The Smilow Foundation concentrates its giving on a handful of large, regionally focused investments that combine urban environmental restoration, local health care, and higher-education philanthropy. Major multi‑million dollar grants to Cobbs Creek restoration and sizeable gifts to Connecticut hospitals and prominent universities indicate a preference for place‑based community infrastructure and elite educational institutions, with occasional support for regional arts and public media. They favor deep, transformative investments rather than many small grants.
Highly concentrated giving: a small number of very large grants account for most dollars. Mix of repeat/dual listings for the same project (multiple large payments to Cobbs Creek) and one‑off sizable commitments to hospitals and universities; limited number of modest arts/media gifts.
Smilow Foundation’s largest recent commitments are two $3,000,000 grants tied to the Cobbs Creek Restoration and Community Foundation, showing a strong preference for place-based projects that reshape a specific landscape. The foundation pairs that kind of large civic investment with major support for higher education and health care, including $2,020,000 to Yale University and $2,000,000 to Norwalk Hospital Foundation Inc. That mix suggests a grantmaker that backs both physical community infrastructure and institutions serving education and public health. Among other recent awards, Smilow Foundation also supported Bridgeport Hospital Foundation Inc., Westport Country Playhouse, Weta, and the University of Pennsylvania. The recent record includes recurring support for several organizations across multiple years, with some recipients appearing more than once and in different grant categories. The overall pattern is not broad, small-scale dispersal; it is selective funding with a few materially sized gifts and continued relationships with a limited set of recipients. The foundation’s grantmaking reaches into environmental restoration, hospitals, universities, arts, and public media, but the clearest thread is concentrated, program-oriented support for institutions and projects with visible local impact.
Environmental restoration is a defining theme in the recent record. Smilow Foundation gave $3,000,000 in 2023 to The Cobbs Creek Restoration and Community Foundation for general support, then followed with another $3,000,000 in 2025 to The Cobbs Creek Restoration & Community for program support. Health care is another clear priority. In 2025, the foundation awarded $2,000,000 to Norwalk Hospital Foundation Inc for program support and $100,000 to Bridgeport Hospital Foundation Inc for program support. Higher education also appears regularly. Smilow Foundation provided $2,020,000 to Yale University in 2025 for program support, along with $35,000 to the University of Pennsylvania and smaller gifts to Brown University and Fairfield University. Cultural and public-interest institutions also receive support, including Westport Country Playhouse and Weta.
Typical grant size is modest relative to the largest awards: p25 is $750, median is $5,000, and p75 is $9,000. That distribution sits alongside a small number of very large program grants, which makes the foundation’s portfolio highly uneven. The recent list shows repeated support to the same organizations across years, including The Cobbs Creek Restoration and Community Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Weta, Temple Israel, and The East Lake Foundation. The foundation is a private grantmaker that does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Most awards are framed as program support or general support.
$7.4M
$0
$5.5M
$8.8M
Most grants fall between $750 and $9K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$750
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$9K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CT.
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Notable grantees: The Cobbs Creek Restoration & Community (Cobbs Creek Restoration and Community Foundation), Yale University, Norwalk Hospital Foundation Inc, Bridgeport Hospital Foundation Inc, Westport Country Playhouse
Smilow Foundation gives nationally, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. California is the top state by grant count, though the recent list also shows a strong cluster in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Recipient cities include Westport, New Haven, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Philadelphia, Conshohocken, and Atlanta. The recent record also reaches Arlington, Providence, and Los Angeles, reflecting a geographically varied pattern rather than one tied to the foundation’s headquarters state.
The recent grants point to four main areas: urban watershed and community restoration, hospital support, universities and medical schools, and selected arts or public media organizations. Large gifts to Cobbs Creek, Yale, and Norwalk Hospital sit alongside awards to Westport Country Playhouse and Weta.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including The Cobbs Creek Restoration and Community Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Weta, Temple Israel, Frederick Gunn School, and The East Lake Foundation. The pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards only.
The grant-size distribution is centered on smaller awards: p25 is $750, the median is $5,000, and p75 is $9,000. Those figures sit next to a few very large commitments, including two $3,000,000 grants in the recent record.
