Billionaire Amazon co-founder MacKenzie Scott announced Tuesday that she is donating another $640 million of her fortune to hundreds of nonprofit organizations.
Scott has already donated billions to charities, but she's changed her approach a bit with this latest round of donations. For the first time she created Open communication For nonprofits to apply directly for a gift through their organization, Yield Giving. In the past, her organization engaged in “quiet searching,” which involved finding worthy organizations privately and anonymously and contacting them secretly.
The open call included more than 6,000 applicants, and 361 organizations from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico were selected “for their outstanding work in advancing the voices and opportunities of individuals and families of little or modest means, and groups who have faced discrimination,” Scott said in a statement.
Giving was giving Originally planned To give $1 million in gifts to 250 organizations when the initiative was announced last year. But, because of the impressive applications they received, evaluators decided to expand the pool of winners and the amount they would receive: 279 organizations were awarded $2 million each, while another 82 organizations were awarded $1 million each, Yield Giving said.
“Open Call awardees are all creating positive change in their communities by reducing disparities in economic outcomes, education, health and other critical issues,” the organization said.
Scott is the fourth-richest woman in the world with a net worth of just under $35 billion, according to Forbes. Following her divorce from Jeff Bezos in 2019, Scott took a 4% stake in the company, boosting her wealth and personal net worth. I signed on Give a pledge That year, she allocated the majority of her wealth to the community.
last yearthe philanthropist has donated more than $2 billion to 360 organizations, saying in a Brief function On Yield Giving's website it's “inspired by all the ways people work together to give each other goodwill and support.”
Many of the causes Scott focuses her donations on are often linked educationand the arts, public health and diversity. Few Award winners The open call includes the ACLU of Alabama, Black Girl Ventures, GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, and Ser Familia.
“Infuriatingly humble alcohol fanatic. Unapologetic beer practitioner. Analyst.”