The Scripps Family Fund for Education
The Scripps Family Fund for Education and the Arts (SFFEA) is a private family foundation based in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. Created in 2014 by Sebastian and Barbara Scripps, it supports organizations providing educational opportunities, learning, enrichment, and inspiration.
Key facts about The Scripps Family Fund for Education
In short: The Scripps Family Fund for Education gave $3.4M across 256 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Connecticut. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 47-2630731
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,441,835
- Grants made (2025)
- 256
- Average grant
- $13,445
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (35 of 197, 2025)
- Total assets
- $27,959,305
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- SFFEA considers funding opportunities on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$28.0M
-6.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.4M
-17.4% YoY
Grant Count
256
+10.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
-25.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Scripps Family Fund for Education reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Scripps Family Fund for Education open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 35 of 197 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 78% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 57% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 222% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
SFFEA’s mission is grounded in the belief that a productive democratic society depends on a broadly educated and well-informed population. It seeks to promote self-sufficiency and life success by investing in organizations that provide learning, enrichment, and inspiration.
Its grants support programs serving a full range of ages, including initiatives that expand organizations’ reach, effectiveness, impact, or financial sustainability. Among its 2025 grantees, Connecticut Public Broadcasting described its mission as informing, educating, and inspiring Connecticut residents through journalism, storytelling, education, and experiences. Building One Community described its work as educating, employing, empowering, and engaging immigrants and the broader community. An individual recipient described its work as supporting Hartford students’ college success and economic mobility.
Grantmaking
The 2025 IRS filing reports 256 grants totaling $3,441,835. Grants ranged from $138 to $200,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable awards included:
SFFEA generally does not make grants to endowments or for general operating support. Its Quick Grants initiative, launched in 2021, offers grants of up to $10,000 for general operating, program, and scholarship support, with an effort to focus on smaller organizations. SFFEA also participates in Wheels to Learning, which provides transportation funding for field trips for K–12 public schools in Windham County, Connecticut, traveling to designated nonprofit cultural institutions.
Invitation Only
SFFEA considers funding opportunities on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited requests. The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with The Scripps Family Fund for Education?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s mission names Connecticut and beyond as its geographic scope. In 2025, Connecticut recipients received 65% of grant dollars, New York recipients 21%, Vermont recipients 6%, Massachusetts recipients 3%, and Ohio recipients 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 256 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2019) to $4.2M (2024). In 2025 it made 256 grants totaling $3.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Connecticut Public Broadcasting Inc ($280K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $849K.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($94,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
895 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 826 grants of 895 (92%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Public Broadcasting Inc Hartford, CT | Latino Educational Programming | $200,000 |
| Connecticut Public Broadcasting Inc Hartford, CT | Expanding the Fellows Program | $80,000 |
| Sacred Heart University Inc Fairfield, CT | Support for Summer and School Year PRGRM | $80,000 |
| Building One Community Stamford, CT | Support for Academic Enrichment Program | $75,000 |
| The New York Historical New York, NY | Support Education Programs | $75,000 |
| American Museum of Natural History New York, NY | Meep Intern Program and Field Trips | $60,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $60,000 |
| Leadership Education and Athletics Partnership Inc New Haven, CT | College Access Program | $60,000 |
| The Groundtruth Project Inc Boston, MA | Internship Program for College Seniors | $60,000 |
| Scripps Howard Fund Cincinnati, OH | Support Book Program in Clay County KY | $53,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,441,835 | 256 |
| 2024 | $4,169,186 | 232 |
| 2023 | $2,841,031 | 191 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $27,959,305 | $29,870,493 | $18,367,659 |
| Revenue | $1,814,246 | $15,872,762 | $1,119,482 |
| Expenses | $3,725,434 | $4,369,928 | $3,007,765 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,572,665 | $4,284,188 | $2,948,737 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,671,034 | $5,400,813 | $1,039,425 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,608,301 | $968,100 | $991,570 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists the following directors:
- J. Sebastian Scripps
- Barbara Briggs Scripps
- Linda Marshall
The Scripps Family Fund for Education's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Barbara Briggs Scripps
Director
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J. Sebastian Scripps
Director
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Marshall
Director
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: Co 250 Grandview Dr 400, Ft Mitchell, KY 41017
Phone: (859) 581-5758
Frequently asked questions about The Scripps Family Fund for Education
How much does The Scripps Family Fund for Education give each year?
The Scripps Family Fund for Education gave $3.4M across 256 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4.2M across 232 grants.
What is The Scripps Family Fund for Education's typical grant size?
The Scripps Family Fund for Education's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,445, across 256 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Scripps Family Fund for Education that year got $12K on average.
Where does The Scripps Family Fund for Education give grants?
The Scripps Family Fund for Education gives mostly in Connecticut: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (21%) and Vermont (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (23 grants), Hartford, CT (16 grants), New Haven, CT (14 grants) and Stamford, CT (14 grants).
Does The Scripps Family Fund for Education give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 256 grants with a stated purpose on The Scripps Family Fund for Education's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Field Trip" (71 grants), "Education and Enrichment Programs" (4 grants) and "Education Programs" (3 grants).
Who are The Scripps Family Fund for Education's largest grantees?
The Scripps Family Fund for Education's largest 2025 grantees include Connecticut Public Broadcasting Inc ($280,000 across 2 grants), Sacred Heart University Inc ($80,000) and Building One Community ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($94,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Scripps Family Fund for Education?
