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Scaife Family Foundation
The Scaife Family Foundation was established in 1985 by Jennie K. Scaife and David Scaife, carrying forward a philanthropic legacy rooted in the immense wealth...
Scaife Family Foundation
The Scaife Family Foundation was established in 1985 by Jennie K. Scaife and David Scaife, carrying forward a philanthropic legacy rooted in the immense wealth of the Mellon family. Their father, Richard Mellon Scaife, was a billionaire publisher and heir to the Mellon Bank, Gulf Oil, and Alcoa fortunes built across generations. Jennie Scaife served as president and chairperson until her death in 2018. The foundation now operates from West Palm Beach under the leadership of President and Chairman David Zywiec. Grants target three specific program areas: programs demonstrating beneficial interaction between humans and animals, early intervention and prevention in drug and alcohol addiction, and issues concerning women's and children's health and welfare. The foundation has disbursed over $180 million in cumulative donations to nonprofits, primarily concentrated in South Florida and Western Pennsylvania. Grantees are typically community-based direct-service organizations, reflecting a preference for local impact over institutional or academic giving. The foundation does not maintain public-facing investment staff profiles or publish returns. Its asset base is presumed to include a corporate stock portfolio held in West Palm Beach, alongside real estate holdings such as the office at 777 South Flagler Drive, and significant personal assets held by the principals — including the David Scaife car collection, which contains rare Ferraris including three of six existing Ferrari F50 GT prototypes. The foundation is a long-time donor and member of the Philanthropy Roundtable and a major sponsor of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County's 1916 Society. Where many private foundations build in-house investment operations or migrate toward institutional asset management, the Scaife Family Foundation operates as a lean grant-making entity — its structural differentiator is the absence of a visible investment arm. The foundation shares governance with sister entities including the DSF Charitable Foundation, the Jennie K. Scaife Charitable Foundation, and the Sarah Scaife Foundation, but each maintains independent programming. This network of Scaife-linked foundations, rooted in Mellon wealth and controlled by successive generations of the family, distributes capital without the intermediation of external investment managers.
General information
Firm type
Foundation
Year founded
1985
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
West Palm Beach
Corporate office
West Palm Beach, FL, United States
Principals
David Zywiec
President and Chairman
David Scaife
Principal
Jennie K. Scaife
Co-founder and Former President (deceased 2018)
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Scaife Family Foundation's wealth come from?
The foundation's endowment originates from the Mellon family fortune, one of America's great industrial and banking dynasties. The wealth was built through Mellon Bank, founded in 1869, alongside controlling stakes in Gulf Oil and Alcoa. Richard Mellon Scaife, a direct heir to that fortune, passed the wealth to his children Jennie and David Scaife, who then established the foundation.
Who runs investment decisions at the Scaife Family Foundation?
The foundation does not publicly disclose an investment team or chief investment officer. David Zywiec serves as President and Chairman, and David Scaife remains a principal, but the foundation operates with a lean professional staff focused on grant-making rather than in-house asset management. Investment functions may be managed through family offices or external advisors, but details are not public.
What does the Scaife Family Foundation actually fund?
Grants fall into three specific program areas: animal-assisted therapy and programs demonstrating beneficial human-animal interaction, early intervention and prevention in drug and alcohol addiction, and women's and children's health and welfare. The foundation prioritizes direct-service nonprofits in South Florida and Western Pennsylvania, though its charter permits nationwide giving.
How is the Scaife Family Foundation different from the Sarah Scaife Foundation?
The Scaife Family Foundation and the Sarah Scaife Foundation are separate entities with distinct grant programs and governance. The Sarah Scaife Foundation, also Mellon-derived, focuses on public policy, higher education, and national security issues — a fundamentally different mission from the Scaife Family Foundation's focus on animal welfare, addiction, and women's health. Both are part of a broader network of Scaife-linked philanthropies controlled by different branches of the family.
Does the Scaife Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
The foundation has historically operated with a limited number of invited grantees and does not publicly advertise a broad open-call application process. Organizations working within the foundation's three program areas in South Florida or Western Pennsylvania may receive consideration, but the foundation's website and communications provide the most current guidance on eligibility.
What is David Zywiec's role in the Scaife family's philanthropic operations?
David Zywiec serves as President and Chairman of both the Scaife Family Foundation and the Jennie K. Scaife Charitable Foundation, making him the senior non-family executive overseeing day-to-day grant-making and operations. While David Scaife remains a principal and ultimate decision-maker, Zywiec runs the operational side of the philanthropies.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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