The Smith Family Foundation provides large, unrestricted operating support to well‑established national nonprofits, concentrating its resources rather than dispersing many small grants. Recent giving shows a clear interest in broad educational access through digital platforms and in international humanitarian/refugee assistance. Their grants are sizable and targeted to prominent organizations with national or global reach.
Highly concentrated: very few grants but large amounts, favoring major national organizations with general support rather than project‑restricted gifts.
The Smith Family Foundation Inc. makes some of its clearest commitments through large unrestricted gifts to established nonprofits working at national scale. One of the clearest examples is its $1,000,000 grant to Khan Academy for general support of charity, alongside repeated support for the same organization in 2023 and 2024. That pattern points to a funder that returns to a short list of organizations rather than spreading many small awards across a broad field. The foundation’s recent grants also show a steady emphasis on humanitarian and refugee-related work. In 2025 it gave $525,000 to the International Rescue Committee for general support of charity, and it made further large grants to Florence Immigration & Refugee Rights Project and Raices the same year. Those awards sit alongside support for education pathways, family-search and perpetual education work through LDS Philanthropies, and scholarship or pathway funding for higher education institutions. Across the recent record, the foundation favors sizable grants to organizations with established operating capacity. Its portfolio includes both direct service groups and education-focused institutions, with several recipients appearing in more than one year.
Education is a clear thread in the foundation’s giving. It awarded $1,000,000 to Khan Academy in 2025 for general support of charity, and it also supported Brigham Young University-idaho with $250,000 in 2024 for general support and $250,000 in 2025 for support of the Pathway Program. Higher-education and scholarship support appears in other grants as well. Utah State University received $100,000 in 2025 for its general scholarship fund, while BYU Pathway Worldwide received $200,000 in 2025 for support of the Pathway Program. Humanitarian and refugee assistance is another major area. The foundation gave $525,000 to the International Rescue Committee in 2025 for general support of charity, and it also granted $450,000 each to Florence Immigration & Refugee Rights Project and Raices in 2025 for general support of charity. Family-search and perpetual education work shows up through LDS Philanthropies, which received multiple grants across 2023, 2024, and 2025 for its humanitarian fund, family search, and perpetual education fund.
$5.8M
$43.7M
$11.3M
$6M
Most grants fall between $20K and $50K, with a median of $40K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$40K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 1% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Notable grantees: Khan Academy, International Rescue Committee
The typical grant size is large: p25 is $20,000, median is $40,000, and p75 is $50,000. The recent record also includes a cluster of six-figure awards, with several grants at $100,000 or above and a few much larger awards. Recipients appear across multiple years, including Khan Academy, LDS Philanthropies, Brigham Young University-idaho, Equal Justice Initiative, Cure Alzheimer's Fund, Als Therapy Development Institute, and St Jude Childrens Research Hospital, which suggests repeated support rather than one-off giving. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, and its grants are concentrated in operating support, scholarship funding, and program-specific support.
The foundation gives nationally, and every grant in the recipient distribution is in the US. Utah appears most often in the recent record, including Provo, Logan, Salt Lake City, and Rexburg-linked grants. Other recurring recipient locations include Mountain View, California; Boston, Massachusetts; and Montgomery, Alabama. The mix also reaches Florence, Arizona; San Antonio, Texas; Santa Barbara, California; Springfield, Virginia; and New York, New York, showing a broad US footprint rather than a single regional cluster.
Recent grants go to established nonprofits, universities, hospitals, and direct-service organizations. Examples in the record include education platforms, refugee and immigration groups, scholarship programs, and humanitarian relief organizations, with many grants labeled general support of charity or general support.
The foundation’s grant-size profile is fairly high: p25 is $20,000, median grant size is $40,000, and p75 is $50,000. The recent grants list also includes multiple awards of $100,000 or more, including several six-figure gifts.
Yes. Education-related grants include $1,000,000 to Khan Academy for general support of charity, $250,000 to Brigham Young University-idaho for general support in 2024, $250,000 in 2025 for its Pathway Program, and $100,000 to Utah State University for its general scholarship fund.
