Richard And Susan Smith Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• EIN: 23-7090011
• Annual Giving: $18.3 million (2024)
• Total Assets: $318 million (2024)
• Success Rate: 10-15% for Small Capital Grants; 2-3 awards annually for Community Capital Grants
• Decision Time: ~3 months (application to decision)
• Grant Range: $25,000 - $3,000,000
• Geographic Focus: Greater Boston (within Route 128) and Eastern Massachusetts Gateway Cities (Brockton, Chelsea, Fall River, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford)

Contact Details

Address: One Newton Executive Park, Suite 104, Newton, MA 02462

Phone: 857-404-0700

Email: info@rssff.org

Website: https://rssff.org

Pre-Application Support: The foundation strongly encourages potential applicants to contact staff before applying, either through their Contact Us form or by scheduling a 15-minute introductory call with Faouzi Talabi (Program Associate) for Small Capital Grants or Amy Hampe (Senior Program Officer, Community Giving) for Community Capital Grants.

Overview

The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation was established in 1970 by Richard A. and Susan F. Smith, lifelong Boston residents. The foundation received the majority of its assets from the sale of family businesses Harcourt General and Neiman Marcus. With current assets of approximately $318 million, the foundation awards approximately $18 million in grants annually. Today, three generations of the Smith family serve as trustees, overseeing the foundation's mission to "effect permanent positive change in the lives of individuals and families across Greater Boston, especially in economically disadvantaged communities."

Since 2004, the foundation has awarded over $276 million across five giving areas: Health, Medical Research, Education, Community Giving, and Jewish Giving. The foundation is known for backing extraordinary leaders, promoting innovative approaches, and expanding access to essential services. In a significant milestone, the foundation celebrated 30 years of biomedical research support in 2022, having invested $58.2 million in 239 early-career scientists since 1992. The foundation emphasizes "engaged, multigenerational family philanthropy as a means to have greater impact and to honor our family's philanthropic legacy."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Small Capital Grants (Open Application)

• Amount: $25,000 - $100,000
• Focus: One-time capital expenses that strengthen nonprofit capabilities and deepen impact or grow client service
• Eligible Expenses: Vehicles, furniture/equipment, technology, facility improvements, and other long-term durable assets
• Ineligible: Undesignated contributions to capital campaigns, program support, website/mobile app development, database implementations, annual software licenses, contingency fees
• Eligibility: Organizations with operating budgets between $250,000 and $5 million
• Application Method: Annual deadline (next: January 28, 2026); online application portal
• Success Rate: 10-15% of applications funded (100-150 applications expected per cycle, with 8-12 projects receiving funding)
• Impact: Over $13.2 million awarded to 285+ organizations since 2004

Community Capital Grants (Invitation Only after Letter of Inquiry)

• Amount: $250,000 - $3,000,000
• Focus: Transformative capital projects for well-established nonprofits
• Eligibility: Organizations with operating budget over $1 million and 5+ years in operation
• Application Method: Letter of inquiry required; if invited, full proposal and site visit conducted
• Success Rate: Highly competitive - typically 2-3 grants awarded annually from among 40+ inquiries
• Selection Criteria: Well-led organizations with significant accomplishments and clear mission alignment with foundation priorities

Health (Invitation Only)

• Focus on reducing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes
• Piloting innovative solutions to address gaps in systems of care
• Example: TEAM UP for Children ($21.5 million committed since 2015, reaching 126,000 children through community health centers to improve behavioral health care access)

Medical Research (Invitation Only)

• Excellence Awards: Up to 5 scientists annually; $400,000 per grantee over 3 years for pre-tenure researchers establishing their first independent lab
• Odyssey Awards: Up to 5 scientists annually; $400,000 per grantee over 2 years for highly innovative pre-tenure researchers pursuing unorthodox inquiries
• Richard A. Smith Excellence Prize: $250,000 awarded every two years to recognize prior Excellence Awardees with outstanding potential
• Impact: $58.2 million awarded to 239 biomedical investigators since 1992

Education (Invitation Only)

• Focus on pathways from high school to career
• Support for Early College programs (over $16 million awarded; ~10,000 students enrolled in 60+ Early College high schools)
• Apprenticeship Degrees combining classroom learning with paid on-the-job training
• Vocational Technical Education expansion
• Emphasis on non-traditional public schools addressing the achievement gap

Jewish Giving (Invitation Only)

• Building a secure and thriving Jewish community in Boston and Israel
• $55.5 million given to Jewish causes since 1970
• Primary support to Combined Jewish Philanthropies and Facing History and Ourselves
• Focus areas: basic needs, communal security, combating antisemitism, strengthening Israel connections among college students

Priority Areas

• Health: Expanding access to better health care for all, particularly for economically disadvantaged populations
• Medical Research: Advancing scientific discovery to improve human health through early-career scientist support
• Education: Building pathways between education and good jobs, with focus on post-secondary qualifications
• Community Giving: Supporting transformative capital projects and vital community needs; increasing access to basic needs; supporting communities in crisis; enriching youth and family lives; making Greater Boston more vibrant
• Jewish Giving: Bettering the lives of Jews in Boston and Israel

Organizations focused on human services, youth development, or economic mobility have historically had higher funding rates for Small Capital Grants.

