Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation
The Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Portland, Oregon. Its 2026 filing reports 14 grants totaling $104,500, all to organizations in Oregon.
Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation gave $105K across 14 grants in 2026 (avg $7K), mostly in Oregon. 7% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $104,500
- +11.2% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 14
- +0.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $7,464
- +11.2% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,744,348
- +13.5% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Oregon (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2165 Sw Main Street Suite 101, Portland, OR 97205
Phone: (503) 222-3673
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Ohsu School of Dentistry ($20K). Together the top 10 received $91K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 73 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2026 went to recipients in Oregon.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 93% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (+6%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 100% 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 (2020–2026). 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 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $82K (2020) to $105K (2026). In 2026 it made 14 grants totaling $105K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ohsu School of Dentistry Portland, OR | Program Services | $20,000 |
| Snowcap Community Charities Fairview, OR | Program Services | $14,000 |
| Portland Adventist Community Servic Portland, OR | Program Services | $14,000 |
| Oregon Humane Society Portland, OR | Program Services | $10,000 |
| North County Food Bank Nehalem, OR | Program Services | $8,000 |
| Care Tillamook, OR | Program Services | $7,000 |
| Loaves & Fishes Inc Portland, OR | Program Services | $5,000 |
| Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospita Portland, OR | Program Services | $5,000 |
| Wallace Medical Concern Portland, OR | Program Services | $4,000 |
| Portland Rescue Mission Portland, OR | Program Services | $3,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Vera L Smith Charitable 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $2,744,348 | $274,301 | $165,394 | $104,500 | 14 | $124,686 | $237,069 | $125,140 |
| 2025 | $2,417,629 | $185,617 | $145,697 | $94,000 | 14 | $111,129 | $152,640 | $115,099 |
| 2024 | $2,244,912 | $94,452 | $165,231 | $100,000 | 15 | $124,484 | $55,801 | $107,492 |
| 2023 | $2,145,688 | $176,817 | $151,701 | $99,000 | 15 | $116,933 | $144,583 | $104,223 |
| 2022 | $2,127,733 | $213,768 | $142,818 | $99,000 | 15 | $113,218 | $182,965 | $116,637 |
| 2021 | $2,415,660 | $119,085 | $135,215 | $86,000 | 15 | — | $89,469 | $112,329 |
| 2020 | $2,099,614 | $185,239 | $124,748 | $82,000 | 11 | — | $155,691 | $105,006 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $125K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2026 grants went to organizations whose work includes animal welfare, food and basic-needs support, health care, and services for people affected by violence. For example, the Oregon Humane Society describes its mission as creating a more humane society, while North County Food Bank says it provides food, clothing, and other support to people in North Tillamook County. William Temple House says it provides food, counseling, clothing, and household items to Portland-area neighbors. Tides of Change and Raphael House of Portland describe work supporting people affected by gender-based and domestic or sexual violence, respectively.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation gave $104,500 through 14 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $3,500 to $20,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest awards included $20,000 to OHSU School of Dentistry, $14,000 each to SnowCap Community Charities and Portland Adventist Community Services, and $10,000 to the Oregon Humane Society. Other reported awards included $8,000 to North County Food Bank, $7,000 to CARE, and $5,000 each to Loaves & Fishes and DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital. The filing lists the grants’ purpose as program services.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Lisa A Joerin as president, Melissa S Andal as vice president/treasurer, and Collin C Ard as secretary.
Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation is led by Lisa A. Joerin, President on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2026 are compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Lisa A. Joerin
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$4K (2020) → $4K (2026)
Collin C. Ard
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$4K (2020) → $4K (2026)
Melissa S. Andal
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$4K (2020) → $4K (2026)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $4K, to Lisa a Joerin (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation
How much does Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation give each year?
Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation gave $105K across 14 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $94K across 14 grants.
What is Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,464, across 14 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation give grants?
Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Oregon: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, OR (10 grants) and Tillamook, OR (2 grants).
Does Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Services" (14 grants).
Who are Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Ohsu School of Dentistry ($20,000), Snowcap Community Charities ($14,000) and Portland Adventist Community Servic ($14,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation?
Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $125K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $125K (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 Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2026 grants went to organizations whose work includes animal welfare, food and basic-needs support, health care, and services for people affected by violence. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and 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 Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-1095010. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Does Vera L Smith Charitable 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/vera-l-smith-charitable-foundation-morg_eacfa8a738a84886ba7018a505bcf6b2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_931095010_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Vera L Smith Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/vera-l-smith-charitable-foundation-morg_eacfa8a738a84886ba7018a505bcf6b2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Vera L Smith Charitable 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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