The Winthrop H Smith Jr

Private foundation · Grantmaker Stamford, CT EIN: 20-2642648

The Winthrop H Smith Jr is a private foundation based in Stamford, Connecticut. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Vermont.

Key facts about The Winthrop H Smith Jr

In short: The Winthrop H Smith Jr gave $291K across 37 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Vermont. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
20-2642648
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$290,900
Grants made (2024)
37
Average grant
$7,862
Median grant
$5,000
New grantees (estimate)
38% first-time grantees (14 of 37, 2024)
Total assets
$1,329,086
Primary geography
Vermont (76% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.3M

-4.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$291K

+37.2% YoY

Grant Count

37

+2.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$8K

+33.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Winthrop H Smith Jr reported a distributable amount of $77K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Winthrop H Smith Jr open to new grantees?

38%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 14 of 37 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $5K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 20% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 378% 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including the arts, conservation, learning, community assistance, cancer research, music, independent film, and education. These are descriptions of grantees’ work, not stated focus areas of the foundation. For example, New Learning Journey describes its mission as strengthening the conservation movement through learning experiences with other cultures, histories, and ways of being; Shelburne Farms says it inspires and cultivates learning for a sustainable future. The Mad River Valley Community Fund describes its role as providing necessities such as shelter, food, clothing, and medical services to people insufficiently served by federal and state programs.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 37 grants totaling $290,900. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $110,000, with a median of $5,000. Its largest grant was $110,000 to Burlington City Arts. Other notable grants included $15,000 to Mad River Valley Interfaith Council; $12,500 to New Learning Journey; and $10,000 each to Shelburne Farms, Cancer Research Institute, Mad River Valley Community Fund, and several other organizations.

How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, Vermont recipients received 76% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in Connecticut (7%), Massachusetts (6%), New York (4%), and Montana (3%).

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.

Cities

WaitsfieldMontpelierBurlingtonLitchfieldColchesterMiddleburyBrattleboroFairfieldSouth BurlingtonBoulderDeerfieldNew YorkAmherstBarreBurglingtonIndianapolisStoweAlexandriaBostonBozeman

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K20 grants2020 27 grants2021 24 grants2022 36 grants2023 37 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $181K (2022) to $291K (2024). In 2024 it made 37 grants totaling $291K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Burlington City Arts: $110KBurlington City Arts$110KMad River Valley Interfaith Council: $15KMad River Valley InterfaithCouncil$15KNew Learning Journey: $13KNew Learning Journey$13KShelburne Farms: $10KShelburne Farms$10KHigh Fives Foundation: $10KHigh Fives Foundation$10KMusic for the Earth Inc: $10KMusic for the Earth Inc$10KCancer Research Institute: $10KCancer Research Institute$10KUnquowa School Assn: $10KUnquowa School Assn$10KThe Nature Conservancy Vermont: $10KThe Nature Conservancy Vermont$10KMad River Valley Community Fund: $10KMad River Valley CommunityFund$10K

The largest 2024 recipient was Burlington City Arts ($110K). Together the top 10 received $208K.

Grant Size Distribution

144 grants across all recorded years

143<$50K$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 143 grants of 144 (99%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Burlington City Arts Burlington, VTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$110,000
Mad River Valley Interfaith Council Waitsfield, VTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$15,000
New Learning Journey Waitsfield, VTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$12,500
Shelburne Farms Shelburne, VTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$10,000
High Fives Foundation Brattleboro, VTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$10,000
Music for the Earth Inc Litchfield, CTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$10,000
Cancer Research Institute New York, NYTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$10,000
Unquowa School Assn Fairfield, CTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$10,000
The Nature Conservancy Vermont Montpelier, VTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$10,000
Mad River Valley Community Fund Waitsfield, VTTo Promote the Organization's Exempt Purposes.$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $1,329,086 $246,044 $303,669 $290,900
2023 $1,386,711 $160,632 $228,370 $212,000
2022 $1,454,449 $141,995 $199,699 $180,500
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K$400K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,329,086$1,386,711$1,454,449
Revenue$246,044$160,632$141,995
Expenses$303,669$228,370$199,699
Qualifying Distributions$290,900$212,000$180,500
Net Investment Income$233,275$94,262$75,798
Distributable Amount$76,948$78,324$85,315

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Winthrop H Smith Jr as president and director; Heather Smith as secretary and director; Christina S DiSabato as treasurer and director; and Cameron Smith as director.

The Winthrop H Smith Jr is led by Winthrop H. Smith Jr., President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Winthrop H. Smith Jr.

    President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Cameron Smith

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Christina S. Disabato

    Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Heather Smith

    Secretary & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Winthrop H. Smith III (2020–2021) — Director

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.

Contact

Mailing address: Co Masotti 1100 Summer St, Stamford, CT 06905-5534
Phone: (802) 583-6332

Frequently asked questions about The Winthrop H Smith Jr

How much does The Winthrop H Smith Jr give each year?

The Winthrop H Smith Jr gave $291K across 37 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $212K across 36 grants.

What is The Winthrop H Smith Jr's typical grant size?

The Winthrop H Smith Jr's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,862, across 37 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Winthrop H Smith Jr that year got $13K on average.

Where does The Winthrop H Smith Jr give grants?

The Winthrop H Smith Jr gives mostly in Vermont: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (7%) and Massachusetts (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Waitsfield, VT (8 grants), Burlington, VT (4 grants), Litchfield, CT (3 grants) and Montpelier, VT (2 grants).

Who are The Winthrop H Smith Jr's largest grantees?

The Winthrop H Smith Jr's largest 2024 grantees include Burlington City Arts ($110,000), Mad River Valley Interfaith Council ($15,000) and New Learning Journey ($12,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The Winthrop H Smith Jr?

The Winthrop H Smith Jr reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $291K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $77K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Winthrop H Smith Jr fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including the arts, conservation, learning, community assistance, cancer research, music, independent film, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Winthrop H Smith Jr?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The Winthrop H Smith Jr's EIN?

The Winthrop H Smith Jr's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2642648. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Winthrop H Smith Jr 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.

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