Homer A. & Mildred S. Scott Foundation
/OVERVIEW: This funder primarily supports youth causes but also supports economic development, health, and arts and humanities. Grant requests are reviewed four times per year.
IP TAKE: It is a good idea to secure support from other foundations before approaching this one—Scott is all about matching grants.
PROFILE: The Homer A. & Mildred S. Scott Foundation is a private family foundation based in Sheridan, Wyoming. It seeks to “provide charitable grants to worthy tax-exempt organizations that exclusively carry on religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational activities.” It was established by areas ranchers Homer and Mildred Scott in 1982. The couple was active in their community and established their trust to give back at least 70 percent to the Sheridan area. Other funding has supported places where Scott family members reside.
The foundation has a broad range of interests but largely prioritizes youth causes. It supports character-building efforts for youth, as well as economic opportunity in communities, healthy environments, and the arts and humanities. It prioritizes groups within a 30-mile radius of Sheridan, Wyoming, and other areas where the Scott family has a presence. The foundation is passionate about supporting organizations that are well-run and not over-reliant on government funds. It requires its grantees to secure matching funds as leverage.
Scott reviews grant proposals during quarterly meetings in April, July, October, and January. Deadlines for grant applications typically fall six weeks before these quarterly meeting dates. Scott strongly advises grant seekers to contact the foundation office to discuss a project before submitting a proposal.
Grantees include the Bradford Brinton Memorial and Museum Illustrator Show, Billings Family YMCA, WYO Theater, Alternative Elder Living Incorporated- Greenhouse Project, and Sheridan Community Land Trust. Both single-year and multiyear grants are awarded.
As a rule, the foundation deprioritizes endowment funds, capital campaigns, elementary and secondary schools, individual churches and religious groups, and the needs of normally tax-supported public facilities. It makes on a matching fund basis to encourage broad support. Equal matching is required, meaning that for every foundation award, a grantee is required to secure the same amount from another source.
The Scott Foundation is also very interested in site visits, and it is customary for a foundation representative to visit to view activity before awarding a grant. Up to two grant requests may be considered by the foundation in the same foundation fiscal year (March 1 to February 28).
Scott’s website is updated infrequently, so grant seekers should be sure to contact the foundation before submitting a proposal.
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