Walter Scott Family Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals
About Walter Scott Family Foundation
The Walter Scott Family Foundation concentrates philanthropic capital on large, place-based civic and cultural infrastructure projects in Omaha and the surrounding region. Its grants overwhelmingly support capital campaigns and general operating endowments for longtime local institutions — from parks and riverfront redevelopment to major educational and cultural anchors — reflecting a strategy of building lasting community assets.
Focus Areas
Downtown riverfront and public park development in OmahaMajor capital projects for cultural institutions (zoos, discovery centers)Private K–12 independent school facility expansion (Brownell Talbot)Community information and civic infrastructure (local media/trusts)Local philanthropic endowments and award programs (Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation/Omaha Award)
Who They Fund
youth and next-generation leaders/studentsresidents and communities in Nebraska (including Omaha)nonprofit organizations seeking capital or operating support
About Walter Scott Family Foundation
The Walter Scott Family Foundation’s largest recent grant was $40,627,379 to the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation for the Omaha Award and general operating support, a clear signal that the family’s philanthropy is built around long-standing local institutions and community infrastructure. The foundation’s giving also shows up in major capital commitments: $19,993,683 to the Downtown Riverfront Trust for a capital campaign and $10,525,545 to the Omaha Zoo Foundation for a capital campaign. Those awards sit alongside a broad mix of support for education, civic amenities, cultural institutions, and nonprofit capacity in Nebraska and the Omaha area. A recurring pattern is support for projects that create or expand durable community assets rather than short-term program spending. Recent grants include a $9,000,000 capital campaign award to Brownell Talbot School, a $5,000,000 capital campaign grant to Community Information Trust, and a $3,000,000 capital campaign grant to Joslyn Art Museum. The foundation also funds scholarships and leadership programs through related Scott family vehicles, including higher-education support and next-generation learning opportunities. Across the recent grants list, Omaha-based institutions appear repeatedly, with additional grants extending to Lincoln, Kearney, Hastings, Ashland, and southwest Iowa.
What Walter Scott Family Foundation Funds
Education is one of the clearest parts of the foundation’s portfolio. In 2025 it gave $1,726,000 to the University of Nebraska Foundation for next generation, program support, and scholarships, and $1,041,877 to Southeast Community College Educational Foundation for capital campaign and scholarships. It also supports scholarship vehicles tied to the Scott family, including the Scott Scholars Program and other merit-based scholarship efforts. Leadership and youth development show up through family and student-oriented programs. The foundation awarded $2,000,000 to Project Harmony for program support, and its active scholarship programs include the NE Eagle Scout Scholarship and the Carolyn Scott Scholars Program at Nebraska Methodist College. Community development is another major thread: $1,375,000 went to Omaha Community Foundation for program support, linking the foundation’s giving to local nonprofit capacity and civic initiatives.
How Walter Scott Family Foundation Gives
Typical grants are large: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $150,000, and the 75th percentile is $975,000. The recent grants list shows repeated support to some organizations across multiple years, including the Singer Foundation and Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, which indicates ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it makes grants directly from a large family foundation structure. Several active programs accept unsolicited requests, including the Omaha Award, Advancing Communities, Scott Scholars, NE Eagle Scout Scholarship, and Carolyn Scott Scholars Program.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$46.3M
Total Assets
$2.8B
Total Revenue
$1.1B
Total Expenses
$51.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $975K, with a median of $150K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$150K
75th Percentile
$975K
Geographic Reach
Regional18 states funded
About 47% of grants go to recipients in NE.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
CALVIN SISSON
PRESIDENT & CEO
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