The John C Smith Family Foundation focuses on local Tulsa-area community well‑being with sizable investments in health and education, while also supporting broader cancer research/support through a major medical center. Their grants favor institutions providing direct community services (food security, early childhood support) and established nonprofit intermediaries like the Tulsa Community Foundation. They appear to combine place-based philanthropy with one or two larger, mission‑aligned national or regional recipients.
A $50,000 grant to MD Anderson Cancer Center for cancer support community assistance stands out alongside repeated local support for Tulsa institutions, showing how the John C Smith Family Foundation combines major health-related giving with place-based community funding. The foundation’s recent grants also include $50,000 for Cascia Hall’s general fund, indicating that education remains an important part of its portfolio. Across the recent grants list, the pattern is not narrowly limited to one field: it reaches into food security, youth services, education, health programs, and environmental efforts, with Tulsa-area organizations appearing often. The foundation’s giving includes both sizable institutional gifts and smaller operating or program grants. Tulsa Community Foundation received a $25,000 general fund grant, while Food Bank of Eastern Ok and Vizavance each received support in 2025 for community aid and resources. Other local recipients include Tulsa Day Center, University of Tulsa, Habitat for Humanity, Tulsa Girls Art School, and Up With Trees. The mix suggests a funder that supports direct services, nonprofit intermediaries, and community institutions, with recurring attention to organizations rooted in Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma.
Cancer-related support is one visible strand of the John C Smith Family Foundation’s recent giving. In 2025, it awarded $50,000 to MD Anderson Cancer Center for cancer support community assistance, linking its philanthropy to patient and family support connected with cancer care. Education is another clear theme. Cascia Hall received $50,000 for its general fund in 2024, and the University of Tulsa received $5,000 for education programs in 2025 after a prior $5,000 general fund grant in 2024. Youth-serving organizations also appear in the record: Tulsa Girls Art School received $4,300 for education programs, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma received general fund support in 2024. The foundation also backed community aid and local well-being through $14,200 to Food Bank of Eastern Ok and $10,600 to Vizavance, both in 2025. Environmental work shows up through a $5,300 grant to Up With Trees for promote environmental efforts.
Typical grants are modest, centered around a median of $2,500, with a lower quartile of $888 and an upper quartile of $5,000. The recent record shows a handful of larger outliers, including $50,000 gifts and a $25,000 grant, but most awards cluster at community-organization scale. The grant list also shows repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, including Philbrook Museum, Tulsa Day Center, Tulsa Tough, University of Tulsa, Habitat for Humanity, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma. That pattern points to continuing relationships rather than one-time-only gifts. The foundation is a private family foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$224K
$2.4M
$688K
$114K
Most grants fall between $888 and $5K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$888
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$5K
About 100% of grants go to recipients in OK.
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Small portfolio of relatively large, one‑time grants (five grants totaling ~$150k) concentrated in the Tulsa region, mixing repeat local nonprofit support and at least one larger regional/national health gift; emphasis on general operating and program support rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cascia Hall (Tulsa Catholic school), Tulsa Community Foundation, Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, Vizavance
The foundation gives locally: 100% of recorded grants go to recipients in Oklahoma. Tulsa is the main center of activity, with many awards landing at organizations there, including Tulsa Community Foundation, Tulsa Day Center, Philbrook Museum, University of Tulsa, Habitat for Humanity, Tulsa Girls Art School, and Up With Trees. A few grants went elsewhere in the state, such as Vizavance in Oklahoma City, Stand 1st Foundation in Claremore, and Tulsa Boys Home in Sand Springs. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Its recent grants support cancer patient assistance, education, youth programs, community aid and resources, environmental efforts, and health programs. Examples include MD Anderson Cancer Center for cancer support community assistance, Cascia Hall for its general fund, Food Bank of Eastern Ok for community aid and resources, and Up With Trees for promote environmental efforts.
