James R Smith Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it an unprompted application; the only route in is an invitation.
- If you are invited, a modest request fits best: about 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $500 and $24,000, and the median grant was $6,000.
- That band is typical rather than a ceiling, since the largest grant was $210,000.
- Its grants are mainly general unrestricted support for schools, churches, medical and health organisations and community-service charities, and the filing shows most recorded grant dollars in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, although no geographic focus is stated.
- In the latest filing, 19% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in one of the two previous filings, so repeat funding is part of its pattern.
Overview
James R Smith Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Roanoke, VA.
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
Across its records, the foundation gives mainly general unrestricted support to a varied range of charitable organisations. Recipients include schools and colleges, churches, medical and health organisations, and community-service charities. Its grants also reach organisations involved in historic preservation, food assistance, housing, animal protection and ecological work. The grant purposes include educational, religious, medical and social-service support as well as general support. Recipients are spread across multiple states, with North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia accounting for most of the recorded grant dollars.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 19% 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 56 grants to organisations were $6,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
5 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 32% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 19% of grant dollars went to organisations James R Smith Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 38% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 24 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $9,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Clear Water Foundation · General Unrestricted Support$210,0002024 tax year
- Presbyterian Church USA · General Unrestricted Support$25,0002024 tax year
- United Way of Asheville Buncombe County · General Unrestricted Support$25,0002024 tax year
- Baptists on Mission · General Unrestricted Support$25,0002024 tax year
- VTC School of Medicine · General unrestricted support$20,0002024 tax year
- Ashley Hall · General Unrestricted Support$15,5002024 tax year
- CFWNC · General Unrestricted Support$15,0002024 tax year
- First Scots Presbyterian Church · General Unrestricted Support$12,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Ross P Smith — Trustee
- Hunter D Smith — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $230,212 | $113,850 | $12,098,374 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $239,861 | $123,900 | $12,312,652 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $547,134 | $422,200 | $12,637,461 | 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 James R Smith Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Roanoke, VA
Applying to James R Smith Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Roanoke, VA