The Scripps Family Fund for Education
The Scripps Family Fund for Education and the Arts (SFFEA) is a private family foundation established in 2014 by Sebastian and Barbara Scripps. Based in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, the organization holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and operates as a private grantmaking foundation. The foundation was created to support the philanthropic vision of its founders, who believe that every person should have access to quality educational opportunities and learning experiences.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$4.2M
+46.7% YoY
Grant Count
232
+21.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
+20.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The foundation believes that a productive democratic society is based on a broadly educated and well-informed population. SFFEA seeks to improve the prospects of economically disadvantaged populations with a focus on infants through young adults in Connecticut and beyond by investing in organizations that provide learning, enrichment, and inspiration to promote self-sufficiency and life success.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Education support for pre-K through young adults
- Arts and cultural enrichment programs
- Learning and enrichment initiatives
- Programs serving economically disadvantaged populations
Grantmaking
SFFEA makes grants to organizations in support of programs that serve a full range of ages. Grant types include:
Grant Range
$10,000
Average Grant
$16,900–$58,000 (varies by reporting period)
Grant Types
Ready to take the next step with The Scripps Family Fund for Education?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
SFFEA supports organizations primarily in:
- Connecticut (primary focus)
- New York
- Vermont
- Additional support across multiple states including California, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, and Rhode Island
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $29.9 million
- Total Revenue: $15.9 million
- Total Expenses: $4.37 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
Historical Financial Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $18.4 million
- Total Giving: $2.8 million–$2.84 million
- Total Expenses: $3.0 million
- Revenue: $1.1 million
Grant Activity:
- Number of grants awarded: 33,801 (previous year data)
- 130 grants reported in another fiscal period
- Total giving: $2.2 million (reported in one period)
The foundation demonstrates significant asset growth and maintains a healthy financial position with no liabilities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- J. Sebastian Scripps – Director
- Barbara Briggs Scripps – Director
Both serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| J SEBASTIAN SCRIPPS | DIRECTOR | 3 | — |
| BARBARA BRIGGS SCRIPPS | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to support a diverse portfolio of educational and arts organizations. Recent and ongoing grantees include:
Hartford Stage Company
Music Will
Mill River Park Collaborative
Vermont Humanities Early Literacy
Hartford Promise
SoundWaters
Connecticut Storytelling Center
Vermont Institute of Natural Science
New England Science & Sailing
New England Air Museum
Tenement Museum
Arts for Learning
Montshire Museum of Science
Horizons at Ethel Walker School
National Dance Institute
The foundation remains open to new applicants and continues to accept grant proposals through its website at sffea.org.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Mildred H Dunning Memorial Fund Trust
LEXINGTON, KY
Assets
$4.3M
Grants
3
Total Given
$209K
Pauline C Young Scholarship
LEXINGTON, KY
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Welcome House Inc
COVINGTON, KY
Assets
$15.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$405K
Tw Hl & Ns Donovan Scholarship
LEXINGTON, KY
Assets
$673K
Grants
2
Total Given
$36K
Taking Back Our Neighborhood Together
GLENVIEW, KY
Assets
$21K
Grants
0
Total Given
—
John T Reis Private Foundation
COVINGTON, KY
Assets
$200K
Grants
11
Total Given
$341K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Scripps Family Fund for Education on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities