MacKenzie Scott’s Approach to Large-Scale Giving
MacKenzie Scott, an author and former Amazon executive, has emerged as one of the most influential philanthropists of the modern era. Following her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019, Scott received a multi-billion dollar settlement, instantly making her one of the wealthiest women in the world. However, what has set her apart is how quickly and generously she has chosen to give her fortune away.
In 2024 alone, MacKenzie Scott donated over 2.6 billion dollars to nonprofit organizations focused on equity, education, and healthcare. Rather than building a foundation with strict guidelines or layers of red tape, Scott developed a new approach to giving. Her method is characterized by direct, unrestricted grants to organizations that are already doing meaningful work in underserved communities. This model allows recipients the freedom to decide how best to use the funds, making her one of the most trusted and impactful donors in philanthropy.
Her giving is coordinated through a nonprofit organization called Yield Giving. Named for the belief that giving should yield change, Yield Giving provides funding across a wide range of sectors, with a focus on organizations led by individuals from marginalized communities. The organization emphasizes transparency, trust, and equity in its approach. By removing the traditional barriers and expectations placed on philanthropic gifts, Scott aims to empower leaders and organizations that have long been overlooked.
Impact Across Education, Health, and Social Justice
Scott’s donations have touched nearly every corner of the nonprofit world. Many historically Black colleges and universities, community colleges, and grassroots organizations have received transformative grants from her. These contributions have often doubled or tripled the operating budgets of smaller nonprofits, allowing them to expand their services, hire more staff, or invest in long-term planning.
In the area of education, Scott’s funding has helped schools and scholarship programs increase access for students from low-income families. Her support for healthcare organizations has strengthened access to mental health services, women’s health clinics, and public health initiatives in rural and urban areas.
Scott has also invested heavily in groups working toward racial and gender equity, immigrant rights, housing security, and criminal justice reform. Rather than seeking media attention or personal recognition, Scott typically announces her donations in occasional blog posts, often highlighting the work of the recipients rather than her own involvement.
As of 2024, Scott has given away more than 16 billion dollars to over 1,600 organizations. Her pace and style of giving continue to disrupt the norms of philanthropy, showing that it is possible to move fast, act boldly, and trust those doing the work on the ground.
MacKenzie Scott’s legacy is not just about the amount of money she gives, but how she gives it. By focusing on impact, equity, and trust, she has become a model for modern philanthropy and a source of hope for countless communities across the world.