Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation
The Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation is a private foundation established in 1935 and based in La Jolla, California. The foundation has been tax-exempt since February 1940. It operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Key facts about Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation
- EIN
- 95-1644633
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,106,576
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- Average grant
- $26,990
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $10,234,725
- Primary geography
- California (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The initial approach should include a proposal with a 1–3 page cover letter.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation's 41 itemized 2025 grants were California (94%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (19 grants), La Jolla, CA (9 grants) and Escondido, CA (3 grants). None of its 41 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Funds for Discretionary Use" (41 grants).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.2M
-5.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+2.2% YoY
Grant Count
41
+2.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
-0.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation reported a distributable amount of $880K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Animals & wildlife
- The arts
- Children & youth services
- Education
- Hospitals
- Human services
- Hospices
The foundation supports discretionary use grants and provides various types of support including equipment, program-related investments and loans, program development, research, and scholarship funds.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 40–41 grants in recent fiscal years, with total annual giving of approximately $1.1 million.
Grant Range
s:**
Average Grant
approximately $28,100
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- La Jolla and San Diego, California
- Rushville, Illinois
The foundation does not make grants to individuals.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (Fiscal Year 2024–2025):
- Total assets: $10,234,725–$10,867,768
- Total annual giving: $1,106,576–$1,193,670
- Total revenue: $666,300–$773,348
- Total expenses: $1,358,026–$1,406,391
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,234,725 | $10,867,768 | $11,032,124 |
| Revenue | $773,348 | $1,193,670 | $666,302 |
| Expenses | $1,406,391 | $1,358,026 | $1,386,837 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,163,999 | $1,137,622 | $1,178,495 |
| Net Investment Income | $550,235 | $980,549 | $461,522 |
| Distributable Amount | $880,339 | $821,566 | $805,205 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
208 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Zoological Society of San Diego ($110,000), Scripps Green Hospital ($100,000), Scripps Memorial Hospital ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $110,000 |
| SCRIPPS GREEN HOSPITAL SAN DIEGO, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $100,000 |
| SCRIPPS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SAN DIEGO, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $100,000 |
| MARITIME MUSEUM OF SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $50,000 |
| SCRIPPS RESEARCH FOUNDATION LA JOLLA, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $50,000 |
| HORSELESS CARRIAGE FOUNDATION LA MESA, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $40,000 |
| SCRIPPS COLLEGE CLAREMONT, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $39,663 |
| ST VINCENT DE PAUL CENTER SAN DIEGO, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $35,000 |
| RADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SAN DIEGO, CA | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $34,809 |
| KNOX COLLEGE GALESBURG, IL | FUNDS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key trustees include:
- Paul K Scripps
- Deborah M Goddard
- Roxanne Davis Greene
Contact person: E. Douglas Dawson
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL K SCRIPPS | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| DEBORAH M GODDARD | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| ROXANNE DAVIS GREENE | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 6121 Terryhill Drive La Jolla, CA 92037-6837
Phone: 858-212-3311
EIN: 95-1644633
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Animals & wildlife • The arts • Children & youth services • Education • Hospitals • Human services • Hospices The foundation supports discretionary use grants and provides various types of support including equipment, program-related investments and loans, program development, research, and scholarship funds.
How do I apply for a grant from Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** • Typical awards range from $5,000 to $110,000 • Median grant size: approximately $19,000–$20,000 • Average grant size: approximately $28,100 **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 40–41 grants in recent fiscal years, with total annual giving of approximately $1.1 million. **Recent Grantees Include:** • Scripps Health ($100,000) • Scripps College ($50,000) • Maritime Museum Association of San Diego ($50,000) • The Elizabeth Hospice (grants of $30,000 and $40,000) • Zool…
Where does Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • La Jolla and San Diego, California • Rushville, Illinois The foundation does not make grants to individuals.
What size grants does Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation award?
In 2025, Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation awarded 41 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $27K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation reported a distributable amount of $880K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation's EIN?
Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-1644633. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.