Three themes stand out: free online education and learning platforms, refugee assistance and humanitarian relief, and support for higher-education pathways and scholarships. The record also includes family-search and perpetual education funding through LDS Philanthropies.
The foundation gives nationally, with all recorded recipient locations in the US. Utah is the top state by grant count, and recent recipient cities include Provo, Logan, Salt Lake City, Rexburg, Mountain View, Boston, and Montgomery.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KAHN ACADEMY | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MN | $525,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| FLORENCE IMMIGRATION & REFUGEE RIGHTS PROJECT | FLORENCE, AZ | $450,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| LDS PHILANTHROPIES | PROVO, UT | $450,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF HUMANITARIAN FUND, FAMILY SEARCH AND PERPETURAL EDUCATION FUND |
| RAICES | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $450,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY-IDAHO | REXBURG, ID | $250,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF PATHWAY PROGRAM |
| BYU PATHWAY WORLDWIDE | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $200,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF PATHWAY PROGRAM |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $120,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| ST JUDE CHILDRENS RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| HOPE FOR THE WARRIORS | SPRINGFIELD, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| CURE ALZHEIMER'S FUND | WELLESLEY HILLS, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH COLLEGE OF NURSING | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY | LOGAN, UT | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| ALS THERAPY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| OPERATION SECOND CHANCE | GERMANTOWN, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF SILICON VALLEY | LOS GATOS, CA | $77,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF REFUGEES WELCOME FUND |
| SANTA MARIA URBAN MINISTRY | SAN JOSE, CA | $65,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK | SAN JOSE, CA | $55,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| DONORSCHOOSEORG | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES | BALTIMORE, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| EPILEPSY FOUNDATION | LANDOVER, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| MERCY SHIPS | GARDEN VALLEY, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| SHOES FOR AFRICA | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| STUDENTS RISING ABOVE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| THE TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION | SAN JOSE, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN | FAIRFIELD, CT | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| WARREN VILLAGE | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION PARKINSON'S | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| OPERATION SMILE | NORFOLK, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL | ARLINGTON, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| PUPPIES BEHIND BARS | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM | MONTEREY, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| CANCER CAREPOINT | SAN JOSE, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| PEACE HOUSE | PARK CITY, UT | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| THEIR STORY IS OUR STORY | OREM, UT | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| NORTHWEST IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT | SEATTLE, WA | $26,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| FRESH LIFELINES FOR YOUTHSOBRATO CENTER FOR NONPROFITS | MILPITAS, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| CONVOY OF HOPE | SPRINGFIELD, MO | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| CLAYTON CHRISTENSEN INSTITUTE | LEXINGTON, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| CY-FAIR HELPING HANDS | HOUSTON, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| MOTHERS WITHOUT BORDERS | AMERICAN FORK, UT | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| WILFORD WOODRUFF PAPERS FOUNDATION | CEDAR HILLS, UT | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE | PHOENIX, AZ | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
| KIDS' MEALS HOUSTON | HOUSTON, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY |
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
$525,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
LDS PHILANTHROPIES
$450,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF HUMANITARIAN FUND, FAMILY SEARCH AND PERPETURAL EDUCATION FUND
RAICES
$450,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY-IDAHO
SUPPORT OF PATHWAY PROGRAM
BYU PATHWAY WORLDWIDE
$200,000SUPPORT OF PATHWAY PROGRAM
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH COLLEGE OF NURSING
$100,000GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
$100,000GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
ALS THERAPY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF SILICON VALLEY
$77,500GENERAL SUPPORT OF REFUGEES WELCOME FUND
SANTA MARIA URBAN MINISTRY
$65,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK
$55,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
DONORSCHOOSEORG
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
MERCY SHIPS
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
SHOES FOR AFRICA
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
THE TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
SAVE THE CHILDREN
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION PARKINSON'S
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
OPERATION SMILE
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
CANCER CAREPOINT
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
THEIR STORY IS OUR STORY
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
CONVOY OF HOPE
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
CLAYTON CHRISTENSEN INSTITUTE
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
MOTHERS WITHOUT BORDERS
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
WILFORD WOODRUFF PAPERS FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY
KIDS' MEALS HOUSTON
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF CHARITY