Receiving >The Smith Fund

About the Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund

The Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund was created to provide scholarships to Northumberland County, Pennsylvania residents and grants to selected agencies in Northumberland County.
In 1995, Mrs. Smith established the Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund with the Williamsport-Lycoming Community Foundation to benefit initially four, now five, Northumberland County nonprofit organizations. It was Josephine's wish to remain anonymous during her lifetime, so, for five years, no one who benefited from her generous donations knew who to thank for the gift. They knew only that there was a "Northumberland Trust Fund."

Mrs. Smith's death in May 2000 brought sadness to the many who knew her, and astonishment to those who were not aware that she was the kind and thoughtful donor who had touched so many lives.

Today, the Ralph and Josepine Smith Fund has a committee that makes recommendations on grants. This committee, which meets annually to review grant applications from the organizations designated to receive funding from the Fund, consists of five individuals, representing organizations that benefit from the fund as well as the region it serves.

Mrs. Smith created her fund with an initial gift of $500,000. Because Northumberland County has no community foundation of its own, Mrs. Smith established her fund with the Williamsport-Lycoming Community Foundation in hopes that it would be the beginning of a community endowment for Northumberland County. Her generous giving assures the communities of Northumberland County a strong and growing resource for key nonprofit and public benefit programs. Currently, the Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund benefits: Evangelical Community Hospital; Meadowbrook Christian School; Montgomery House/Warrior Run Public Library; SUN Home Health Services, Inc.; Turbotville Community Hall; and the Warrior Run School District's scholarship program.

Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund Grant Application & Guidelines
Funding Priorities

Presently only the Warrior Run Library, Evangelical Hospital, SUN Home Health Services, Turbotville Community Hall, and the Meadowbrook Christian School are eligible to submit grant proposals.

General Criteria for Reviewing Requests

The grant review process is competitive--more funding is always requested than available funding can meet. The Foundation favors proposals that:

• Address priority community needs and/or opportunities in innovative ways that enhance the quality of life within the region.
• Show evidence of qualified leadership to complete project and responsibly administer grant funds.
• Clearly articulate a need/opportunity, demonstrate an effective focusing of human & financial resources, and hold potential for successfully impacting the identified need/opportunity.
• Combine clear goals with a plan for evaluating progress & measuring the outcomes to be achieved.
• Demonstrate a stable funding base from other sources and/or the ability to achieve long-term self-sustainability, especially when seeking start-up or seed funding.
• Use volunteers and in-kind support to reduce and complement financial support.
• Demonstrate potential for Trust funds to leverage funding from other sources and/or propose use of a grant to attract matching funds.
• Does not duplicate other programs or projects serving the region.
• Stimulate cooperation and collaboration among agencies and/or between the public & private sectors where possible.

Grant Size

Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund grants range from $1,000 to more than $25,000, with the typical grant range of $2,500-$15,000. The Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund prefers not to fund more than 30% of any capital project, although exceptions may be made. The Foundation prefers not to consider multi-year grants, except in extraordinary situations.

Funding Request Process

Applicants must complete a Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund Grant Application and include all materials listed on the checklist on page two of the application. Please submit 1 original and 7 complete copies of the application and attachments.

Deadlines & Response Process

Deadline: March 1
Applications must be in the Foundation's offices by 4:00 p.m. on the appropriate deadline to be considered. Final funding decisions will usually be announced within 8-10 weeks following each deadline. In most cases a staff member will call the contact listed on the application regarding the Board's decision, with a written response to follow. Applicants are encouraged to contact the  Manager of Program and Scholarship Services with any questions.

Grant Application

Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund Grant Application (198KB PDF)