MacKenzie Scott has given giant, unrestricted presents to more than 2,450 nonprofits over the previous six years. The 54-year-old donated over $2 billion in 2024 alone, bringing her complete presents to $19.2 billion since 2019.
Now, a brand new three-year analysis from the Heart for Efficient Philanthropy (CEP) finds that Scott’s no-strings-attached presents, with a median dimension of $5 million, have had a “transformative impact” on nonprofits by serving to them develop their impression and turn into extra financially steady.
CEP launched the analysis earlier this month after surveying over 800 organizations that acquired donations from Scott from June to July 2024.
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The overwhelming majority of nonprofit leaders, 93%, reported that Scott’s grant reasonably or considerably strengthened their potential to hold out their mission. Most, 90%, mentioned the reward bolstered their monetary positions, whereas greater than 60% mentioned they used the grant to determine credibility with different funders.
The grants have additionally expanded nonprofits’ working budgets and have helped them present extra of an impression on their communities whereas additionally enhancing their very own worker’s well-being, the research notes.
The nonprofit Kaboom!, for instance, builds playgrounds in areas that lack them. Scott donated $14 million to the group in 2021, and greater than doubled its annual working finances.
After receiving a $9 million donation from Scott in 2020, the South Texas Meals Financial institution practically doubled the meals it distributed — 14 million kilos in 2019 to 26 million in 2020. South Texas Meals Financial institution CEO Alma Boubel told USA Today that the donation allowed the meals financial institution to maintain distributing round 20 million kilos of meals every year from 2021 to 2024 and supply its 42-person employees with free healthcare.
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General, Scott’s presents have enabled 85% of nonprofit recipients to enhance or develop their programming and given 52% a higher capability to reply to the wants of the communities they serve, the research discovered.
“Few funders have the assets to provide on the stage that MacKenzie Scott is giving, however each funder can be taught from her fascinating strategy,” Phil Buchanan, president of CEP, stated in a press release.
MacKenzie Bezos. Photograph by Michael Kovac/Getty Photographs for J/P HRO Gala
Nonprofit tax filings additionally mirrored the impression of Scott’s contributions. The organizations that acquired awards from Scott had double the amount of money reserves than comparable nonprofits.
Scott chosen these nonprofits based mostly on “quiet analysis,” or a discreet vetting course of that fastidiously analyzed the organizations in accordance with their dimension, mission, and monitor data. Some key focus areas of the grant recipients have been human companies (44%), training (41%), and well being (35%). Recipients of the presents can allocate the funds as they want with out enter from Scott.
Nonetheless, some nonprofit leaders have recognized drawbacks to Scott’s strategy.
Greater than half (53%) have been involved that different funders would possibly withdraw their help as a result of they’d really feel recipients did not want extra funding. Greater than 60% reported being afraid the grant would create a funding cliff, or decreased long-term funding.
The nonprofits Scott contributed to have been, on common, bigger than the norm with a median finances of $7 million. In accordance with the National Council of Nonprofits, 88% of nonprofits have a finances of lower than $500,000 per yr. Scott additionally gave reward recipients greater than anticipated, the CEP discovered. In comparison with the median grant dimension tracked by the middle of $123,000 amongst nonprofits as a complete, Scott’s contributions ranged from $300,000 to $80 million.
Scott’s wealth originates from the shares in Amazon she acquired after divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019. Scott signed the Giving Pledge that yr, writing that she had “a disproportionate sum of money to share” and would maintain donating “till the secure is empty.”
In accordance with the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Scott is value round $40.2 billion and is the forty first richest particular person on the planet.
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