Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation

The Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation is a private family foundation that awards about $16 million in grants each year to improve quality of life in Greater Boston. It funds organizations working to improve human health, raise educational attainment, increase economic security, and meet community needs, with special attention to economically disadvantaged communities. Its grantmaking backs strong leaders, innovative approaches, and expanded access to essential services across the region.

Lifelong Boston residents Richard A. and Susan F. Smith established the foundation in 1970. Richard Smith led Harcourt General, which began in the 1930s as a chain of drive-in movie theaters and grew into a diversified company spanning movie exhibition, soft drink bottling, specialty retail, and publishing. The foundation received most of its assets from the sale of Harcourt General and Neiman Marcus. Two generations of the Smith family now serve together as trustees.

What to Know

• Grantmaking covers Greater Boston and select Gateway Cities in Eastern Massachusetts.
• The Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is named for co-founder Susan Smith.
• Richard Smith held major giving and board roles at Dana-Farber, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard, and Combined Jewish Philanthropies.
• Recent grants include a $2 million award to YMCA Cape Cod.