Smith Richardson Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation funds research and writing on public policy, so a project that studies or evaluates policy, or brings new ideas into public debate, is the natural fit.
- Its direct service grants programme does not fund direct service organisations located outside North Carolina and Connecticut, or national direct service charities, so those should not apply under it.
- Half of its grants to organisations were about $50,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $5,000 and $220,000, so a modest request is realistic, though its largest grant was about $405,000.
- Submit a concept paper first, showing how the project relates to public policy and advances knowledge beyond existing research; staff will then say whether to request a full proposal, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Since 85% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, mention any earlier funding relationship, and note that its small grants for innovative services in North Carolina and Connecticut are customarily solicited by its governors, so an unsolicited approach for one is unlikely to be the route.
Overview
Smith Richardson Foundation is a US private foundation based in Greensboro, NC.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Smith Richardson Foundation supports research and writing on public policy topics it has identified as priorities. Its international security and foreign policy programme aims to help the U.S. policy community develop effective national security strategies and foreign policies, addressing traditional and emerging security challenges and international order. Its domestic public policy programme backs research and evaluation of existing policies and projects bringing new ideas into public debate. The stated issues include fiscal practices, education, criminal justice, post-secondary education, economic growth and opportunity. The Foundation also funds work to foster the next generation of scholars and analysts through fellowship competitions. Alongside its policy programmes, it makes small grants to organisations in North Carolina and Connecticut providing innovative services for disadvantaged children and families; those grants are customarily solicited by its governors.
Themes
- International security
- Foreign policy
- Fiscal practices
- School improvement
- Post-secondary education
- Criminal justice
- Economic opportunity
Geographic Focus
Priority: Europe; East Asia; Middle East; North Carolina; Connecticut. From its grants, not stated by the foundation: District of Columbia; California; New York; Massachusetts; Virginia; United Kingdom; Canada.
What They Don't Fund
- DIRECT SERVICE GRANTS PROGRAM only: Direct service organizations located outside these two states; National direct service charities
How to apply
Submit a concept paper first; after review, staff contacts the applicant to say whether it will ask for a full proposal.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 85% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 866 grants to organisations were about $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The concept paper should show how the project relates to public policy and advances knowledge beyond existing research.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 12%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 9%
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 85% of grant dollars went to organisations Smith Richardson Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Canada).
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 282 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $49,715 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- American Foreign Policy Council · General operating support$400,0002024 tax year
- Foundation for the Defense of Democracies · General operating support$400,0002024 tax year
- Stanford University · General operating support$374,3172024 tax year
- Institute for the Study of War · General operating support$321,7502024 tax year
- Center for Strategic and International Studies · General operating support$300,0002024 tax year
- University of Notre Dame · General operating support$300,0002024 tax year
- Institute for the Study of War · General operating support$300,0002024 tax year
- Stanford University · General operating support$299,9992024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- E William Stetson III — Trustee, Grants Committee
- Tyler B Richardson — Trustee, Grants & Investment Committee
- Nicolas L Richardson — Trustee, Investment Committee., Grants Committee
- John P Richardson JR — Trustee, Audit Committee
- Michael Blair — Trustee, Audit & Compensation Committee.
- Dr Arvid R Nelson — Trustee, Secretary, Audit Committee. Chair
- Wwinburne King III — Vice Chair Of The Trustees, Investment Committee
- Ross Hemphill — Senior VP, CFO, Investment Committee
- Nicole Bateman — Assistant Secretary
- Dr Marin Strmecki — President, Director Of Programs
- PL Richardson — Chairman Of The Trustees
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $35,127,481 | $26,366,668 | $517,774,018 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $24,151,633 | $22,769,293 | $545,245,316 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $34,477,058 | $22,921,010 | $557,948,572 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Smith Richardson Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (203) 222-6222
- Greensboro, NC
- srf.org
Applying to Smith Richardson Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (203) 222-6222
- Greensboro, NC
- srf.org