Scripps Howard Fund and Foundation: A Beacon of Philanthropy in 2024

In 2024, the Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation demonstrated their commitment to creating informed and engaged communities by distributing a record-breaking $9.8 million in charitable gifts. This significant increase from the previous year, a nearly 10% rise from 2023, reflects the organizations' dedication to supporting journalism education, childhood literacy, and local causes.

The Fund's major allocations in 2024 included:

1. Community Support: The Scripps Howard Fund invested $2.5 million in community support, with Scripps-owned local television stations and Scripps Networks holding 77 fundraising campaigns and receiving nearly 6,500 donations. The Fund also supported more than 110 charities within Scripps' communities, providing help to those who need it most. In addition, the Fund, Scripps local stations, and Scripps News joined forces to organize fundraisers alongside their coverage for hurricanes Helene and Milton, raising $289,000 for 29 local nonprofits on the frontlines.
2. Journalism Education: The Scripps Howard Fund allocated $1.6 million to advance journalism education, including:
* Awarding $170,000 across 15 categories during the 71st Scripps Howard Journalism Awards.
* Providing paid internships for 21 students working in newsrooms across the country.
* Offering grants to foster innovation in journalism education through two programs:
+ Partnering with the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to teach college students open-source investigative journalism.
+ Providing a grant to the University of Memphis to create an open-source investigative program at its Institute for Public Service Reporting, in partnership with the Adam R. Scripps Foundation.
3. Childhood Literacy: The Fund's ninth annual "If You Give a Child a Book …" campaign invested a record-breaking $1.5 million in childhood literacy, providing 255,000 new books to 34,000 children at low-income schools across the United States. In 2024, Clay County, Kentucky, became the first school district in the country to have all its elementary schools receive support from the campaign, benefiting nearly 1,700 students.

The Scripps Howard Foundation contributed an additional $4.2 million to advance journalism education, including:

* Establishing the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at the University of Southern Mississippi with a $3 million commitment over three years.
* Investing over $2 million to continue supporting the Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland and Arizona State University.

Meredith Delaney, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation, stated, "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. 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."

The Scripps Howard Fund and Foundation's investment in journalism education, childhood literacy, and community giving contributes to the broader economic and social development of the communities they serve by fostering a more informed and engaged public, creating a more educated and skilled workforce, addressing immediate needs, and supporting disaster relief and recovery efforts. These investments can lead to improved educational outcomes, a more robust economy, and a better quality of life for residents.