Cincinnati-based Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation awarded a combined $9.8 million to community and journalism programs across the United States during 2024, a nearly 10% increase from 2023.
The Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation support communities where The E.W. Scripps Company does business, while their journalism programs and funding reach people across the country. The fund and foundation also partner with the Scripps and Howard families to support causes important to them.
The nearly $10 million from the Scripps Howard Fund and Foundation went to a range of initiatives, supporting community-led initiatives, journalism education and childhood literacy across efforts.
A breakdown of the nonprofits’ giving is below.
“Together with our partners, the Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation continually find new ways to serve our communities and support the evolving landscape of journalism,” said Meredith Delaney, president and CEO of both organizations.
Where the dollars went
Community giving
The organizations provided $2.5 million to support communities served by The E.W. Scripps Company.
Scripps-owned local television stations and Scripps Networks hosted 77 fundraising campaigns, generating nearly 6,500 donations in 2024. The Fund supported more than 110 charities within Scripps’ communities, providing aid to those in need.
In response to hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Fund, Scripps local stations and Scripps News collaborated on fundraisers, raising $289,000 for 29 local nonprofits assisting affected communities.
Journalism education
Investments included $1.6 million in advancing journalism education.
During the 71st Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, the Fund awarded $170,000 across 15 categories, recognizing outstanding investigations and storytelling. Twenty-one paid interns gained hands-on experience in newsrooms nationwide.
The Fund provided grants to support journalism education innovation:
- Partnering with the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to teach college students open-source investigative journalism.
- Collaborating with the Adam R. Scripps Foundation to fund an open-source investigative program at the University of Memphis’ Institute for Public Service Reporting.
Childhood literacy
A total of $1.5 million went to childhood literacy through the ninth annual “If You Give a Child a Book …” campaign. The campaign provided 255,000 new books to 34,000 children at low-income schools across the U.S.
In Clay County, Kentucky, all elementary schools received support from the campaign, allowing nearly 1,700 students to select books for their home libraries during free Scholastic Book Fairs—distributing 14,850 books to children at risk of falling behind in reading.
Scripps Howard Foundation giving
As part of its giving, the Foundation gave $4.2 million to advancing journalism education.
The Foundation expanded its impact by establishing the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at the University of Southern Mississippi. USM will receive $1 million per year for three years to operate the center, which aims to amplify under-reported voices, counter misinformation and produce meaningful, trustworthy journalism.
“The impact of our 2024 funding underscores the power of collaboration that drives everything we do – creating opportunities, building brighter futures for young people through reading and fostering a more engaged, informed world.”
Scripps Howard Fund and Foundation initiatives
Discover more from Movers & Makers
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.