SMART FAMILY FOUNDATION OF ILLINOIS
Annual Giving
$4.0M-2% YoY
Grants
68
Median Grant
$25K
Organizations Funded
75
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Foundation Overview
Mission
The Smart Family Fund is a small family foundation guided by three brothers united in their commitment to fostering social entrepreneurship. Their mission is to discover, support, and mentor emerging nonprofit organizations and their leaders, providing the necessary backing to help them succeed.
Focus Areas
Funded Initiatives
Annual first-time grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 to early-stage nonprofit ventures with potential for significant impact but lacking efficacy demonstration needed for large-scale funding.
How to Apply
First-time applicants register in grants portal, complete organization and personal profile before accessing application. Organizations can apply once every 12 months. Grants range from $25,000 to $100,000. Must be US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing. Focus on early-stage organizations that can articulate intervention efficacy, quantify potential impact, and communicate differentiation.
Does Not Fund
Previous grant recipients cannot reapply. Only accepts first-time grant applications from organizations that have not previously received funding from the Smart Family Fund.
Based on publicly available information from the foundation's 990 filings and website.
Giving History
$4.0M
Grants
68
Median
$25K
States
16
$4.1M
Grants
59
Median
$25K
States
15
$4.2M
Grants
54
Median
$25K
States
15
Grant Size Distribution
$25K
Typical Grant (Median)
$5K
Smallest
$10K
25th Pctile
$50K
75th Pctile
$1.0M
Largest
Excludes grants ≤ $5K. Half fall between $10K and $50K.
Largest Recent Grants
$1.0M
2024
THE UNIVERISTY OF CHICAGO
IL · CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL
$310K
2024
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
MD · CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL
$300K
2024
LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
NY · HEALTH SERVICES
$255K
2024
KENYON COLLEGE
OH · CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & OTHER EDUCATIONAL
$250K
2024
NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
IL · HEALTH SERVICES
Geographic Focus
Top states by total grant dollars. Based on IRS filing data.
Financial Overview
Grants paid shown as percentage of total assets
Data sourced from IRS 990 and 990-PF filings and publicly available foundation websites. Grant data, financial figures, and organizational details reflect historical filings and may not represent current operations or funding priorities. Verify directly with the foundation before applying. See an issue? Let us know.