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Theda And Tamblin Clark Smith Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.8M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M

Theda And Tamblin Clark Smith Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,800,000 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $750 - $150,000
  • Median Grant: $7,900
  • Total Assets: $56,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Wisconsin (70%), with secondary focus in Colorado and Washington state
  • Total Grants (2023): 134 awards

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 372, Neenah, WI 54957-0372

EIN: 39-6125329

Executive Director: Joy Radford

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information for grant inquiries.

Overview

Established in 1968 as a Delaware-based private foundation, the Theda And Tamblin Clark Smith Family Foundation Inc operates from Neenah, Wisconsin, with over 55 years of grantmaking history. With approximately $56 million in assets and $2.8 million in annual distributions, the foundation focuses on supporting youth in low-income communities through strategic funding partnerships with local nonprofit organizations. The foundation maintains a concentrated geographic focus, directing 70% of grants to Wisconsin-based organizations, with additional support flowing to organizations in Colorado, Washington state, and occasionally to other U.S. locations and international initiatives. The foundation has a long history of grantmaking in the Fox Cities area, Madison, and New York City regions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through a trustee-directed grantmaking process without formal grant programs or public application cycles. In 2023, the foundation made 134 grants ranging from $750 to $150,000, with a median award of $7,900.

Grant Type Distribution (2023):

  • General/Unrestricted Support: 78 of 134 grants
  • Program-specific and capital grants comprise the remainder

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Youth Development: Programs serving youth in low-income communities, including Boys and Girls Clubs and youth-focused community organizations
  • Community Services: General support for community-based nonprofits addressing social needs
  • Arts & Culture: Support for arts organizations, particularly those with youth programming
  • Domestic Violence Prevention: Services for survivors of domestic abuse
  • Healthcare & Social Services: Community health initiatives and human services programs
  • Food Security: Support for food banks and hunger relief organizations

Geographic Priority: Strong preference for Wisconsin-based organizations, particularly in the Fox Cities region and Madison area, with secondary interests in Colorado and Washington state.

Recent Grant Recipients (2023)

Notable grants included:

  • ThedaCare Family of Foundations: $150,000
  • Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services: $100,000
  • Boys and Girls Club of Dane County: $92,000
  • First Aid Arts: $84,500
  • Room To Grow National Inc.
  • Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (5 members)

  • Marc B Vaccaro - Chair and Director
  • Carlton Smith - President and Director
  • Oliver Pierce Smith - Treasurer and Director
  • David W Radford - Secretary and Director
  • Kristina M Vaccaro - Director

Board members serve approximately 3 hours weekly and receive $11,000-$22,000 in annual compensation.

Staff

  • Joy Radford - Executive Director ($153,229 - $163,840 annually, full-time)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of directors to organizations with which the trustees have existing relationships or awareness.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's concentration of grants in the Fox Cities region of Wisconsin and Madison area, organizations in these geographic areas may become known to the foundation through:

  • Geographic proximity: The foundation shows strong ties to the Neenah/Fox Cities area and has a pattern of supporting local Wisconsin organizations
  • Board connections: The foundation's trustees, particularly the Smith and Radford family members, appear to direct grants to organizations they know personally or professionally
  • Repeat grantees: Many organizations receive funding consistently across multiple years, suggesting the foundation values ongoing relationships
  • Community visibility: Organizations serving youth in low-income communities in the foundation's primary geographic areas who maintain strong community presence may come to the trustees' attention

The foundation's grantmaking appears to be relationship-based rather than competitive, with trustees identifying and selecting recipients based on their knowledge of community needs and organizational effectiveness.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded on a rolling basis at trustee discretion rather than through scheduled review cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. Organizations with existing relationships may receive multi-year or repeated annual support.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking without a public application process, the following factors appear most relevant for organizations hoping to receive support:

Key Alignment Factors:

  • Geographic location: Strong preference for Wisconsin-based organizations, particularly in the Fox Cities region (Appleton, Neenah, Oshkosh area) and Madison. Organizations in Colorado and Washington state also receive consideration.

  • Youth focus: The foundation's stated mission emphasizes supporting "youth in low-income communities," making organizations with clear youth programming and demonstrated service to economically disadvantaged young people strong candidates.

  • Flexibility in grant use: The majority of grants (78 of 134 in 2023) were for general/unrestricted support, suggesting the foundation trusts recipient organizations to allocate funds where most needed rather than requiring specific project restrictions.

  • Established organizations: Grant recipients tend to be well-established community organizations with clear track records, such as Boys and Girls Clubs, food banks, domestic violence service providers, and healthcare foundations.

  • Range of support: The foundation supports organizations across the financial spectrum, from small grants under $1,000 to major gifts of $100,000+, indicating willingness to support both large established organizations and smaller community groups.

Grantmaking Patterns:

  • The foundation maintains ongoing relationships with many recipients, suggesting value placed on sustained partnerships
  • Median grant size of $7,900 indicates most grants are modest, multi-year partnership grants rather than transformational major gifts
  • The wide range ($750-$150,000) shows flexibility in matching grant size to organizational need and project scope
  • Wisconsin organizations receive approximately 70% of all grants, demonstrating clear geographic prioritization

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this foundation awards grants exclusively to preselected organizations identified by trustees
  • Geographic focus is critical - Wisconsin location, particularly Fox Cities or Madison area, significantly increases likelihood of consideration
  • Youth programming alignment is essential - the foundation's core mission centers on supporting youth in low-income communities
  • Relationship-based grantmaking - trustees identify and select recipients based on personal knowledge and community connections
  • Unrestricted support is common - the foundation frequently provides general operating support, demonstrating trust in organizational leadership
  • Median grant is $7,900 - while some larger grants are awarded, most organizations receive modest five-figure grants
  • Multi-year relationships valued - many organizations receive repeated support across multiple years, suggesting benefits to maintaining visibility and strong performance once initially funded

References

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