The Smith Foundation
Wayne, PA · EIN 23-6238148. Reported 291 grants totalling $3,001,000 to 76 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Smith Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $12,000; the smallest was $2,500 and the largest $22,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethesda Project | Philadelphia, PA | $74,600 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Care Center Foundation | West Chester, PA | $66,100 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Cityteam Chester | Chester, PA | $64,100 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Musicopia Inc | Philadelphia, PA | $64,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The City School | Philadelphia, PA | $63,100 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Wagner Free Institute of Science | Philadelphia, PA | $61,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Chester County Futures | Coatesville, PA | $61,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Good Works Inc | Coatesville, PA | $61,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The Arc of Chester County | West Chester, PA | $60,700 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| New Horizons Senior Center | Narberth, PA | $59,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| West Chester Area Senior Center | West Chester, PA | $59,200 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Net Treatment Services | Philadelphia, PA | $59,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Pennsylvania School for the Deaf | Philadelphia, PA | $58,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Friends Home in Kennett Square | Kennett Square, PA | $58,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Veterans Multi-Service Center | Philadelphia, PA | $58,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Trellis for Tomorrow | Phoenixville, PA | $57,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Salvation Army | Norristown, PA | $57,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The Camphill School | Glenmoore, PA | $56,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Orion Communities of Phoenixville | Phoenixville, PA | $55,200 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Surrey Services for Seniors | Devon, PA | $54,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Baker Industries | Malvern, PA | $54,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Entrepreneur Works | Philadelphia, PA | $54,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Meals on Wheels of Central Bucks County | Doylestown, PA | $54,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mercy Career & Technical High School | Philadelphia, PA | $54,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Support Center for Child Advocates | Philadelphia, PA | $54,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Williamson College of the Trades | Media, PA | $53,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Academy of Natural Sciences | Philadelphia, PA | $52,200 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Tech Impact | Philadelphia, PA | $52,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The Food Trust | Philadelphia, PA | $52,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Achieveability | Philadelphia, PA | $50,600 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Special Olympics Pennsylvania | Norristown, PA | $50,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Community Volunteers in Medicine | West Chester, PA | $49,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia | Boston, MA | $45,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Military Order of World Wars | West Chester, PA | $45,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Handi-Crafters Inc | Thorndale, PA | $44,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Travis Manion Foundation | Doylestown, PA | $43,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| United Services Organizations (uso) | Arlington, VA | $42,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Boy Scouts of America Chester County Council | Exton, PA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Melmark | Berwyn, PA | $40,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Senior Community Services | Folsom, PA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Women's Resource Center | Wayne, PA | $39,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Pennsylvania College of Optometry | Elkins Park, PA | $38,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Home of the Sparrow | Exton, PA | $38,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge | Valley Forge, PA | $35,250 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| The Franklin Institute | Philadelphia, PA | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Villanova University | Villanova, PA | $35,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Family Service of Chester County | West Chester, PA | $34,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Washington Crossing Foundation | Bristol, PA | $33,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Darlington Arts Center | Garnet Valley, PA | $32,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Police Athletic League of Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $32,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| West Chester University Foundationrotc | West Chester, PA | $32,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Chester Charter Scholars Academy Foundation | Chester, PA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Esperanza Immigration Legal Services | Philadelphia, PA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Squashsmarts Inc Co the Lenfest Center | Philadelphia, PA | $29,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA | $28,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Face to Face | Philadelphia, PA | $27,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Franklin Institute Science Museum | Philadelphia, PA | $22,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Starfinder Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | $21,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Philadelphia Futures | Philadelphia, PA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Clinic Healthcare for the Uninsured | Phoenixville, PA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Phoenixville Free Clinic | Phoenixville, PA | $19,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Valley Forge Military Academy | Wayne, PA | $19,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Mighty Writers | Philadelphia, PA | $18,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Final Farewell | Jenkintown, PA | $16,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Boy Scouts of America | Exton, PA | $15,200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Chester County Opportunities Industrialization Center (oic) | Coatesville, PA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Esperanza Immigration | Philadelphia, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Integrate for Good | Norristown, PA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Men's Center for Growth and Change | Philadelphia, PA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Saunders House | Wynnewood, PA | $12,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cradles to Crayons | Philadelphia, PA | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Paoli 1 Boy Scouts of America | Wayne, PA | $11,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Heights Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Phoenixville Area Senior Center | Phoenixville, PA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Access Community Center | Chester, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Play on Philly | Philadelphia, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
69 of 76 (91%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 91%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is unusually consistent. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Musicopia Inc
MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN CHESTER - Achieveability
COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM - Chester County Futures
PASSPORT TO COLLEGE PROGRAM - Bethesda Project
CHARITABLE OPERATIONS SUPPORT - Esperanza Immigration
NATURALIZATION PROGRAM LEGAL SERVICES - Good Works Inc
REPAIR SUBSTANDARD HOUSING
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 179 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 57 | $598,300 | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 57 | $571,700 | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 61 | $565,500 | $10,000 |
| 2024 | 56 | $599,500 | $12,000 |
| 2025 | 60 | $666,000 | $12,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
97% of its giving went to organizations in Pennsylvania. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Pennsylvania.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Smith Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: Po Box 111, Wayne, PA, 19087. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 23-6238148 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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