Foundations that fund organizations in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Fort Smith nonprofits
77 private foundations gave $9.6M to Fort Smith organizations in their latest filings; 35 of the 77 that say either way accept applications.
344 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Fort Smith around $5,000. 43 of these funders are based in Arkansas; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 77
- Accept applications
- 35
- of 77 that state a policy
- Dollars to Fort Smith
- $9.6M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 344
- Typical median grant
- $5,000
- Based in AR
- 56%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Fort Smith organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buck and Evelyn Waid Trust for Academic Excellence | Fort Smith, AR | 2 | $2.8M | $1.4M | Preselected only | Donation |
| Windgate Charitable Foundation Inc | Little Rock, AR | 8 | $1.5M | $35K | Preselected only | Community support/improvement; Health/wellness; Art & culture |
| Tcm Foundation | Fort Smith, AR | 7 | $1.5M | $76K | Preselected only | Charitable purpose |
| Walter O Caldwell Foundation | Fort Smith, AR | 29 | $576K | $10K | Yes | General Purpose of Exempt Organization |
| William Thomas & May Pitman Hennessy Foundation | Fort Smith, AR | 45 | $329K | $3,500 | Yes | General operations; General |
| Robert a & Mary Carleton Young Foundation | Fort Smith, AR | 11 | $328K | $14K | Preselected only | Charity |
| Walton Family Foundation Inc | Bentonville, AR | 1 | $250K | $250K | Preselected only | To support start-up costs of a Charter High School called t… |
| Tyson Family Foundation Inc | Fayetteville, AR | 1 | $175K | $175K | Yes | General purpose |
| Whitaker Family Foundation | Fayetteville, AR | 2 | $160K | $80K | Yes | 2024 annual presenting sponsorship; Support the families in crisis project |
| Arvest Foundation | Bentonville, AR | 14 | $160K | $8,000 | Preselected only | For repairs to the freezer and warehouse floors.; To upgrade technology in the community room for presentatio…; To support the 2024-2025 performance season. |
| Oge Energy Corp Foundation Inc | Oklahoma City, OK | 5 | $160K | $22K | Yes | General support |
| Elizabeth H & Stanley E Evans Charitable Foundation | Fort Smith, AR | 39 | $152K | $3,000 | Preselected only | Charitable |
| The Griffin Charitable Organization | Fort Smith, AR | 8 | $123K | $9,058 | Preselected only | Donation |
| Whitt Family Foundation Inc | Fort Smith, AR | 20 | $123K | $5,000 | Yes | Charitable |
| Doss T Sutton Charitable Foundation Mark Barr and Joe Powers | Fort Smith, AR | 13 | $120K | $8,000 | Preselected only | Operations |
| William Birnbaum Trust 7111000035 | Birmingham, AL | 1 | $115K | $115K | Preselected only | Funds to provide animal protection |
| Gearldene and Glenn Hicks Educational Trust | Fort Smith, AR | 1 | $93K | $93K | Yes | Education |
| Lena Birnbaum Irrevocable Trust 7111000044 | Birmingham, AL | 1 | $93K | $93K | Preselected only | Provide funds for animal protection |
| Alline B & Chloe C Davis Charitable Foundation | Fort Smith, AR | 34 | $83K | $2,250 | Yes | Charitable |
| Eternal Rock Foundation | Alma, AR | 1 | $79K | $79K | Preselected only | Provide support for housing in Peru |
| Through the Looking Glass Impact Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $75K | $75K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| The Isaiah Joe Family Foundation Inc | Fort Smith, AR | 2 | $41K | $21K | Preselected only | General support |
| Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation Inc | Sherwood, AR | 1 | $40K | $40K | Yes | Community grant |
| Arkansas Animal Rescue Foundation | Little Rock, AR | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | Spay Neuter Partner Program |
| John & Ashley Rausch Family Charitable Foundation | Fayetteville, AR | 1 | $35K | $35K | Preselected only | Charitable contribution |
| Mercy Work Foundation of Arkansas | Fort Smith, AR | 2 | $34K | $17K | Yes | Welfare and benefit of small animals |
| Harry O Hamm Foundation | Van Buren, AR | 1 | $31K | $31K | Yes | Educational |
| Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation Inc | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Yes | Community programming support |
| Abb Foundation | Cary, NC | 4 | $27K | $3,286 | Preselected only | Charitable giving; General support |
| Maurras Family Charitable Trust | Fort Smith, AR | 10 | $26K | $2,500 | Preselected only | Donation |
| Mary C Kelly Trust for Immaculate Conception Church | Fort Smith, AR | 1 | $26K | $26K | Preselected only | General operations |
| Alvin S Tilles Item Xx Testamentary Trust | St Paul, MN | 2 | $22K | $11K | Preselected only | Charitable and education development; Enhance quality of healthcare servic |
| Stuart Family Foundation | Tulsa, OK | 1 | $20K | $20K | Yes | General fund |
| Bitha Godfrey and Maude J Thomas Charitable Foundation | Fort Smith, AR | 10 | $19K | $2,000 | Preselected only | 501 c 3; 501 c3; 501 c |
| Dr Dr Dorente Charity Fund | Fort Smith, AR | 5 | $14K | $2,753 | Preselected only | Operations; Operating |
| Moser Foundation | Salem, OR | 1 | $12K | $12K | Preselected only | Nicaragua mission |
