W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc is a New York, New York private foundation that supports independent photographers and visual storytellers through grants for photojournalism and documentary photography.
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc at a glance
In short: W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc gave $82K across 13 grants in 2026 (avg $6K), top state California. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $81,500
- +44.2% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 13
- +62.5% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $6,269
- -11.2% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $4,500
- Total assets
- $131,308
- +2.4% vs 2025
- Primary geography
- California (10% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026.
How to apply to W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing says to write for an application form. The website provides application requirements for the main grant.
- Review Cycle
- The filing states annually by May 31; the 2026 date has passed.
- Deadline
- The filing states annually by May 31; the 2026 date has passed.
- Contact
Application contact: W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc
Mailing address: PO Box 110, New York, NY 10014
Phone: (212) 253-0399
Website: https://www.smithfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Maen Hammad ($24K). Together the top 10 received $76K.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 50 grants of 50 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund is based in New York, New York. For 2026 grant dollars, the filing data lists 10% going to California and 90% under an unidentified state label. The recipient information provided includes recipients with locations outside New York, but does not establish a broader geographic focus.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
How W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (+9%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $41K (2024) to $82K (2026). In 2026 it made 13 grants totaling $82K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Maen Hammad | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $24,000 |
| Deanne Fitzamurice San Anselmo, CA | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $8,000 |
| Rena Effendi | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $8,000 |
| Stefanos Paikos | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $8,000 |
| Irina Werning | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $6,000 |
| Lea Sophie Greub | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $4,500 |
| Gerd Waliszewski | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $4,500 |
| Mumin Gul | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $4,500 |
| Shuhadeep Mukherjee | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $4,500 |
| Uvas Y Hojas | To Encourage Photo Journalism | $4,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $131,308 | $105,468 | $103,881 | $81,500 | 13 | $81,500 | $950 | $6,899 |
| 2025 | $128,221 | $126,634 | $83,965 | $56,500 | 8 | $56,500 | $1,517 | $6,344 |
| 2024 | $85,552 | $102,937 | $48,006 | $41,400 | 7 | $48,006 | $797 | $2,306 |
| 2023 | $33,121 | $59,098 | $92,602 | $75,000 | 14 | $92,602 | $3 | $3,633 |
| 2022 | $64,125 | $60,096 | $76,903 | $54,000 | 8 | $76,903 | $1 | $4,345 |
| 2021 | $80,392 | $97,986 | $77,629 | $64,000 | 8 | — | — | $3,948 |
| 2020 | $60,575 | $45,982 | $102,545 | $75,000 | 8 | — | — | $4,548 |
| 2019 | $117,138 | $81,933 | $71,139 | $49,000 | 8 | — | $51 | $6,306 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $7K 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
The fund’s website says its principal grant is designed to encourage and support visual storytellers. It gives special consideration to work promoting social change, using new technologies or image distribution, and integrating photography and social change with contemporary practice. Projects may address human-condition issues such as humanitarian concerns, armed conflict, and social, environmental, scientific, medical, or political topics.
The website also describes a grant for student photographers and the Howard Chapnick Grant, which supports programs that contribute to documentary photography through education. Its stated restriction on awards is work in humanistic photography.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the fund reported 13 grants totaling $81,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $24,000, with a median of $4,500. Listed recipients include Maen Hammad ($24,000), Deanne Fitzmaurice ($8,000), Rena Effendi ($8,000), and Stefanos Paikos ($8,000); the stated purpose for these grants was to encourage photojournalism.
The fund’s website says applications for the 2026 grant cycle are open. Its filing instructions say to write to the fund for an application form and state that the deadline is annually by May 31. That stated 2026 deadline has passed as of September 29, 2026. The website lists application materials for the main grant, including a biography, project description, project proposal, and up to 40 images; it also lists a $50 application fee and notes that fee waivers are available through partnerships. Applicants must be at least 18. The filing states that awards are restricted to work in humanistic photography.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Marcia Allert as president, Scott Thode as treasurer, and Angela Jimu as secretary. Trustees are Dr. Roger Hartl, Lou Desiderio, Hayley Lohn, Sabiha Cimen, and Nii Obodai; David B. Wolf is listed as counsel. The fund’s website also lists Aileen Smith, Kevin E. Smith, and K. Patrick Smith as ex-officio.
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc is led by Marcia Allert, President since 2026 (on filings since 2022); none of the 9 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Marcia Allert
President
Vice President → President, 2026
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lou Desiderio
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hayley Lohn
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roger Hartl
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nii Obodai
Trustee
New on the 2026 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sabiha Cimen
Trustee
New on the 2026 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David B. Wolf
Counsel
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Thode
Treasurer
Secretary → President, 2022
President → Treasurer, 2026
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angela Jimu
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (27)
- Former: Lauren Wendle (2019–2025) — Trustee
- Former: Elizabeth Kriss (2022–2025) — Trustee
- Former: John Fleetwood (2022–2025) — Trustee
- Former: Joan Katz (2024–2025) — Treasurer
- Former: Aidan Sullivan (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Daniella Zalcman (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Michelle Dunn Marsh (2022–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Phil Block (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Aaron Schindler (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Brian Storm (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: David Friend (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Harriet Logan (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Leandro Villaro (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Marcel Saba (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Nathalie Applewhite (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Phillip S Block (2019–2021) — President
- Former: Rich Clarkson (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Robert Pledge (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Santiago Lyon (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Stephen Frailey (2019–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Stuart Alexander (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: W M Hunt (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Wm Hunt (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Daile Kaplan (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Dora Somosi (2019) — Secretary
- Former: Helen Marcus (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Whitney Johnson (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2026. "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 W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc
How much does W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc give each year?
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc gave $82K across 13 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $57K across 8 grants.
What is W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc's typical grant size?
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc's median grant in 2026 was $4,500, and its average grant was $6,269, across 13 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc give grants?
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc's top state is California, with 10% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Does W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Encourage Photo Journalism" (13 grants).
Who are W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc's largest grantees?
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc's largest 2026 grantees include Maen Hammad ($24,000), Deanne Fitzamurice ($8,000) and Rena Effendi ($8,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc?
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc reported $131K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $82K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc fund?
The fund’s website says its principal grant is designed to encourage and support visual storytellers. It gives special consideration to work promoting social change, using new technologies or image distribution, and integrating photography and social change with contemporary practice. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc?
The filing says to write for an application form. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc's EIN?
W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3060631. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 9, 2019)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS May 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Figures come from W Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Inc'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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