MacKenzie Scott Surpasses $1 Billion in HBCU Donations
MacKenzie Scott's philanthropic efforts have reached new heights as she surpassed the $1 billion mark in donations to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who sold half of her Amazon stake in 2020, made a $42 million gift to Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina earlier this year. This donation pushed her total giving to HBCUs past the $1 billion mark.
The $42 million gift was part of Scott's ongoing commitment to HBCUs, with several other notable donations including $80 million to Howard University in 2025 and $70 million each to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the United Negro College Fund. Since 2020, she has committed about $26 billion to thousands of organizations working across areas including education, health, community development, disaster recovery, and environmental causes.
Scott's approach to giving is based on trust and direct support for organizations, with many of her donations being unrestricted. This means universities can decide how to use the money instead of following conditions set by the donor. The funds can be used for scholarships, faculty hiring, endowments, campus upgrades, or other priorities identified by the universities.