Stephen and Paula Smith

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Broadview International; Alma Partners 

FUNDING AREAS: Arts & Museums, Community, Conservation, Education 

OVERVIEW: Stephen Smith and his wife Paula do their grantmaking through the Stephen S. and Paula K. Smith Family Foundation. The Smiths, via their foundation, give modestly, under $150,000 annually in past years, to several causes, mostly in the Bay Area, where they live. Smith is a trustee of the Computer History Museum, which he supports. 

BACKGROUND: Stephen S. Smith graduated from Oregon State University with an engineering degree, and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. Smith worked in management consulting at McKinsey before going on to work at Broadview International, a leading global M&A advisor and private equity investor in the IT, communications, and media industries. Smith served as managing director and vice chairman of Broadview and was senior advisor of Arma Partners.

ISSUES: 

ARTS & MUSEUMS: Smith is interim president and CEO of the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, which the couple supports through their foundation. Other past grantees include the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford.

COMMUNITY: The couple support organizations like Ecumenical Hunger Program, YMCA of Silicon Valley, InnVision Shelter Network, Palo Alto Community Fund, and Gamble Garden in Palo Alto, a "nonprofit community resource dedicated to horticultural and environmental education as well as historical preservation."

CONSERVATION: The Smiths have been involved with American Prairie Reserve (APR) since last decade, and are among the organization's longest-running donors. APR is a preservation organization in Montana. Other past grantees include Monterey Bay Aquarium and Peninsula Open Space Trust.

EDUCATION: Smith supports his alma mater Oregon State, from which his late father also graduated. The couple has also supported organizations like Palo Alto Unified School District, Downtown College Prep, Foundation for a College Education, San Carlos Education Foundation, and Mindful Schools. 

OTHER: The Smiths also support a mix of health, human rights, and even global organizations like Immigration Equality, International Rescue Committee, Hospice of the Valley, and That Man May See, which aims to eliminate eye diseases and blindness

LOOKING FORWARD: It is unclear if the Smith family's philanthropy will increase, but expect them to continue to modestly support their select interest areas. 

CONTACT: 

The Stephen S. Smith and Paula K. Smith Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:

Stephen S. Smith and Paula K. Smith Family Foundation
321 Melville Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94301