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Texas · Private foundation

Vivian L Smith Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$4.3M
Granted FY2024(still arriving)
141
Grants FY2024
133
Organizations funded FY2023
14%
First-time grantees FY2023
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2024
$25,000
Largest grant, FY2024
$200,000
Organizations funded a year
104 to 133
FY2017 to FY2023
States reached, FY2024
3
Total assets, FY2024
$68M
Applications
Takes unsolicited applications
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2023, 14% of the organizations Vivian L Smith Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 8% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 92% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $346k went to new ones.

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

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

’18’19’20’21’22’23
Human ServicesEducationArts & CultureHealthEnvironmentPhilanthropyOther
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.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2024still arriving122$4.3M9%
FY2023133$4.1M14%
FY2022132$4.6M18%
FY2021124$3.8M29%
FY2020104$3.4M18%
FY2019116$3.9M17%
FY2018113$4.1M27%
FY2017105$3.8Mn/a
99% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Health$9.8MEducation$7.3MArts & Culture$3.8MHuman Services$3.2MRecreation & Sports$1.1MYouth Development$1.0MEnvironment$912kHousing & Shelter$832kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

NY
IN
OH
PA
CA
CO
VA
MD
AZ
AR
AL
GA
TX
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2024, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 175 grantees
All grantees of Vivian L Smith Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
TIRR Foundation$900,00078%
Communities in Schools of Houston Inc$884,00081%
Houston Hospice$800,00081%
YES Prep Public Schools Inc$700,00070%
Ronald McDonald House Charities Greater Houston Inc$630,00082%
Stages$512,00081%
Menil Foundation Inc$455,00071%
BakerRipley$450,00080%
Memorial Hermann Foundation$450,00080%
Baylor College of Medicine$425,00050%
Teach for America Inc$407,00080%
The Council on Recovery$400,00081%
Young Men's Christian Association of the Greater Houston Area$400,00060%
University of St Thomas$400,00080%
Houston Botanic Garden$400,00072%
Episcopal High School$395,5006n/a
Camp For All Foundation$375,00081%
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston$355,00080%
Houston Parks Board$355,00070%
Kids' Meals Inc$350,00081%
Good Samaritan Foundation of Texas Inc$350,000711%
Joy Development School$310,00041%
Depelchin Children's Center$307,00080%
The Methodist Hospitals Foundation Inc$300,000255%
Houston Zoo Inc$300,00020%
Kelsey Research Foundation$280,00037%
The Houston Food Bank$262,50070%
Texas Children's Hospital$258,00030%
The Foundation for Jones Hall$250,00021%
Christian Community Service Center Inc$250,00042%
The Methodist Hospital Foundation$250,00040%
Hermann Park Conservancy$247,00061%
The Kinkaid School Inc$245,00080%
New Hope Housing Inc$225,00081%
Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals$220,00021%
EMERGE Fellowship$210,00082%
Houston Symphony Society$205,00080%
Dress for Success Houston$200,00081%
The Posse Foundation Inc$200,00080%
Houston Museum of Natural Science$200,00080%
Houston Area Women's Center$200,00051%
The Rose$200,00040%
Covenant House Texas$195,00070%
Star of Hope Mission$195,00080%
The Beacon of Downtown Houston$192,00081%
Houston Grand Opera Association Inc$180,00070%
Breakthrough Houston$175,00072%
The Blue Bird Circle$175,00073%
Children's Museum Inc$175,00070%
Special Olympics of Texas Inc$170,00080%
St John's School$170,00080%
The Gateway Academy Inc$165,00061%
Small Steps Nurturing Center$161,75081%
Memorial Park Conservancy Inc$152,00031%
The Center for Pursuit$150,00030%
The Monarch School Monarch Institute for Neurological Diff$150,00031%
Knowledge Arts Foundation (Teach)$150,00045%
Shriners Hospitals for Children$150,00040%
My Connect Community$150,00063%
Project GRAD Houston$150,00044%
St Thomas High School$150,0002n/a
Cancare Inc$145,00082%
Child Advocates Inc$130,50080%
Hope and Healing Center & Institute$130,00081%
Alley Theatre$130,00060%