By grant count, California is the top state in the recent data. At the same time, recent grants also land in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia, Virginia, Rhode Island, Illinois, Texas, Wyoming, and Minnesota.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE COBBS CREEK RESTORATION & COMMUNITY | CONSHOHOCKEN, PA | $3,000,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $2,020,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NORWALK HOSPITAL FOUNDATION INC | NORWALK, NY | $2,000,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BRIDGEPORT HOSPITAL FOUNDATION INC | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE | WESTPORT, CT | $76,800 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WETA | ARLINGTON, VA | $60,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $35,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FREDERICK GUNN SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, CT | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASPEN INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $12,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE EAST LAKE FOUNDATION | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EARTHPLACE | WESTPORT, CT | $7,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TEMPLE ISRAEL | WESTPORT, CT | $7,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JACKSON HOLE ONE FLY FOUNDATION | JACKSON, WY | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA | HARTFORD, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HOMES WITH HOPE | WESTPORT, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AMERICA'S VETDOGS | SMITHTOWN, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WESTPORT LIBRARY ASSOC | WESTPORT, CT | $800 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FREDERICK GUNN SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, CT | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY | FAIRFIELD, CT | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| WETA | ARLINGTON, VA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| MAD FOUNDATION INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $8,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| TEMPLE ISRAEL | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $7,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HOMES WITH HOPE | HOUSTON, TX | $6,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| THE GRAMMY MUSEUM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $6,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| ASPETUCK LAND TRUST | WESTPORT, CT | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| AMERICA'S VETDOGS | SMITHTOWN, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| THE EAST LAKE FOUNDATION | ATLANTA, GA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| JACKSON HOLE ONE FLY | JACKSON, WY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC | SYOSSET, NY | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| YELLOW TULIP PROJECT | ST PORTLAND, ME | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| SOUTHPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT | SOUTHPORT, NC | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| THE COBBS CREEK RESTORATION AND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CONSHOHOCKEN, PA | $3,000,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $15,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| LAKE FOREST COLLEGE | LAKE FOREST, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| TEMPLE ISRAEL | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $6,360 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| FREDERICK GUN SCHOOL | WASHINGTON, CT | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| NYU LANGONE HEALTH | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| ST MICHAEL'S HOME | PORTLAND, ME | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| NEW HEIGHTS YOUTH INC | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| DESERT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PALM DESERT, CA | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| UKRAINE AID INTERNATIONAL | WESTPORY, CT | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCEITY | KENNESAW, GA | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| THE SHELTER | HONOLULU, HI | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL |
| DOC WAYNE YOUTH SERVICES INC | BOSTON, MA | $150 | 2023 | GENERAL |
THE COBBS CREEK RESTORATION & COMMUNITY
$3,000,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
WESTPORT COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE
$76,800PROGRAM SUPPORT
PROGRAM SUPPORT
FREDERICK GUNN SCHOOL
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE EAST LAKE FOUNDATION
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
TEMPLE ISRAEL
$7,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
JACKSON HOLE ONE FLY FOUNDATION
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
AMERICA'S VETDOGS
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
WESTPORT LIBRARY ASSOC
$800PROGRAM SUPPORT
FREDERICK GUNN SCHOOL
$20,000GENERAL
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$15,000GENERAL
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$10,000GENERAL
MAD FOUNDATION INC
$8,000GENERAL
TEMPLE ISRAEL
$7,000GENERAL
HOMES WITH HOPE
$6,000GENERAL
THE GRAMMY MUSEUM
$6,000GENERAL
ASPETUCK LAND TRUST
$5,000GENERAL
JACKSON HOLE ONE FLY
$5,000GENERAL
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
$2,500GENERAL
SOUTHPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT
$1,000GENERAL
LAKE FOREST COLLEGE
$10,000GENERAL
TEMPLE ISRAEL
$6,360GENERAL
FREDERICK GUN SCHOOL
$5,000GENERAL
NYU LANGONE HEALTH
$1,000GENERAL
ST MICHAEL'S HOME
$500GENERAL
NEW HEIGHTS YOUTH INC
$500GENERAL
UKRAINE AID INTERNATIONAL
$500GENERAL
AMERICAN CANCER SOCEITY
$500GENERAL
THE SHELTER
$500GENERAL