| Don and Millie Nelms Foundation | Fayetteville, AR | 1 | $12K | $12K | Preselected only | Mission to rebuild the muhollan blind / conservation |
| The Flow a Living Water Foundation | Sterling, VA | 1 | $12K | $12K | Yes | Mission work. |
| Joannides Family Foundation | Cheyenne, WY | 1 | $11K | $11K | Preselected only | General support |
| Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable and | Dallas, TX | 1 | $10K | $10K | Yes | Cavitron 300's for |
| Student Loan Guarantee Foundation of Arkansas | North Little Rock, AR | 1 | $10K | $10K | Preselected only | To award scholarships of up to $5,000 per semester per stud… |
| Union Pacific Foundation | Omaha, NE | 2 | $10K | $5,000 | Yes | Health & social services |
| The Hussman Foundation | Little Rock, AR | 1 | $10K | $10K | Preselected only | General Support |
| Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation | Coraopolis, PA | 1 | $7,000 | $7,000 | Yes | Grant for youth sports |
| Wrape Family Charitable Trust | Little Rock, AR | 2 | $6,000 | $3,000 | Yes | Programs |
| Tom J & Edna Mae Carson Foundation | Fort Smith, AR | 2 | $5,850 | $2,925 | Preselected only | General support |
| Keep Climbing Family Foundation Inc | Tallahassee, FL | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Preselected only | General |
| American Eagle Outfitters Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | Community charity |
| Garlinghouse Foundation Inc | Heber Springs, AR | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Preselected only | Charitable |
| James L Garard Jr Charitable Tr C/O Alfio C Tognocchi | Glen Ellyn, IL | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Preselected only | Promote homeless services |
| International Paper Company Foundation | Memphis, TN | 1 | $3,400 | $3,400 | Yes | Food insecurity in fort smith ar |
| Simmons FIRST Foundation Inc | Pine Bluff, AR | 3 | $3,000 | $1,000 | Yes | Dream team - bed project; Medical supplies; Healthy foods program |
| The Covia Foundation | Independence, OH | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Yes | General operating support |
| Tate Family Foundation | Bentonville, AR | 3 | $3,000 | $1,000 | Yes | General operations |
| Baum Charitable Foundation Trust | Fayetteville, AR | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Yes | Equipmentprogram |
| Shell USA Company Foundation | Houston, TX | 1 | $2,582 | $2,582 | Preselected only | 2582.06 |
| Whitten-Welch Foundation Kelly Smith | Twin Falls, ID | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Bearden Foundation | Sugarland, TX | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Yes | Donation |
| Sally & Keith Riggs Foundation | Little Rock, AR | 1 | $2,400 | $2,400 | Yes | General support |
| Roy C Moore Foundation | Birmingham, AL | 1 | $2,129 | $2,129 | Yes | General operating |
| FIRST Community Foundation Inc | Killeen, TX | 1 | $2,019 | $2,019 | Preselected only | Support the charity purpose of river valley regional food b… |
| Abg Charitable Trust | Texarkana, AR | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Yes | Charity |
| Ney Foundation | Houston, TX | 2 | $1,700 | $850 | Yes | Donation |
| Edward Jones Foundation | St Louis, MO | 5 | $1,500 | $200 | Preselected only | Religion-related, spiritual development; Human services - multipurpose and other; Community improvement |
| Reutzel Foundation | Rogers, AR | 4 | $1,450 | $375 | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| Florence Mauboules Charitable Trust | Crowley, LA | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Yes | Benefit of university activities |
| Bass Family Charitable Foundation | Little Rock, AR | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | General fund |
| Cory and Dinah Davis Charitable Trust | Little Rock, AR | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Scholarships |
| Hille Family Charitable Foundation | Tulsa, OK | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Arts culture & humanity event sponsorship |
| Land O'Lakes Foundation | St Paul, MN | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Yes | Member co-op matches |
| Faith Homeschool Group Inc | Greenwood, AR | 1 | $640 | $640 | Preselected only | Education |
| Osaic Foundation Inc | Scottsdale, AZ | 1 | $500 | $500 | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Max L Gibson & Jacqueline Gibson Foundation | Terre Haute, IN | 1 | $250 | $250 | Yes | General Support |
| The Gap Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $200 | $200 | Yes | For civic & community engagement |
| Brad Norris Memorial Scholarship Co | Fort Smith, AR | 1 | $137 | $137 | Yes | Law school |
| Texas Instruments Foundation | Dallas, TX | 1 | $52 | $52 | Yes | Donations to colleges, universities and other organizations… |
| Noble Magness Charitable Trust | Poteau, OK | 2 | — | Preselected only | Boy scouts ofamerica camp; Girl scouts ofamerica |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
Buck and Evelyn Waid Trust for Academic Excellence, Windgate Charitable Foundation Inc, Tcm Foundation, Walter O Caldwell Foundation, William Thomas & May Pitman Hennessy Foundation and 72 others reported grants to Fort Smith organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in Fort Smith. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.