Of particular interest are organizations providing opportunities for economically disadvantaged populations, especially children and youth.

What They Don't Fund

• Individuals
• Endowments or private foundations
• Religious organizations for sectarian purposes
• Political campaigns
• Organizations outside Greater Boston or designated Gateway Cities
• Emergency funding (with rare exceptions for significant local disasters)
• Organizations with operating budgets outside specified ranges for each program
• Undesignated contributions to larger capital campaigns
• Program support (for capital grants)
• Website or mobile application development
• Database implementations
• Annual software licenses
• Contingency fees

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Active Trustees (17 family members across three generations):

• Amy Smith Berylson
• James Berylson
• Jennifer Berylson Block
• Jonathan Block
• Jessica Knez Dulac
• Nicolas Dulac
• Elizabeth Berylson Katz
• Robert Katz
• Andrew Knez
• Debra Smith Knez
• Krista Knez
• Dana Smith
• Halle Kendall Smith
• Jackson Smith
• Madeleine Smith
• Robert Smith
• Ryan Smith

Deceased Co-Founders:

• Richard A. Smith (CEO and Chairman of Harcourt General)
• Susan F. Smith (co-chaired the Foundation and worked to advance research and improve cancer care for women)
• John G. Berylson

Staff

• Lynne J. Doblin - Executive Director (since 2011)
• Amy Hampe - Senior Program Officer, Community Giving
• Marjorie Ringrose, PhD - Director of Education
• David Rubinstein - Operations Manager
• Shanna Shulman, PhD - Director of Health and Medical Research
• Faouzi Talabi - Program Associate

Foundation Philosophy: "We believe in engaged, multigenerational family philanthropy as a means to have greater impact and to honor our family's philanthropic legacy."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Small Capital Grants (Open Application):

1. First-time applicants must register through the SmartSimple online portal at https://smithfamilyfoundation.smartsimple.com/
2. Take a brief eligibility quiz before beginning application
3. Foundation strongly encourages all potential applicants to sign up for a 15-minute call with Faouzi Talabi before applying
4. Submit application by annual deadline (next: 5:00 PM ET, January 28, 2026)
5. Applications reviewed and site visits conducted for finalists
6. Final decisions announced approximately 3 months after deadline (April 2026 for January deadline)

For Community Capital Grants (Letter of Inquiry Required):

1. Foundation strongly encourages applicants to sign up for a call with Amy Hampe before submitting letter of inquiry
2. Submit brief letter of inquiry (LOI)
3. If foundation expresses interest, full proposal will be invited
4. Site visit conducted for invited proposals
5. Final decision made

For Health, Medical Research, Education, and Jewish Giving: Grants in these areas are by invitation only. The foundation engages in research and relationship-building with nonprofits, community leaders, experts, and peer funders, which enables them to invite proposals from well-aligned organizations.

Decision Timeline

• Small Capital Grants: Approximately 3 months from application deadline to final decision announcement
• Community Capital Grants: Timeline varies based on LOI review and invitation process
• Notification: Applicants notified of decisions; staff provides feedback upon request

Success Rates

• Small Capital Grants: 10-15% of applications funded (historically 100-150 applications annually, with 8-12 projects receiving funding)
• Community Capital Grants: Highly competitive - typically 2-3 grants awarded annually from among 40+ inquiries
• Overall: Foundation made 178 grants totaling $18.3 million in 2024 (166 grants in 2023, 152 grants in 2022)

Reapplication Policy

For Small Capital Grants:

• If funded: Organizations cannot reapply for another Small Capital Grant for two years from the date of the previous application, and can only reapply if the previous project has been successfully completed and a final report received by the Foundation
• If not funded: No waiting period; organizations may reapply in the next cycle

For Other Programs: No formal waiting periods

Application Success Factors

The foundation has provided specific guidance about what makes applications successful:

Mission Alignment is Critical:

