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Bill and Pam Smith Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

Bill and Pam Smith Foundation Inc

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$365k
Granted FY2019
6
Grants FY2019
3
States reached
$200k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead

Read this first · the figures below need context

100% of Bill and Pam Smith Foundation Inc’s FY2024 grant dollars went to The Community Foundation Of Greater Birmingham, not to grantees.

Its money now reaches organizations through that sponsor, which does not report who recommended each grant. FY2024 names 0 organizations directly, so a portfolio cannot be read from it. Everything below is therefore FY2019, the last year Bill and Pam Smith Foundation Inc named its own grantees at scale: 6 organizations, $365k. It is dated, not current.

Organizations named directly on the return

3
’18
6
’19
6
’20
1
’21
1
’22
1
’23
0
’24

Amber years are those where most dollars went to a sponsor.

01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2018 to 2024.

Philanthropy$2.2MReligion$1.3MEducation$364kHealth$86kCrime & Legal$1k
02FY2019 · 6 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2019

  • Under $10k2 grants · $10k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $30k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $325k
$20,000
Median grant
3
States reached
$13M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
CHURCH OF THE HIGHLANDS$200,000
HOMEWOOD CITY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION$125,000
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA$20,000
HOPE INSTITUTE$10,000
NATIONAL CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION$5,000
DAYMARK PASTORAL COUNSELING$5,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY19–21, $70k) land where the poverty rate runs at 16%, against an area that typically sits at 13%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 13%KULTURECITY: $59k → 16%HOPE INSTITUTE: $10k → 16%HOPE INSTITUTE: $1k → 16%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

21%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$370k · 6 repeat orgs$1.4M to everyone else

6 repeat relationships: 4 still active in FY2019, 2 since wound down; 7 grantees were first funded in FY2019 (too recent to call). Read against FY2019, the last year this funder named its own grantees directly; its giving has since run through a sponsor, which reports no donor behind each grant.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

6
1

Total granted

$370k
$1.0M

Still filing today

67%
0%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EducationHealthHuman ServicesCivil RightsPhilanthropyOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • Samford University
    2× · 2018–2020 · $27k · revenue +61%
  • NC
    NATIONAL CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION INC
    4× · 2019–2023 · $25k · revenue ×103
  • TH
    The Hope Institute
    2× · 2019–2020 · $11k · revenue +82%

Funded once

  • EC
    EPIC CHURCH
    one grant, 2018 · $1.0M
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Center of Theological Inquiry

The Center of Theological Inquiry is an independent research institution with an international visiting scholar program which convenes researchers in an ideal setting for interdisciplinary inquiries where theology casts light on global…

Religion
2
Dallas International University

As a christian university, we provide education and research opportunities preparing global leaders to partner with local communities.

Education
3
Christianity Today International

Christianity Today is a global community inspired by evangelical conviction to advance the stories and ideas of the kingdom of God. Our mission is to elevate the storytellers and sages of the global church.

Religion
4
Houston Christian University

The mission of houston christian university is to provide a learning experience that instills in students a passion for academic, spiritual, and professional excellence as a result of our central confession, "jesus christ is lord."

—
5
Uab Educational Foundation

To support the university of alabama at birmingham in its scientific and educational mission, including managing and disbursing funds, acquiring real property, and providing operational flexibility.

Education
6
National Christian Foundation -- Wisconsin Inc

Equipping followers of christ to give wisely to advance his kingdom by inspiring biblical stewardship and generosity.

Religion
7
Toccoa Falls College Inc

The mission of Toccoa Falls College is to glorify God through seeking and developing Christian servant leaders who will impact their world with the love and message of Jesus Christ.

Education
8
The Children's Hospital of Alabama

The mission of Children's of Alabama is to provide the finest pediatric health services to all children in an environment that fosters excellence in research and medical education. Children's will be an advocate for all children and work…

Health
9
Houston Christian Foundation dba National Christian Foundation Houston

As the Houston affiliate of the National Christian Foundation (NCF), our mission is to serve and encourage givers to grow as faithful stewards who give wisely to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

—
10
Emory Children's Pediatric Institute Inc

Emory + children's pediatric institute will advance the shared vision of emory and children's to positively impact child health by fostering and enabling clinical and academic integration in pediatric care, teaching and research, with…

Unclassified
11
Reformed University Inc

Provide education in theology, divinity, religious education, ministerial training, business and organizational leadership.

Education
12
Oak City Academy

To provide classical Christian education for the urban community for grades Pre-K through 12th grade.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham; the most unlike its peers is KultureCity. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

9 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 9 of the 15 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
9/9
Grantees still filing
8/9
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM: $2,125,000 · PhilanthropyTHE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM+1 more: $25,000 · PhilanthropyEPIC CHURCH: $1,000,000 · OtherEPIC CHURCHCHURCH OF THE HIGHLANDS INC: $300,000 · OtherCHURCH OF THE HIGHLANDS INCHIGHLANDS COLLEGE: $200,000 · OtherHIGHLANDS COLLEGE+3 more: $6,128 · OtherHOMEWOOD CITY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION INC: $125,000 · EducationSamford University: $27,000 · EducationKultureCity: $58,500 · Human ServicesThe Hope Institute: $11,000 · Human ServicesTHE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA: $20,000 · HealthDAYMARK PASTORAL COUNSELING INC: $7,000 · HealthEQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE: $1,000 · Civil Rights
Philanthropy$2,150,000Other$1,506,128Education$152,000Human Services$69,500Health$27,000Civil Rights$1,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTHE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER BIRMINGHAM: $2,125,000 over 5y, 1.9% of budgetHOMEWOOD CITY SCHOOLS FOUNDATION INC: $125,000 over 1y, 59% of budgetKultureCity: $58,500 over 1y, 2.6% of budgetSamford University: $27,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION INC: $25,000 over 4y, 18% of budgetTHE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA: $20,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetThe Hope Institute: $11,000 over 2y, 2.1% of budgetDAYMARK PASTORAL COUNSELING INC: $7,000 over 2y, 1.1% of budgetEQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Arlington Partners Ch…The Community Foundat…Natl Christian Charit…Vanguard Charitable E…American Online Givin…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
Arlington Partners Charitable Foundation IncAL15.7× affinity5 shared granteesties to 7 of 7Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Arlington Partners Charitable Foundation Inc · The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham · Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc · Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · American Online Giving Foundation Inc · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Amazonsmile Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Bill and Pam Smith Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Bill and Pam Smith Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%3%5%8%10%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–10%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Bill and Pam Smith Foundation Inc?

    Find your warmest path to Bill and Pam Smith Foundation Inc through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 15 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2019, released 2019. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Bill and Pam Smith’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home