Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation gave $9.8 million in charitable gifts in 2024

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The Scripps Howard Fund and Foundation distributed $9.8 million in charitable gifts during 2024, marking a 10% increase from 2023. The Fund's major allocations included: $2.5 million for community support through 77 fundraising campaigns, $1.6 million for journalism education including awards and internships, and $1.5 million for childhood literacy through the 'If You Give a Child a Book' campaign, which provided 255,000 books to 34,000 children.

The Foundation contributed $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, and investing over $2 million in the Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland and Arizona State University.

Positive

• 10% year-over-year increase in charitable giving to $9.8 million
• Successful fundraising with 6,500 donations across 77 campaigns
• Record-breaking $1.5 million investment in childhood literacy program
• Expansion of journalism education through new $3 million Roy Howard Community Journalism Center

Negative

• None.

CINCINNATI, Feb. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation, nonprofit organizations, awarded $9.8 million to community and journalism programs 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.

"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 the Scripps Howard Fund and Scripps Howard Foundation. "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 Fund's 2024 giving included:

$2.5 million to give back in communities served by The E.W. Scripps Company

• Scripps-owned local television stations and Scripps Networks held 77 fundraising campaigns in 2024 and received nearly 6,500 donations.
• The Fund supported more than 110 charities within Scripps' communities, providing help to those who need it most.
• The Fund, Scripps local stations and Scripps News joined forces to organize fundraisers alongside their coverage for hurricanes Helene and Milton. Viewers across the country answered the call, helping to raise $289,000 for 29 local nonprofits on the frontlines.

$1.6 million to advance journalism education

• During the 71st Scripps Howard Journalism Awards, the Fund awarded $170,000 across 15 categories, recognizing news organizations and journalists for outstanding investigations and storytelling.
• Twenty-one paid interns gained real-world experience working in newsrooms across the country.
• The Scripps Howard Fund provided grants to foster innovation in journalism education through two programs:
  • The Fund partners with the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to teach college students open-source investigative journalism.
  • The Fund, in partnership with the Adam R. Scripps Foundation, provided a grant to the University of Memphis to create an open-source investigative program at its Institute for Public Service Reporting.

$1.5 million to improve 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.
• This year's campaign provided 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 "If You Give a Child a Book …" campaign. Nearly 1,700 students across the district's seven elementary schools selected books of their own to start their home libraries during free Scholastic Book Fairs – that's 14,850 books into the hands of children most at risk of falling behind in reading.

The Foundation's 2024 giving included:

$4.2 million to advance journalism education

• In 2024, 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 create and operate the center. This groundbreaking program helps student journalists amplify the voices of under-reported communities, counter misinformation and produce meaningful, trustworthy journalism. Through their work, students will not only debunk falsehoods but also investigate and expose the sources of misinformation, fostering a more informed and engaged public.
• The Foundation funded $200,000 grants for Roy Howard fellows, helping them refine their journalism skills.
• The Foundation invested more than $2 million to continue its support for the Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland and Arizona State University. The Howard Centers train the next generation of reporters, introducing them to a host of topics including new media, data mining and the ethics and history of investigative journalism.

Media contact: Molly Miossi, 513-977-3713, molly.miossi@scripps.com

About the Scripps Howard Fund
The Scripps Howard Fund, a public charity established by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), is dedicated to creating informed and engaged communities through journalism education, childhood literacy and local causes. At the crossroads of the classroom and the newsroom, the Fund is a leader in supporting journalism through scholarships, internships, minority recruitment and development and First Amendment causes. The Scripps Howard Awards stand as one of the industry's top honors for outstanding journalism. The Fund's annual "If You Give a Child a Book …" childhood literacy campaign has distributed thousands of new books to children in need across the nation. The Fund partners with Scripps brands to create awareness of local issues and support organizations that build thriving communities. The Scripps Howard Fund administers funding for the Scripps Howard Foundation, a private foundation established in 1962 to advance charitable causes important to The E.W. Scripps Company and the Scripps and Howard families.  

About the Scripps Howard Foundation
The Scripps Howard Foundation is a private foundation established in 1962 to advance charitable causes important to The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) and the Scripps and Howard families. The Foundation is dedicated to creating informed and engaged communities through journalism education.

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SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company

FAQ

How much did Scripps Howard Fund and Foundation donate in 2024?

The Scripps Howard Fund and Foundation donated $9.8 million in charitable gifts during 2024, representing a 10% increase from 2023.

How many books did the 'If You Give a Child a Book' campaign provide in 2024?

The campaign provided 255,000 new books to 34,000 children at low-income schools across the United States in 2024.

What was the investment in the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center?

The Foundation committed $1 million per year for three years ($3 million total) to create and operate the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at the University of Southern Mississippi.

How much did Scripps Howard Fund allocate to journalism education in 2024?

The Fund allocated $1.6 million to advance journalism education, including $170,000 in journalism awards and funding for paid internships and educational programs.

How many fundraising campaigns did Scripps-owned stations conduct in 2024?

Scripps-owned local television stations and Scripps Networks held 77 fundraising campaigns in 2024, receiving nearly 6,500 donations.