The William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation concentrates giving on educational opportunity and youth-serving organizations in and around Omaha, with substantial support for local college access and early childhood programs. Grants also target community-based mentoring, recreation and human services—including services for people with autism and organizations serving Black youth and families—and occasionally fund small international projects. The foundation tends to make a few large, mission-focused awards alongside multiple repeat grants to neighborhood nonprofits and service providers.
The William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by a six-figure, multi-year commitment to Avenue Scholars Foundation in Omaha, including $500,000 in 2024 and $400,000 in 2025. That pattern fits a broader portfolio centered on educational opportunity and youth-serving organizations in and around Omaha, with repeated support for college access, early childhood programs, mentoring, recreation, and human services. The foundation also backs organizations serving children and families with autism, Black-led youth leadership groups, and a small number of international projects. Its grant list shows a mix of large anchor awards and smaller, recurring operating-style grants to neighborhood nonprofits. Bellevue University received $200,000 in 2023, while Ainsworth Child Dev Center received $95,000 in 2024 and Boone Beginnings Early Ch Ctr received $43,000 in 2023. Alongside those larger awards, the foundation has also supported local service organizations such as Abide Network, Angels Among Us Inc, and At Ease USA across multiple years. The overall picture is a local funder with a concentrated Omaha-area portfolio and a clear preference for mission-specific support tied to children, youth, and education.
College access is one of the clearest themes in the foundation’s grantmaking. Avenue Scholars Foundation received $500,000 in 2024 and $400,000 in 2025, while Bellevue University received $200,000 in 2023. Early childhood education is another visible area: Ainsworth Child Dev Center received $95,000 in 2024, and Boone Beginnings Early Ch Ctr received $43,000 in 2023. Youth mentoring and recreation also appear in the recent awards. Big Brothers Big Sisters-Midl received $70,000 in 2023, Bike Union Mentoring Project received $50,000 in 2023, and Alliance Recreation Center received $50,000 in 2025. The foundation has additionally supported services for neurodiverse children and families through Autism Action Partnership, which received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Community leadership and identity-based youth work show up as well, including 100 Black Men of Omaha Inc, which received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Typical grant size clusters in the low tens of thousands: the 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $55,000. The recent grant list also includes larger outliers, such as $500,000 and $400,000 awards, which lift the overall scale above the median. The foundation shows a repeat-grant pattern across years, with several recipients appearing more than once, including Avenue Scholars Foundation, Abide Network, Angels Among Us Inc, At Ease USA, Autism Action Partnership, Aqua Africa Inc, and 100 Black Men of Omaha Inc. It is a family foundation, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments.
$570K
$214.6M
$40.9M
$26.1M
Most grants fall between $20K and $55K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$55K
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Concentrated local focus with a small number of large awards (one grantee accounts for a very large share) plus repeated smaller grants to core community partners; primarily program support to education and youth-service nonprofits rather than broad national philanthropy.
Notable grantees: Avenue Scholars Foundation, Bellevue University, Autism Action Partnership, Abide Network, 100 Black Men of Omaha Inc
Grantmaking is tightly concentrated in Nebraska: 100% of grants in the recent list went to recipients in the HQ state. Omaha is the main recipient city, with repeated awards to Avenue Scholars Foundation, Abide Network, Angels Among Us Inc, Autism Action Partnership, At Ease USA, Aqua Africa Inc, and 100 Black Men of Omaha Inc. Outside Omaha, the foundation has also funded Bellevue, Ainsworth, Albion, and Alliance, showing a statewide Nebraska footprint rather than a multi-state one.
It gives most often to educational institutions, youth-development organizations, and human services groups. Recent grants include college access, early childhood education, mentoring, recreation, autism-related services, and leadership development for Black youth and families.
Its grant-size profile centers on $20,000 at the 25th percentile, a $25,000 median, and $55,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger commitments such as $500,000 and $400,000.
The recent grant list shows all 24 grants went to recipients in Nebraska, and the top giving state is NE. The recipient cities in the list are all in-state, including Omaha, Bellevue, Ainsworth, Albion, and Alliance.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Avenue Scholars Foundation, Abide Network, Angels Among Us Inc, At Ease USA, Autism Action Partnership, Aqua Africa Inc, and 100 Black Men of Omaha Inc. That suggests the foundation often renews support rather than making one-time awards only.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avenue Scholars Foundation | Omaha, NE | $400,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Alliance Recreation Center | Alliance, NE | $50,000 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Angels Among Us Inc | Omaha, NE | $25,000 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Abide Network | Omaha, NE | $25,000 | 2025 | Human Services |
| 100 Black Men of Omaha Inc | Omaha, NE | $20,000 | 2025 | Educational Institutions |
| Autism Action Partnership | Omaha, NE | $20,000 | 2025 | Philanthropy, Voluntarism, Grants |
| At Ease USA | Omaha, NE | $15,000 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Aqua Africa Inc | Omaha, NE | $15,000 | 2025 | International, Foreign Affairs |
| Avenue Scholars Foundation | Omaha, NE | $500,000 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Ainsworth Child Dev Center | Ainsworth, NE | $95,000 | 2024 | Youth Development |
| Abide Network | Omaha, NE | $30,000 | 2024 | Human Services |
| Angels Among Us Inc | Omaha, NE | $25,000 | 2024 | Human Services |
| Aqua Africa Inc | Omaha, NE | $25,000 | 2024 | International, Foreign Affairs |
| 100 Black Men of Omaha Inc | Omaha, NE | $20,000 | 2024 | Educational Institutions |
| Autism Action Partnership | Omaha, NE | $20,000 | 2024 | Philanthropy, Voluntarism, Grants |
| At Ease USA | Omaha, NE | $15,000 | 2024 | Human Services |
| Bellevue University | Bellevue, NE | $200,000 | 2023 | Educational Institutions |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters-Midl | Omaha, NE | $70,000 | 2023 | Youth Development |
| Bike Union Mentoring Project | Omaha, NE | $50,000 | 2023 | Youth Development |
| Boone Beginnings Early Ch Ctr | Albion, NE | $43,000 | 2023 | Educational Institutions |
| Autism Action Partnership | Omaha, NE | $20,000 | 2023 | Philanthropy, Voluntarism |
| Abide Network | Omaha, NE | $20,000 | 2023 | Human Services |
| 100 Black Men of Omaha Inc | Omaha, NE | $15,000 | 2023 | Educational Institutions |
| Angels Among Us Inc | Omaha, NE | $15,000 | 2023 | Human Services |
Alliance Recreation Center
$50,000Human Services
Philanthropy, Voluntarism, Grants
At Ease USA
$15,000Human Services
Aqua Africa Inc
$15,000International, Foreign Affairs
Ainsworth Child Dev Center
$95,000Youth Development
Aqua Africa Inc
$25,000International, Foreign Affairs
At Ease USA
$15,000Human Services
Bellevue University
$200,000Educational Institutions
Boone Beginnings Early Ch Ctr
$43,000Educational Institutions