Vita Living Inc$130,00060%
Presbyterian School$125,00020%
Julie Rogers Gift of Life Program$125,00081%
Chinquapin Preparatory School$125,00072%
Camp Allen Camp & Conference Center$125,00060%
Crime Stoppers of Houston Inc$120,00061%
St Lukes United Methodist Church$120,0002n/a
Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston$115,00070%
Houston Police Foundation$110,00062%
Halo House Foundation$105,00072%
Spay-Neuter Assistance Program Inc$105,00070%
Bo's Place$105,00071%
iEDUCATE$100,00044%
The Center Foundation Inc$100,0002n/a
Agape Development Ministries$100,00022%
Annunciation Orthodox School$100,0001n/a
Houston Achievement Place$95,00071%
Houston Arboretum & Nature Center$80,00080%
Sire Inc$80,00062%
The Furniture Bank$80,00031%
Houston Ballet Foundation$80,00030%
Harris County Hospital District Foundation$75,00021%
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston$75,00060%
Galveston Bay Foundation Inc$75,00030%
Houston Habitat for Humanity Inc$75,00030%
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation$75,00010%
The Center for the Arts$70,00031%
Lord of the Streets Episcopal Church$70,0007n/a
Writers in the Schools$70,00071%
Loving Houston Inc$65,000417%
Remind$65,00061%
Street Grace Inc$65,00032%
Da Camera Society of Texas$60,00041%
Hope Rising dba Hope Rising Ministries$60,00012%
Undies for Everyone$60,00063%
Casa de Esperanza de Los Ninos Inc$60,00060%
Buffalo Bayou Partnership Inc$55,00050%
The W Oscar Neuhaus Memorial Foundation$50,00050%
San Jose Clinic$50,0002n/a
The Center for Hearing and Speech$50,00010%
Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas Inc$50,00020%
HSPVA Friends$50,00041%
Friends of Pumpkin Park$50,00011%
Project Row Houses$50,00011%
Armand Bayou Nature Center Inc$50,00013%
St Francis Episcopal Day School$50,0001n/a
St Francis Episcopal School$50,0001n/a
Casa Mateo$50,00022%
St Martins Episcopal Church$46,0008n/a
Lawndale Art & Performance Center$45,00032%
St Johns United Methodist Church Inc$45,0002n/a
Pro-Vision Inc$40,00031%
Houston Revision$40,00041%
Epiphany Community Health Outreach Services$40,00021%
Crimson Tide Foundation$40,0002n/a
The Will Erwin Headache Research Foundation$36,00042%
Glenwood Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation$35,00031%
Spaulding for Children$35,00070%
Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Houston-Galveston$35,00039%
Performing Arts Houston$35,00011%
Catholic Charities Inc$33,00011%
Childrens Transplant Initiative$30,00034%
The Ensemble Theatre$30,00011%
Onegoal$30,00020%
The Women's Resource of Greater Houston$30,00032%
The Beta Foundation$25,00010%
Asia Society Texas Center$25,00010%
The Sunshine Kids Foundation$25,00011%
Cullinan Park Conservancy$25,00012%
Just Community Inc$25,00011%
Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council$25,00010%
Central Houston Civic Improvement Inc$25,00012%
Texas Womans University Foundation Inc$25,00010%
Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star$25,00010%
Cherish Our Children Inc$25,00023%
Combined Arms$25,00010%
Houston Health Foundation$20,00021%
Theatre Under the Stars Inc$20,00020%
Archway Academy$20,00021%
Urban Harvest Inc$20,00020%
NextOp Inc$20,00021%
Children's Defense Fund$20,00020%
Boy Scouts of America Sam Houston Area Council$20,00020%
Christ Church Cathedral$15,0002n/a
K9s4cops Inc$15,00021%
William Marsh Rice University$15,00010%
Southern Methodist University$10,00010%
Open Door Mission$10,00010%
Incarnate Word Academy$10,0001n/a
Houston Center for Literacy$10,00010%
The Forge for Families$10,00010%
Operation Warm Inc$10,00010%
Yellowstone Academy Inc Dba Yellowstone Schools$10,00010%
Houston Arts Alliance$10,00010%
Coastal Prairie Conservancy$10,00010%
Childbuilders$10,00012%
University of Houston$10,0002n/a
The Women's Home$10,00010%
Holocaust Museum Houston$10,00010%
The 100 Club Inc$7,50010%
The Menninger Clinic$6,00060%
Houston Fire Museum Inc$5,00010%
River Oaks Foundation$5,00012%
The Junior League of Houston Inc$5,00010%
Texas Heart Institute$4,00010%
IBC Network Foundation$2,00020%
The University of Texas Law School Foundation$2,00010%
Marbridge Foundation Inc$1,00010%
Houston Tennis Association Inc$1,00010%
Sacred Heart Catholic Church$1,0001n/a

