William and Janita Smith Foundation
The William and Janita Smith Foundation is a private foundation based in Burlington, Wisconsin. It made 22 grants totaling $425,000 in filing year 2025 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in areas such as trafficking intervention, support for young and vulnerable people, and care for children.
William and Janita Smith Foundation at a glance
In short: William and Janita Smith Foundation gave $425K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), top state Wisconsin. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $425,000
- -10.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- +22.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,318
- -26.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $5,158,735
- -0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (8 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (36% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to William and Janita Smith 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: 224 Peters Pkwy, Burlington, WI 53105
Phone: (262) 215-7887
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William and Janita Smith Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Elijah Rising ($45K). Together the top 10 received $290K.
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 87 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Wisconsin recipients received 36% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in Texas (16%), Colorado (13%), Illinois (9%), and New Mexico (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William and Janita Smith Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 22 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 135% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $150K (2019) to $475K (2024). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $425K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Elijah Rising Houston, TX | General Fund | $45,000 |
| Love With Actions Littleton, CO | General Fund | $40,000 |
| Safe Families for Children WI Elkhorn, WI | General Fund | $35,000 |
| Alongsiders International Inc Albuquerque, NM | General Fund | $30,000 |
| Naomis House Wheaton, IL | General Fund | $30,000 |
| The GLO House Trevor, WI | General Fund | $25,000 |
| Embrace Grace Hurst, TX | General Fund | $25,000 |
| Mount Zion Baptist Charitable Madison, WI | General Fund | $25,000 |
| Agape House Walworth, WI | General Fund | $20,000 |
| Hogar De Vida Burlington, WI | General Fund | $15,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,158,735 | $568,718 | $587,505 | $425,000 | 22 | $427,891 | $434,233 | $317,132 |
| 2024 | $5,178,343 | $1,418,234 | $602,667 | $475,000 | 18 | $482,811 | $1,098,142 | $292,103 |
| 2023 | $4,373,964 | $158,708 | $417,777 | $225,000 | 12 | $235,091 | — | $245,838 |
| 2022 | $4,623,036 | $244,615 | $591,592 | $461,000 | 18 | $464,000 | $105,437 | $256,392 |
| 2021 | $4,970,270 | $2,413,400 | $413,571 | $300,000 | 17 | $302,214 | $693,681 | $253,155 |
| 2020 | $3,375,790 | $1,390,113 | $234,986 | $210,750 | 13 | — | $61,392 | $133,119 |
| 2019 | $2,220,663 | $90,610 | $178,050 | $150,000 | 6 | — | $64,124 | $120,022 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William and Janita Smith Foundation reported a distributable amount of $317K for 2025 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees describe a range of missions: Elijah Rising says its mission is to end sex trafficking through prayer, awareness, intervention, and restoration; Embrace Grace says it inspires and equips churches to support single and pregnant girls; and House of Providence describes itself as a therapeutic home for minors who are wards of Michigan.
Other grantees’ stated missions include supporting orphans and vulnerable children. Alongsiders International says it mobilizes and equips Christian youth in the developing world to walk alongside orphans and vulnerable children in their communities. Project 82 Kenya says it works to care for orphans in Kenya through sustainable solutions that empower families and local leaders.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $425,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $45,000, with a median grant of $15,000. Its largest reported grants included $45,000 to Elijah Rising, $40,000 to Love With Actions, $35,000 to Safe Families for Children WI, and $30,000 each to Alongsiders International and Naomis House. These grants were listed for general fund purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists William Smith as President, Janita Smith as Vice President, Steve Jensen as Treasurer, and Leslie Thorngate as Secretary.
William and Janita Smith Foundation is led by William R. Smith, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William R. Smith
President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janita R. Smith
Vice President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Thorngate
Secretary
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Jensen
Treasurer
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Jordan Smith (2019–2023) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Laura Burkhead (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Patrick M. McMahon (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Stephen Smith (2019–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 William and Janita Smith Foundation
How much does William and Janita Smith Foundation give each year?
William and Janita Smith Foundation gave $425K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $475K across 18 grants.
What is William and Janita Smith Foundation's typical grant size?
William and Janita Smith Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $19,318, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William and Janita Smith Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does William and Janita Smith Foundation give grants?
William and Janita Smith Foundation's top state is Wisconsin, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Texas (16%) and Colorado (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Burlington, WI (2 grants).
Does William and Janita Smith Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of William and Janita Smith Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are William and Janita Smith Foundation's largest grantees?
William and Janita Smith Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Elijah Rising ($45,000), Love With Actions ($40,000) and Safe Families for Children WI ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is William and Janita Smith Foundation?
William and Janita Smith Foundation reported $5.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $428K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $317K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William and Janita Smith Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William and Janita Smith 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 William and Janita Smith Foundation's EIN?
William and Janita Smith Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3730108. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does William and Janita Smith 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 20, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
Live grants for the work William and Janita Smith Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in William and Janita Smith Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William and Janita Smith Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-and-janita-smith-foundation-morg_c56dd0d9484a4a048b996c6ed31005ab
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_463730108_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William and Janita Smith Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-and-janita-smith-foundation-morg_c56dd0d9484a4a048b996c6ed31005ab},
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 William and Janita Smith 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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