Bezos's ex-wife MacKenzie Scott donated $7.1B to non-profits this year
What's the story
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has announced her biggest annual donation yet, giving away $7.1 billion to non-profit organizations in 2025. The figure is a major jump from her previous years' contributions of $2.6 billion in 2024 and $2.1 billion in 2023. The latest donations take her total giving since 2019 to an impressive $26.3 billion, according to Forbes estimates of Scott's net worth at $33 billion. This is largely from Amazon shares she received after divorcing Jeff Bezos in 2019.
Philanthropic approach
Scott's donations come with no strings attached
Scott's donations have drawn the attention of non-profits and other philanthropic funders due to their unconditional nature. The amounts are often much larger than the annual budgets of recipient organizations. However, unlike most foundations or big donors who direct grants to specific programs and require applications along with updates about the impact of a non-profit's work, Scott does not ask grantees to report back on how they used the money.
Impact on education
HBCUs receive significant donations
Ahead of her announcement, more than a dozen historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) revealed they had got $783 million in donations from Scott this year. The information was shared by Marybeth Gasman, a Rutgers University professor and HBCU expert. Notably, the latest gifts are bigger than those made by Scott in 2020. Overall, Gasman has tracked $1.35 billion in donations from Scott to HBCUs since 2020.
Additional contributions
Donations to UNCF and Native Forward Scholars Fund
Scott also donated $70 million to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the largest provider of scholarships to minority students. The organization said it would invest the gift in a collective endowment for participating HBCUs. Another $50 million went to Native Forward Scholars Fund, which offers college and graduate scholarships to Native American students.
Expanding reach
Scott's steps enable non-profits to reach more students
Kim Mazzuca, CEO of California-based nonprofit 10,000 Degrees, was overjoyed when her organization received its first gift from Scott, $42 million. The donation is about double their annual budget and will help them reach more students and start an endowment. "She comes from a very deep, reflective space," said Mazzuca while emphasizing that Scott's financial support is just a tool for people to recognize their potential impact on the world.