• Organizations should carefully review the foundation's giving area strategies before applying
• The foundation recommends applicants "Look through its searchable database of past grants before applying to see how your organization fits"
• Organizations focused on human services, youth development, or economic mobility have historically had higher funding rates for Small Capital Grants

Pre-Application Contact Strongly Encouraged:

• For Small Capital Grants, the foundation "strongly encourages all potential applicants to sign up for a call with Faouzi Talabi before applying"
• For Community Capital Grants, applicants should contact Amy Hampe before submitting a letter of inquiry
• This pre-application consultation helps determine eligibility and fit

What the Foundation Looks for in Community Capital Grants: Organizations must be "well-led, can point to significant accomplishments, and have a mission that is clearly aligned with ours" (direct quote from foundation materials)

Project Design:

• Projects should "deepen impact or grow client service" (Small Capital Grants)
• Propose innovative, well-planned projects
• Demonstrate strong organizational leadership
• Focus on single, high-impact projects rather than multiple smaller requests

Strategic Priorities:

• Increase access to basic needs
• Support communities in crisis
• Enrich youth and family lives
• Make Greater Boston more vibrant
• Address disparities and expand access for economically disadvantaged populations

Geographic Fit:

• Must serve Greater Boston (within Route 128) or the designated Eastern Massachusetts Gateway Cities
• Geographic alignment is non-negotiable

Budget Requirements:

• Small Capital Grants: Operating budgets between $250,000 and $5 million
• Community Capital Grants: Operating budget over $1 million and 5+ years in operation
• Organizations outside these ranges should not apply

Limited Resources Mean High Competition:

• Foundation acknowledges that "limited resources mean many worthy proposals are declined"
• Focus application on exceptional projects with clear transformative potential
• Demonstrate measurable impact and sustainability

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Pre-application contact is essential: The foundation strongly encourages applicants to schedule a 15-minute call before applying - this is not optional if you want to be competitive. Use this opportunity to test your project's fit and gather specific guidance.

2. Geographic and budget eligibility are strict: Organizations must serve Greater Boston or designated Gateway Cities AND fall within the specified operating budget ranges. Don't apply if you don't meet these criteria.

3. Small Capital Grants are your only unsolicited option: Unless invited, only apply for Small Capital Grants. All other programs (Health, Medical Research, Education, Jewish Giving, and large Community Capital Grants) are invitation-only.

4. Competition is intense but transparent: With 10-15% success rates for Small Capital Grants and only 2-3 Community Capital Grants awarded annually, prepare for high competition. The foundation provides clear statistics to help manage expectations.

5. Strategic alignment matters more than need: The foundation looks for organizations that are "well-led with significant accomplishments and clear mission alignment" - demonstrate your track record and how your mission aligns with their strategic priorities.

6. Focus on transformation, not maintenance: Projects should "deepen impact or grow client service" rather than simply maintain operations. Show how your capital request will create meaningful change.

7. Use their grants database strategically: The foundation explicitly recommends reviewing their searchable grants database to understand how your organization fits. Study funded projects to understand their patterns and preferences.

References

• Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation official website: https://rssff.org (accessed January 2026)
• "About Us" page: https://rssff.org/about-us/ (accessed January 2026)
• "For Grant Seekers" page: https://rssff.org/for-grant-seekers/ (accessed January 2026)
• "Community Giving" program page: https://rssff.org/our-giving-areas/community-giving/ (accessed January 2026)
• "Health" program page: https://rssff.org/our-giving-areas/health/ (accessed January 2026)
• "Medical Research" program page: https://rssff.org/our-giving-areas/medical-research/ (accessed January 2026)
• "Education" program page: https://rssff.org/our-giving-areas/education/ (accessed January 2026)
• "Jewish Giving" program page: https://rssff.org/our-giving-areas/jewish-giving/ (accessed January 2026)
• "Trustees and Staff" page: https://rssff.org/about-us/trustees-and-staff/ (accessed January 2026)
• "Celebrating 30 Years of Biomedical Excellence": https://rssff.org/stories-of-impact/celebrating-30-years-of-biomedical-excellence/ (accessed January 2026)
• Cause IQ Profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/richard-and-susan-smith-family-foundation,237090011/ (accessed January 2026)
• Inside Philanthropy Profile: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/massachusetts-grants/richard-and-susan-smith-family-foundation (accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (Form 990 data): https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237090011 (accessed January 2026)
• Instrumentl 990 Report: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/richard-and-susan-smith-family-foundation (accessed January 2026)
• Small Capital Grants program information: https://www.instrumentl.com/grants/smith-family-foundation-small-capital-grants (accessed January 2026)