MacKenzie Scott’s giving revolution: a new chapter in philanthropy
MacKenzie Scott – one of the world’s wealthiest women – donates significant part of her vast fortune to charitable causes.
Since her widely publicised divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott – one of the world’s wealthiest women – has announced her mission to donate a significant part of her vast fortune to charitable causes. This year alone, more than 360 nonprofit organisations have experienced the impact of her philanthropic approach, with individual donations reaching into the millions.
News at a glance:
MacKenzie Scott donates 640 million USD to 361 nonprofit organisations.
- Over 6,000 NGOs applied for funding; originally, just 250 grants of 1 million USD each were planned.
- Scott’s giving strategy differs from that of her ex-husband Jeff Bezos by focusing on hundreds of smaller organisations.
- Gender Justice received a donation of 2 million USD – the largest single contribution in the organisation’s history.
- Yield Giving, Scott’s organisation, published the amounts donated to supported organisations and NGOs.
In an unprecedented act of generosity, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has made a major announcement: 640 million USD will be distributed to 361 nonprofit organisations. This historic allocation is taking place through her organisation, Yield Giving, in partnership with Lever for Change. The initiative has sparked a wave of optimism among NGOs – who are now receiving more than twice the support originally outlined in the open call.
What is philanthropy?
Philanthropy refers to the voluntary commitment of people who use their wealth, time or expertise to help solve social challenges. At its core, it’s about taking responsibility — not out of obligation, but from a place of conviction.Philanthropists engage in a wide range of areas, from education and healthcare to environmental protection, human rights or the arts. Often, they aim for long-term impact and structural change.Curious to learn more?
A movement of solidarity and innovation
Scott’s philanthropic approach is shaped by a unique, community-driven selection process. "By involving our peers in the review process, we’ve not only increased transparency and fairness in our funding decisions, but also strengthened a sense of solidarity within the nonprofit community," Scott explains. This method highlights the value of collective expertise and mutual support – helping ensure that donations reach the organisations where they can have the greatest impact.
The peer-reviewed allocation led to 279 top organisations receiving 2 million USD each, with an additional 82 organisations awarded 1 million USD each. One example of the transformative power of this support is the organisation Gender Justice, which will now be able to significantly expand its work to advance gender equity thanks to a 2 million USD donation.
A different approach
Scott’s method stands in clear contrast to the philanthropic strategies of other major donors – including her ex-husband Jeff Bezos. While Bezos often focuses on high-profile, large-scale donations, Scott directs her support to a wide range of smaller organisations. This strategy allows her to create a broad and diverse impact, while reaching groups that may fall under the radar of traditional philanthropy.
Through her organisation Yield Giving, Scott has already contributed remarkable amounts to charitable causes – including 2.15 billion USD last year and more than 3.8 billion USD to 465 organisations over the previous nine months. "I firmly believe that each of us has a role to play in making the world a better place," Scott says. Her consistent efforts and groundbreaking donations are setting new standards in philanthropy – showing what’s possible when resources are used intentionally and strategically to enable positive change.
Marlene Engelhorn – A philanthropist taking a different path
Austrian heiress Marlene Engelhorn sparked international attention when she announced her plan to give away 90% of her inheritance. But rather than following a traditional philanthropic route, she’s doing something radically different: a citizens' assembly will decide how the money should be used.Engelhorn represents a new kind of philanthropy — one that questions power and wealth, and redefines what it means to take social responsibility. More on her story in our blog post:
A promising outlook
MacKenzie Scott already attracted significant attention back in 2022. That year, the 53-year-old billionaire donated 436 million USD to Habitat for Humanity and 84.5 million USD to Girl Scouts of the USA – the largest gifts ever made by an individual to those organisations. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Scott’s current net worth stands at approximately 36.2 billion USD. Plenty of resources remain – meaning she could continue to make lasting impact in the coming years on topics such as education, healthcare, environmental protection, humanitarian aid, poverty reduction, water and sanitation, animal welfare – and, not least, gender equality and human rights.
.png)
.png)
%20(1)-1.png)