffalo, NY | General | $50,000 |
| Health Management Group Ltd Getzville, NY | General | $50,000 |
| Asylum Hill Congregational Church Hartford, CT | Program Support | $20,000 |
| LABS4RESCUE Inc Killingworth, CT | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Communication Advocacy Network Corp Hartford, CT | Program Support | $20,000 |
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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 | $21,794,594 | $911,945 | $1,359,791 | $1,053,000 | 13 | $1,252,336 | $810,490 | $1,391,006 |
| 2023 | $22,214,398 | $814,772 | $1,184,925 | $910,000 | 15 | $1,088,883 | $718,730 | $1,233,921 |
| 2022 | $22,573,936 | $4,582,172 | $1,207,687 | $945,000 | 10 | $1,098,127 | $603,745 | $1,065,718 |
| 2021 | $18,971,862 | $3,349,638 | $1,014,744 | $800,000 | 14 | $872,841 | $1,338,546 | $1,065,233 |
| 2020 | $16,431,342 | $5,896,276 | $181,393 | $37,000 | 2 | — | $376,437 | $790,052 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations in the arts, historic preservation, education, emergency medical response, public broadcasting, animal rescue, and services for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. These descriptions reflect the grantees’ work, not a stated foundation mission.
For example, Kleinhans Music Hall Management says it maintains and operates Kleinhans Music Hall for area residents. Graycliff Conservancy says it works to preserve Graycliff’s Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structures and grounds, gardens, and landscape. Erie Community College Foundation says it raises funds for scholarships, capital projects, faculty enrichment, and educational and workforce development initiatives. Mercy Flight describes its work as community medical emergency response by air and ground transport. Western New York Public Broadcasting says it engages communities through education, exploration, and entertainment. Labs4Rescue says it matches homeless Labrador retrievers and mixes with families, while Communication Advocacy Network says it provides advocacy and culturally sensitive living services to Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and DeafBlind people in Connecticut.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $1,053,000. Grants ranged from $20,000 to $250,000, with a median grant of $50,000.
Notable 2024 grants included $250,000 each to Kleinhans Music Hall Management and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society; $200,000 to Graycliff Conservancy; $67,725 to Erie Community College Foundation; $65,275 to Mercy Flight; and $50,000 each to Western New York Public Broadcasting and Health Management Group.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert A Biltekoff as trust protector.
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Goldman Sachs Trust CO
Administrative Trustee
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$85K (2020) → $164K (2024)
Robert A. Biltekoff
Trust Protector
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$30K (2023) → $35K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $164K, to Goldman Sachs Trust CO (Administrative Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation
How much does The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation give each year?
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation gave $1.1M across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $910K across 15 grants.
What is The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $81,000, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation give grants?
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation gives mostly in New York: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Connecticut (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (5 grants) and Hartford, CT (2 grants).
Does The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 38% of The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (8 grants).
Who are The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Kleinhans Music Hall Management Inc ($250,000), Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society ($250,000) and Graycliff Conservancy Inc ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation?
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation reported $21.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations in the arts, historic preservation, education, emergency medical response, public broadcasting, animal rescue, and services for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation's EIN?
The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-6908327. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Walter E Schmid Family 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-walter-e-schmid-family-foundation-morg_2e853dc4840e484689ffeba5b55d4d65
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_816908327_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Walter E Schmid Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-walter-e-schmid-family-foundation-morg_2e853dc4840e484689ffeba5b55d4d65},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Walter E Schmid Family 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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