Dennis & Smith Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation accepts requests only by invitation and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send a cold proposal.
- It is better to build a relationship first and wait to be preselected.
- Its recorded grants cover a varied mix of education, arts, environmental, veterans and visual-impairment, technology and food-bank work, with no single stated priority, so fit depends on whether the organisation resembles those recipients.
- Typical grants fall between $57,000 and $250,000, with a median of $125,000, though the largest was $500,000, so that band is typical rather than a limit.
- Giving has risen across the filings to $2,075,000, and repeat support was 16% of grant dollars in the latest filing, so most of the money has gone to organisations not funded the previous year.
Overview
Dennis & Smith Foundation is a US private foundation based in Miami, FL.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Its recorded grants went to educational organisations, including a university and a preparatory school; arts and music organisations; environmental and wildlife organisations; organisations serving people with visual impairments and veterans; entrepreneurship and technology initiatives; a food bank; and a community foundation. The stated purposes are mostly general donations, with additional support for business technology, technology acceleration in Montana and a preschool playground project. Grants were recorded for organisations in Florida, Hawaii, Montana and New York. The records show a varied group of organisational recipients rather than a stated, single funding priority.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Florida, Hawaii, Montana and New York.
How to apply
Contributions are limited to preselected charitable organisations; unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 16% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 18 grants to organisations were $125,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 19% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 16% of grant dollars went to organisations Dennis & Smith Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 19% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 13 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $125k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of Miami · Business technology$500,0002024 tax year
- Gulliver Preparatory School · General donation$200,0002024 tax year
- Area Stage · General donation$125,0002024 tax year
- Miami Music Project · General donation$125,0002024 tax year
- Miami Lighthouse for the Blind · General donation$125,0002024 tax year
- Loggerhead Marine Life Center · General donation$125,0002024 tax year
- Entrelliance Foundation · For montana technology acceleration$125,0002024 tax year
- Coral Restoration Foundation · General donation$125,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Nancy Smith — Trustee
- Omar Dennis — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $82,460 | $0 | $49,552,259 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $734,170 | $567,343 | $57,421,187 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,327,134 | $2,075,000 | $66,715,702 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Dennis & Smith Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Miami, FL
Applying to Dennis & Smith Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Miami, FL