LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 06: Chief Executive Officer of Amazon Jeff Bezos (L) and MacKenzie Bezos attend the SEAN PENN J/P HRO GALA: A Gala Dinner to Benefit J/P Haitian Relief Organization and a Coalition of Disaster Relief Organizations at Milk Studios on January 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
MacKenzie Scott, a philanthropist who was formerly married to Jeff Bezos, is gearing up to donate $1M to 250 undecided organizations that are ushering in “positive change!”
Through her Yield Giving organization, Scott recently announced an “open call” for nonprofits to apply for an “unrestricted” donation of $1M, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
In light of this decision, MacKenzie Scott notes that the effort serves as a “new pathway to [provide] support for organizations making positive change in their communities.”
Eligibility is determined by the nonprofits having annual operating budgets of at least $1M—though no more than $5M—for at least two of the last five years.
Notably, this “open call” is the first time that Scott is opening up the opportunity for the nonprofits to reach out for potential donations—as the philanthropist’s team had been contacting organizations themselves up to this point.
Regarding this exciting opportunity, MacKenzie Scott says it’s well-deserved, as the people behind these nonprofit organizations “have insights no one else can offer.”
“Teams on the front lines of challenges have insights no one else can offer. So there are three big headlines here in my heart: Community changemakers can nominate themselves. Community changemakers get feedback from their peers. Community changemakers have a powerful role in funding decisions.”
Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, adds, “This open call is designed to empower and strengthen communities across the United States that are often overlooked.”
Eligible nonprofits can find the open call application here. Organizations have to register by May 5 and apply by June 12. Following a selection and evaluation process, 250 winners will be announced in early 2024.
Speaking of her charitable efforts, we should add that MacKenzie has definitely been busy spreading the joy.
In an open letter published back in late 2020, MacKenzie Scott announced that she had donated nearly $4.2 BILLION to 384 different organizations, including some historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
About a year following Scott’s open letter, administrators from three such institutions—Norfolk State University (NSU), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&T), and Delaware State University (DSU)—spoke on how her donations were utilized, according to Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
Kenneth Sigmon Jr., NCA&T’s vice chancellor for university advancement, noted that the donation “couldn’t have come at a better time” before acknowledging how useful Scott’s unrestricted donation was, as it didn’t come with specific restrictions like other funds do.
“For us as a public institution, that allows us to do things we couldn’t otherwise do because of restrictions on the state dollars we get.”
Shoutout to MacKenzie Scott for continuing to come through with the philanthropy!