The typical grant size is $2,500 at the median, with a lower quartile of $888 and an upper quartile of $5,000. The recent record also includes larger gifts such as $50,000 and $25,000, but most awards are much smaller than those outliers.
Its giving is entirely in the United States, and 100% of grants in the data go to recipients in Oklahoma. Tulsa is the primary city, with additional Oklahoma recipients in Oklahoma City, Claremore, and Sand Springs.
Yes. The grant list shows repeated support for several organizations across different years, including Philbrook Museum, Tulsa Day Center, Tulsa Tough, University of Tulsa, Habitat for Humanity, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma.
No. The foundation’s profile indicates that it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE |
| FOOD BANK OF EASTERN OK | TULSA, OK | $14,200 | 2025 | COMMUNITY AID & RESOURCES |
| VIZAVANCE | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $10,600 | 2025 | COMMUNITY AID & RESOURCES |
| TULSA DAY CENTER | TULSA, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | YOUTH PROGRAMS |
| UP WITH TREES | TULSA, OK | $5,300 | 2025 | PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF TULSA | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| TULSA TOUGH | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | HEALTH PROGRAMS |
| TULSA GIRLS ART SCHOOL | TULSA, OK | $4,300 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
| CASCIA HALL | TULSA, OK | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PHILBROOK MUSEUM | TULSA, OK | $7,500 | 2024 | GENRAL FUND |
| TULSA DAY CENTER | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF TULSA | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PHILBROOK MUSEUM | TULSA, OK | $3,062 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF OKLAHOMA | TULSA, OK | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| SAN MIGUEL SCHOOL OF TULSA | TULSA, OK | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PHILBROOK MUSEUM | TULSA, OK | $776 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF OKLAHOMA | TULSA, OK | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PHILBROOK MUSEUM | TULSA, OK | $450 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| HOLY GHOST PALACE | TULSA, OK | $400 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | TULSA, OK | $250 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| TULSA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TULSA, OK | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| PHILBROOK MUSEUM | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| TULSA TOUGH | TULSA, OK | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| STAND 1ST FOUNDATION | CLAREMORE, OK | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| TULSA BOYS HOME | SAND SPRINGS, OK | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
| INDIAN NATIONS BOY SCOUTS | TULSA, OK | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL FUND |
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$50,000CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE
FOOD BANK OF EASTERN OK
$14,200COMMUNITY AID & RESOURCES
VIZAVANCE
$10,600COMMUNITY AID & RESOURCES
TULSA DAY CENTER
$10,000YOUTH PROGRAMS
UP WITH TREES
$5,300PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS
UNIVERSITY OF TULSA
$5,000EDUCATION PROGRAMS
TULSA TOUGH
HEALTH PROGRAMS
TULSA GIRLS ART SCHOOL
$4,300EDUCATION PROGRAMS
CASCIA HALL
$50,000GENERAL FUND
PHILBROOK MUSEUM
$7,500GENRAL FUND
TULSA DAY CENTER
$5,000GENERAL FUND
UNIVERSITY OF TULSA
$5,000GENERAL FUND
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$5,000GENERAL FUND
PHILBROOK MUSEUM
$3,062GENERAL FUND
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF OKLAHOMA
$2,500GENERAL FUND
SAN MIGUEL SCHOOL OF TULSA
$1,000GENERAL FUND
PHILBROOK MUSEUM
$776GENERAL FUND
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF OKLAHOMA
$500GENERAL FUND
PHILBROOK MUSEUM
$450GENERAL FUND
HOLY GHOST PALACE
$400GENERAL FUND
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$250GENERAL FUND
TULSA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL FUND
PHILBROOK MUSEUM
$5,000GENERAL FUND
TULSA TOUGH
$5,000GENERAL FUND
STAND 1ST FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL FUND
TULSA BOYS HOME
$1,000GENERAL FUND
INDIAN NATIONS BOY SCOUTS
$1,000GENERAL FUND