The Scripps Howard Foundation
The Scripps Howard Foundation is a private corporate foundation established in 1962 and based in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as an affiliated entity with the Scripps Howard Fund, a related public charity. The foundation serves as a major philanthropic vehicle for The E.W. Scripps Company and the Scripps and Howard families, functioning as the largest corporate foundation in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Key facts about The Scripps Howard Foundation
- EIN
- 31-6025114
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,376,034
- Grants made (2024)
- 819
- Average grant
- $9,006
- Median grant
- $1,250
- Total assets
- $69,447,710
- Primary geography
- Maryland (18% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Online application portal available at https://scrippshowardfoundation.submittable.com/submit. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Scripps Howard Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Scripps Howard Foundation's 819 itemized 2024 grants were Maryland (18%), District of Columbia (18%) and Arizona (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (99 grants), Washington, DC (23 grants), Nashville, TN (23 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (15 grants). 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Volunteer Gift" (294 grants), "Matching Gift" (181 grants) and "Community Market Grant" (139 grants).
How The Scripps Howard Foundation gives
- 49% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 317% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Scripps Howard Foundation
- How to evaluate The Scripps Howard Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$69.4M
+15.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.4M
+7.7% YoY
Grant Count
819
-5.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+13.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Scripps Howard Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to create an informed and engaged world through three core pillars:
- Advancing journalism education and excellence in journalism, including support for quality journalism education and professional development
- Promoting childhood literacy, with particular emphasis on children living in poverty
- Supporting vital communities where The E.W. Scripps Company operates, including support for sound educational programs, strong families, vital social services, enriching arts and culture, and inclusive civic affairs
The foundation strives to advance the cause of a free press through support of excellence in journalism and professional development in the field.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $1,000 to $1,000,000+, with typical awards ranging from $25 to $818,475
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Scripps Howard Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation maintains a national focus with emphasis on:
- Greater Cincinnati
- Scripps media markets
- Areas of The E.W. Scripps Company operations, particularly Ohio, Florida, and Michigan
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 819 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $69,447,710 (2024)
Total Revenues: $19,459,483 (2024)
Total Expenses: $10,336,787 (2024)
Total Giving: $7,313,892 (based on most recent IRS 990 filing)
Staff: 12 employees
Historical Growth: The foundation's annual budget expanded from $100,000 in 1971 to over $100 million in total assets by recent years.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $69,447,710 | $59,946,932 | $59,030,616 |
| Revenue | $19,459,483 | $11,898,540 | $10,855,424 |
| Expenses | $10,336,787 | $9,539,374 | $9,740,430 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,879,050 | $9,225,437 | $9,116,446 |
| Net Investment Income | $10,340,868 | $4,740,073 | $4,068,348 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,119,159 | $3,194,627 | $3,139,901 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2018–2024
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
2,523 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Scripps Howard Foundation
Diversity and Inclusion in Journalism Grants
The Scripps Howard Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Environmental Fellowship Program Grant
The Scripps Howard Foundation
Amount
US $80,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Scripps Howard Journalism Awards Grant
The Scripps Howard Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include University of Maryland College Park Fdtn ($1,303,475 across 4 grants), International Center for Journalists Inc ($1,251,233 across 3 grants), Arizona State University Foundation ($1,076,358 across 3 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| International Center for Journalists Inc Washington, DC | Journalism Fund - Disarming Disinformation Grant | $675,706 |
| University of Colorado Foundation Denver, CO | Journalism Grant - Ted Scripps Environmental Program | $628,317 |
| International Center for Journalists Inc Washington, DC | Journalism Grant - Disarming Disinformation | $560,527 |
| University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS | Journalism Grant - Roy Howard Community Journalism Center | $554,454 |
| Arizona State University Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Journalism Fund - Howard Center | $545,000 |
| University of Maryland College Park Fdtn College Park, MD | Journalism Fund - Howard Center | $513,475 |
| Arizona State University Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Journalism Fund - Howard Center | $500,000 |
| University of Maryland College Park Fdtn College Park, MD | Journalism Fund - Howard Center | $500,000 |
| University of Maryland College Park Fdtn College Park, MD | Roy W. Howard Fellowships | $168,000 |
| University of Maryland College Park Fdtn College Park, MD | Journalism Grant - AI program | $122,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President: Liz Carter
General Contact: (513) 977-3035
Mailing Address: PO Box 5380, Cincinnati, OH 45201-5380
Phone: 513-977-3000
Website: https://scripps.com/fund/
The Scripps Howard Foundation is led by Liz Carter, President & CEO on every filing since 2018; 1 of 18 officers listed in 2021 is compensated.
Officers on the 2021 filing
Liz Carter
President & CEO
On filings since 2018
37.5 hrs/week
$238K (2018) → $287K (2021)
Austin Heidt
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn Micheli
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cheryle Harrison
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ed Fernandez
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Weiss
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jack Howard-Potter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jay Kaufman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leon Clark
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Knutson
Lead Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Scripps Klenzing
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Scagliotti
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ray Granado
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roy Perkins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Samantha Brickner Anderson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Choal
Trustee
New on the 2021 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Riegelsberger
Treasurer
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Giles
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Paul K. Scripps (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Robin A. Davis (2020) — Lead Trustee
- Former: Dave Giles (2018) — Secretary & Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2021. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2021 IRS filing
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2025, the Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation jointly distributed more than $11 million in charitable gifts, representing a significant commitment to their core mission areas. The organizations continue to invest in local communities through targeted grantmaking in journalism education, childhood literacy, and community development initiatives.
Scripps Howard Fund, Foundation invest $900K in local communities - MoversSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Scripps Howard Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to create an informed and engaged world through three core pillars: • **Advancing journalism education** and excellence in journalism, including support for quality journalism education and professional development • **Promoting childhood literacy**, with particular emphasis on children living in poverty • **Supporting vital communities** where The E.W. Scripps Company operates, including support for sound educational programs, strong families, vital social services,…
How do I apply for a grant from The Scripps Howard Foundation?
Online application portal available at https://scrippshowardfoundation.submittable.com/submit. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Scripps Howard Foundation make grants?
The foundation maintains a national focus with emphasis on: • Greater Cincinnati • Scripps media markets • Areas of The E.W. Scripps Company operations, particularly Ohio, Florida, and Michigan
What size grants does The Scripps Howard Foundation award?
In 2024, The Scripps Howard Foundation awarded 819 grants totaling $7.4M — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Scripps Howard Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Scripps Howard Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Scripps Howard Foundation's EIN?
The Scripps Howard Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6025114. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Scripps Howard Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.