Screaming Comet Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $3,141,500 (2022)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only/trustee discretion)
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: National (primarily education, museums, healthcare)
• Total Assets: $129,465,614 (2022)

Contact Details

Address:
2340 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139

EIN: 20-0512645

Note: No public website, email, or phone number available. This is a private family foundation that does not maintain public contact channels for grant applications.

Overview

The Screaming Comet Foundation was established in 2003 in New York and is currently based in Miami Beach, Florida. As a private grantmaking foundation with assets of $129.5 million (per 2022 990-PF filing), the foundation distributed $3.1 million in grants in 2022. The foundation operates under the leadership of William E. Ford (President) and his family, including his wife Molly Ford, with whom he has made significant philanthropic investments. The foundation focuses its grantmaking primarily on education, with additional support for museums and healthcare institutions, particularly cancer hospitals. The foundation has demonstrated a commitment to supporting first-generation college students through comprehensive scholarship programmes that cover not only tuition but also housing, books, and wrap-around support services. All grants are made through trustee discretion rather than a public application process.

Note: Grantmaking levels vary significantly year-to-year. Historical 990 data shows $10,000 in grants paid in 2021 and $3.1 million in 2022.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation does not operate formal grant programmes with defined grant ranges. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees based on their philanthropic interests and strategic priorities.

Known Grant Example:

• Molly Ford Scholarship Fund at Florida Atlantic University (2023): Multi-year commitment providing full-cost-of-attendance scholarships for first-generation students, covering tuition, fees, books, housing expenses, academic and programmatic wrap-around services, internships, and study abroad opportunities. To date, nine students have received this scholarship.

Priority Areas

Based on IRS 990-PF filings and public information, the foundation gives primarily in these areas:

• Education: Primary focus, particularly supporting first-generation college students with comprehensive scholarship programmes that aim to enable debt-free graduation
• Museums: Cultural institutions receive funding support
• Healthcare: Specifically cancer hospitals and related medical institutions

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available. As a private family foundation operating through trustee discretion, they fund organisations aligned with the trustees' personal philanthropic interests.

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel:

• William E. Ford - President

The foundation is managed as a family philanthropic vehicle with professional investment management to sustain its endowment and grantmaking capacity.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Screaming Comet Foundation operates as a private family foundation where all grants are made through trustee discretion. The foundation identifies and selects beneficiary organisations based on the trustees' philanthropic priorities and existing relationships rather than accepting unsolicited applications.

Grants are awarded to organisations that align with the Ford family's strategic interests in education, cultural institutions, and healthcare, typically through:

• Direct outreach from trustees to organisations
• Pre-existing relationships with institutions
• Board member and trustee identification of funding opportunities

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion throughout the year rather than through a formal application cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable for public applications, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

For organisations hoping to receive funding from this foundation:

Since the Screaming Comet Foundation operates through trustee discretion without a public application process, traditional application strategies do not apply. However, based on their known grantmaking patterns:

1. Mission Alignment is Critical: The foundation demonstrates clear priorities in education (particularly first-generation student support), museums, and cancer hospitals. Organisations working in these areas are more likely to be considered.

2. Comprehensive Support Model: The Molly Ford Scholarship at Florida Atlantic University exemplifies their preference for holistic support rather than partial funding. The scholarship covers not just tuition but housing, books, wrap-around services, internships, and study abroad—suggesting the foundation values comprehensive solutions over piecemeal support.

3. Focus on Educational Equity: The emphasis on first-generation students "graduating debt-free" indicates a strong commitment to removing financial barriers to education and supporting educational mobility.

4. Long-term Institutional Relationships: The foundation appears to build sustained partnerships with institutions rather than making one-time grants, as evidenced by the multi-year scholarship programme at FAU.

5. Significant Grantmaking Capacity: With assets exceeding $129 million and demonstrated capacity for multi-million dollar annual grantmaking (though levels vary year-to-year), the foundation has the capacity to make transformational gifts to organisations that align with their mission.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The Screaming Comet Foundation is a private family foundation that does not accept unsolicited applications or maintain a public application process
• All grants are made through trustee discretion based on the Ford family's philanthropic priorities
• Primary funding areas include education (especially first-generation college students), museums, and cancer hospitals
• The foundation favours comprehensive, holistic support models as demonstrated by their full-cost-of-attendance scholarship programme that includes wrap-around services
• Known for making significant, multi-year commitments to institutions rather than small, one-time grants
• Organisations cannot apply directly—funding relationships are initiated by the trustees
• With $129.5 million in assets (2022 990-PF) and demonstrated capacity for substantial annual grantmaking, the foundation has significant grantmaking capacity
• Grantmaking levels vary significantly year-to-year based on 990 records

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Screaming Comet Foundation - Financial data and organisational information, accessed December 24, 2025
• Florida Atlantic University - The Molly Ford Scholarship Supports First-Generation Students - Information about the Molly Ford Scholarship Fund, accessed December 24, 2025
• Candid Foundation Directory - Screaming Comet Foundation Profile - Foundation profile and funding priorities, accessed December 24, 2025
• The Share Way - Screaming Comet Foundation - Basic foundation information, accessed December 24, 2025
• GuideStar Profile - Screaming Comet Foundation - Tax-exempt organisation profile, accessed December 24, 2025