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 88 recipients with no EIN on record ($7.8M), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Vivian L Smith Foundation supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 1 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 159 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTIRR Foundation: $900,000 over 7y, 7.8% of budgetCommunities in Schools of Houston Inc: $884,000 over 8y, 0.7% of budgetHouston Hospice: $800,000 over 8y, 0.6% of budgetYES Prep Public Schools Inc: $700,000 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetRonald McDonald House Charities Greater Houston Inc: $630,000 over 8y, 2.4% of budgetStages: $512,000 over 8y, 1.5% of budgetMenil Foundation Inc: $455,000 over 7y, 0.9% of budgetBakerRipley: $450,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetMemorial Hermann Foundation: $450,000 over 8y, 0.4% of budgetBaylor College of Medicine: $425,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetTeach for America Inc: $407,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetThe Council on Recovery: $400,000 over 8y, 0.7% of budgetYoung Men's Christian Association of the Greater Houston Area: $400,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetUniversity of St Thomas: $400,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetHouston Botanic Garden: $400,000 over 7y, 1.5% of budgetCamp For All Foundation: $375,000 over 8y, 1.2% of budgetThe Museum of Fine Arts Houston: $355,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetHouston Parks Board: $355,000 over 7y, 0.4% of budgetKids' Meals Inc: $350,000 over 8y, 1.0% of budgetGood Samaritan Foundation of Texas Inc: $350,000 over 7y, 11% of budgetJoy Development School: $310,000 over 4y, 1.1% of budgetDepelchin Children's Center: $307,000 over 8y, 0.3% of budgetThe Methodist Hospitals Foundation Inc: $300,000 over 2y, 55% of budgetHouston Zoo Inc: $300,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetKelsey Research Foundation: $280,000 over 3y, 7.0% of budgetThe Houston Food Bank: $262,500 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetTexas Children's Hospital: $258,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetThe Foundation for Jones Hall: $250,000 over 2y, 1.3% of budgetChristian Community Service Center Inc: $250,000 over 4y, 1.6% of budgetThe Methodist Hospital Foundation: $250,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetHermann Park Conservancy: $247,000 over 6y, 0.5% of budgetThe Kinkaid School Inc: $245,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetNew Hope Housing Inc: $225,000 over 8y, 0.9% of budgetHouston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: $220,000 over 2y, 1.4% of budgetEMERGE Fellowship: $210,000 over 8y, 1.7% of budgetHouston Symphony Society: $205,000 over 8y, 0.2% of budgetDress for Success Houston: $200,000 over 8y, 1.1% of budgetThe Posse Foundation Inc: $200,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetHouston Museum of Natural Science: $200,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetHouston Area Women's Center: $200,000 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetThe Rose: $200,000 over 4y, 0.5% of budgetCovenant House Texas: $195,000 over 7y, 0.4% of budgetStar of Hope Mission: $195,000 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetThe Beacon of Downtown Houston: $192,000 over 8y, 1.0% of budgetHouston Grand Opera Association Inc: $180,000 over 7y, 0.2% of budgetBreakthrough Houston: $175,000 over 7y, 1.8% of budgetThe Blue Bird Circle: $175,000 over 7y, 2.8% of budgetChildren's Museum Inc: $175,000 over 7y, 0.3% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 159.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

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.

Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable FoundationTX131.3× affinity66 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation · The Brown Foundation Inc · The Elkins Foundation · Strake Foundation · Greater Houston Community Foundation · MD Anderson Foundation · The William Stamps Farish Fund · Houston Endowment Inc · The Powell Foundation · Harry S & Isabel C Cameron Foundation Sentinel Trust Company · The John M O'Quinn Foundation · John P McGovern 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.

Compare Vivian L Smith Foundation with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Vivian L Smith Foundation?

Find your warmest path to Vivian L Smith Foundation 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.

About Vivian L Smith Foundation

How much does Vivian L Smith Foundation give?
Vivian L Smith Foundation reported 141 grants totaling $4,285,000 in its FY2024 IRS filing. It funded between 104 and 133 organizations a year over FY2017 to FY2023.
What does Vivian L Smith Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2024, its largest causes are Health (30%), Education (23%), Arts & Culture (12%).
Who are Vivian L Smith Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2024: TIRR Foundation ($900k), Communities in Schools of Houston Inc ($884k), Houston Hospice ($800k).
Does Vivian L Smith Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2023, 14% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does Vivian L Smith Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it accepts unsolicited grant applications.
Which funders back the same organizations as Vivian L Smith Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, The Brown Foundation Inc, The Elkins Foundation.
Where is Vivian L Smith Foundation based?
Vivian L Smith Foundation is based in TX.

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 264 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 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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