William Harold Smith Charitable Trust
The William H Smith Charitable Trust is a private foundation dedicated to supporting educational initiatives, primarily through scholarships for students attending various colleges and universities. The foundation's mission focuses on enhancing access to higher education for individuals, particularly in North Carolina, where it predominantly allocates its funding. It provides financial assistance to a range of institutions, including community colleges and universities, reflecting a strong commitment to educational advancement. The foundation's activities underscore its values of promoting education and supporting the academic aspirations of students in need.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Higher-education institutions or organizations running scholarship programs that serve North Carolina students and can submit a written application.
Good Fit
- • Organization is a college, community college, or university serving NC students.
- • Request is explicitly for scholarships or student financial aid.
- • Ability to follow a written application process and meet stated restrictions.
- • Demonstrated track record of administering scholarships or selecting student recipients.
- • Request amount aligns with observed grant sizes (a few thousand to mid-five figures).
Geography
Giving is heavily concentrated in North Carolina (about 95% of dollars in the latest year) with only a small share to a second state.
Recipient Variety
The funder supported many distinct independent recipients each year (21 in 2022, 14 in 2023, 13 in 2024), primarily colleges and universities, showing a broad set of institutional grantees within its scholarship focus.
New Applicants
A written application process is documented and the latest year added seven new recipients (about 54% new), so unfamiliar scholarship programs plausibly can enter the portfolio; direct evidence of turnover and a public submission route support openness.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
