The A O Smith Foundation shows extremely concentrated giving: all reported dollars in this period (two grants totaling $3.54M) were made to a recipient listed as “Details Available Upon Request,” so the foundation’s substantive thematic priorities are not disclosed in the public grant record. The pattern suggests the foundation prefers to make large, non-public or discretionary awards rather than many small, public grants. Because recipient details are withheld, it is not possible to identify specific issue areas from the available data.
Highly concentrated and opaque giving: two large grants to the same undisclosed recipient, indicating preference for few sizable, non-public awards rather than broad, transparent grantmaking to multiple organizations.
A O Smith Foundation Inc’s public grant record is dominated by two very large awards in Milwaukee, each made to a recipient listed as “Details Available Upon Request.” That combination of scale and confidentiality makes the foundation’s visible footprint unusually narrow: the record shows substantial local giving, but not the program details behind those awards. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) supported by company profit donations, and its active programs point to community grantmaking tied to places where A. O. Smith operates. Those program descriptions identify education, arts and culture, and health and human services as recurring areas, along with community development in some program materials. The available recent-grants table does not name the beneficiary organizations, but it does show that the foundation is making multi-million-dollar awards in its local market rather than spreading money across many public grantees. In the same file, community partnership and community support programs indicate support for nonprofit organizations serving communities where employees live and work. The employee-facing scholarship and matching gift programs also suggest a broader company-linked philanthropy structure alongside community grants.
Education appears in several active programs, including community grantmaking, community partnership grants, and scholarship support. One program description says the foundation backs nonprofit organizations in education in communities where A. O. Smith operates, while another provides renewable scholarships for employees’ children pursuing college or vocational-technical study. Arts and culture is another named area. The community partnership and community support materials both list arts and culture alongside other local priorities, showing that the foundation’s nonprofit giving is not limited to one service category. Health and human services also show up repeatedly. The foundation’s public program language includes health and human services in community grantmaking, and one community support description adds health organizations and projects serving communities where employees live and work.
The two reported grants are nearly identical in size: $1,749,565 and $1,786,615, with a median grant size of $1,768,090 and a narrow p25–p75 band of $1,758,828 to $1,777,352. That points to a tightly controlled, high-dollar pattern rather than varied grant sizing. The public record shows only two grants in the latest 990 year on file, and both went to the same unnamed recipient type listed as “Details Available Upon Request.” The foundation is a 501(c)(3) supported by company profit donations, and its program descriptions include both discretionary community grants and employee-related giving such as scholarships and matching gifts. Community partnership grants accept applications throughout the year and are reviewed in the order received.
$1.7M
$8.6M
$2.5M
$1.8M
Most grants fall between $1.8M and $1.8M, with a median of $1.8M.
25th Percentile
$1.8M
Median
$1.8M
75th Percentile
$1.8M
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Notable grantees: Details Available Upon Request
Giving is fully concentrated in Wisconsin: 100% of reported grants in the file went to recipients in the HQ state, and Wisconsin is also the top state by grant count. The recent grants list places both awards in Milwaukee, indicating a local footprint rather than multi-state distribution. The active program language matches that pattern by referring to communities where A. O. Smith operates or where employees live and work. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 2 grants, or 100%, in the United States.
Its program descriptions name nonprofit organizations in education, arts and culture, and health and human services. One community support program also includes health organizations and community development in the communities where A. O. Smith operates or where employees live and work.
Yes. The Community Partnership Grants program says it accepts applications throughout the year and reviews requests in the order received. The same material says applicants must be IRS 501(c)(3) organizations.
The latest 990 year shows two grants of $1,749,565 and $1,786,615. The typical grant-size distribution is tightly clustered around that level, with p25 at $1,758,828, median at $1,768,090, and p75 at $1,777,352.
All reported grants in the file went to recipients in Wisconsin, and the recent grants table places both awards in Milwaukee. The program descriptions also focus on communities where A. O. Smith operates or where employees live and work.
The foundation does not fund individuals in its public grantmaking record, but it does operate scholarship and matching gift programs tied to employees and their families. Those programs support children of employees and alumni school contributions rather than general individual grants.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Details Available Upon Request | Milwaukee, WI | $1,749,565 | 2024 | Various |
| Details Available Upon Request | Milwaukee, WI | $1,786,615 | 2023 | Various |
Details Available Upon Request
$1,749,565Various
Details Available Upon Request
$1,786,615Various
Current and upcoming funding from O Smith Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Limited to qualified colleges, universities, and high schools receiving employee alumni school contributions.
Deadline: Throughout the year, subject to annual per-employee cap.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