The Scripps Family Fund for Education reported $28.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Scripps Family Fund for Education fund?
SFFEA’s mission is grounded in the belief that a productive democratic society depends on a broadly educated and well-informed population. It seeks to promote self-sufficiency and life success by investing in organizations that provide learning, enrichment, and inspiration. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Scripps Family Fund for Education?
SFFEA considers funding opportunities on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Scripps Family Fund for Education's EIN?
The Scripps Family Fund for Education's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-2630731. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Scripps Family Fund for Education accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Scripps Family Fund for Education by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Scripps Family Fund for Education's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Kentucky
Fairfield County's Community Foundation Inc
Norwalk, CT
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation funds local nonprofits addressing education and careers, economic security, health equity, housing, civic engagement, and related community needs in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Awards vary widely: capacity-building grants are up to $10,000, Community Impact Grants are $10,000–$15,000, and reported 2025 grants had a median of $24,080. It accepts unsolicited applications for some programs, including rolling capacity-building and small-grant opportunities; Strategic Partner Grants are invitation-only.
Assets
$291.4M
Grants
448
Total Given
$25.7M
The Pitney Bowes Foundation
Stamford, CT
The Pitney Bowes Foundation funds 501(c)(3) organizations, prioritizing education—especially early childhood, literacy, STEM, mentoring, after-school programs and job training—as well as community, health, cultural and environmental work. Its 2023 grants ranged from $39 to $475,000, with a median of $5,510; it supports organizations nationally and in specified communities where Pitney Bowes operates, including locations in Connecticut and several other states. It accepts online applications.
Assets
$443K
Grants
148
Total Given
$2.3M
The Near and Far Association Inc
Southport, CT
The Near and Far Association funds nonprofits addressing poverty in Fairfield County, Connecticut, including basic needs, education, housing, youth development, and health services. Its 2025 grants ranged from $6,500 to $25,000, with a median of $10,000. Applications are by invitation only; it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.8M
Grants
87
Total Given
$1.1M
The Community Foundation of Louisville Inc
Louisville, KY
The Community Foundation of Louisville funds nonprofits across areas including education, arts and culture, health, and community development, with a focus on Louisville and surrounding communities while also supporting work beyond the region. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,012 to $3,853,691, with a median of $22,987; it states that grant programs for local nonprofits use an open application and review process.
Assets
$766.9M
Grants
678
Total Given
$55.0M
Blue Grass Community Foundation Inc
Lexington, KY
Blue Grass Community Foundation funds charitable causes and community needs, including education, housing, basic assistance, and youth wellbeing, primarily in Central and Appalachia Kentucky. Its 2025 grants ranged from about $5,000 to $520,000, with a median of about $16,700; the foundation’s website describes competitive grant opportunities but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$296.2M
Grants
514
Total Given
$20.7M
LG&E and Ku Foundation Inc
Louisville, KY
The foundation funds community organizations in economic development, education, the environment, and diversity, as well as event sponsorships and tree-planting grants, primarily in communities served by LG&E and KU. Its 2025 grants ranged from $100 to $749,000, with a median of $2,500; 96% of grant dollars went to Kentucky. It accepts community grant applications through its online portal in March and October.
Assets
$22.0M
Grants
497
Total Given
$4.3M
The Community Foundation of Louisville Depository Inc
Louisville, KY
The Community Foundation of Louisville supports a broad range of causes, including arts, parks, education, social services, and libraries, with most 2025 grant dollars going to Kentucky organizations. Its 2025 grants had a median of $15,200 and ranged from $5,100 to over $2.3 million; the available information does not say whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$24.0M
Grants
421
Total Given
$20.5M
John B & Brownie Young Memorial Fund
Owensboro, KY
The fund provides scholarships to eligible high school seniors from four Owensboro-area Kentucky school districts for full-time college or vocational/technical study, primarily supporting the first year. Awards are at least $500, with a $500 median grant in 2025; larger awards depend on students’ financial need. Students are notified and receive application information through their school counselor and Independence Bank; the fund does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$13.5M
Grants
392
Total Given
$894K
Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels Inc
Louisville, KY
The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels funds Kentucky 501(c)(3) organizations serving Kentuckians, supporting projects in areas such as education, health, community services, arts, and disaster relief. Its 2024 grants ranged from $370 to $500,000, with a median of about $6,000; Good Works applications require a letter of intent, and the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$23.5M
Grants
358
Total Given
$4.5M
Adam R Scripps Foundation
Ft Mitchell, KY
The Adam R Scripps Foundation funds science and STEM education, housing, health, scholarships, and community and cultural projects, with grants across multiple states, especially Texas and California. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $2 million, with a median of $50,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$754.6M
Grants
281
Total Given
$35.5M
The Whas Crusade for Children Inc
Louisville, KY
The WHAS Crusade for Children funds direct services, specific programs, and equipment for nonprofit agencies, schools, and hospitals serving children under 18 with health, educational, or emotional needs in Kentucky and southern Indiana. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,400 to $400,000, with a median of $20,000. New applicants may email a brief description to request an invitation to apply; applications are invitation-only.
Assets
$59.5M
Grants
201
Total Given
$5.8M
More Funders in Kentucky
The Scripps Family Fund for Education down — hundreds of funders to go?