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July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Money & Work • Philanthropy

MacKenzie Scott

MacKenzie Scott is an American novelist and philanthropist known for donating large, unrestricted gifts to nonprofit organizations.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

MacKenzie Scott is an American novelist and philanthropist who has given away billions through large, unrestricted grants. Her wealth stems from an Amazon stake received in her divorce from Jeff Bezos.

Early life and education

MacKenzie Scott was born in San Francisco in 1970 and became a novelist. She married Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos and was an early contributor to the company. Their 2019 divorce left her with a substantial Amazon stake, which became the foundation of her philanthropy.

Philanthropy and Yield Giving

Scott began publicly announcing major gifts in 2019. She established Yield Giving to manage and report her donations. Through it, she has made more than 2,700 gifts totaling over US$26 billion. Her grants are typically unrestricted, giving recipients full discretion over use.

Giving style and impact

Scott's approach is known for its speed, scale, and lack of donor-imposed restrictions. She has signed the Giving Pledge. Her giving supports education, housing, food security, disaster recovery, environmental justice, and social equity. This model has influenced global discussions about high-trust philanthropy.

In short

  • Donated over US$26 billion through more than 2,700 gifts.
  • Gifts are mostly unrestricted, giving nonprofits full control.
  • Focuses on education, housing, food security, and social equity.
  • Signed the Giving Pledge to give away most of her wealth.
Canadian angle

Her giving style is relevant to Canadian readers and nonprofits because it has influenced global discussions about high-trust, unrestricted philanthropy and grantmaking reform.

Quick questions

Who is MacKenzie Scott?
She is an American novelist and philanthropist best known for donating billions of dollars to nonprofits through large unrestricted grants.
How did MacKenzie Scott become wealthy?
She received a substantial Amazon shareholding in her divorce from Jeff Bezos, which became the main source of her wealth.
What is Yield Giving?
Yield Giving is the philanthropic organization associated with Scott’s giving and public reporting of her grants.

Sources

  1. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/MacKenzie-Scott
    Supports: Birth date, birthplace, nationality, occupation, and biography.
  2. Yield Giving — https://yieldgiving.com/
    Supports: Organization name, purpose, and cumulative giving totals and gift count.
  3. The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/business/mackenzie-scott-philanthropy.html
    Supports: 2025 giving total and cumulative donations.
  4. CNBC — https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/13/mackenzie-scott-revealed-her-total-charitable-donations-for-2025.html
    Supports: 2025 charitable donations and cumulative giving since 2019.
  5. Center for Effective Philanthropy — https://cep.org/news/press-releases/research-shows-mackenzie-scotts-large-unrestricted-gifts-create-sustained-impact-for-nonprofits-and-communities/
    Supports: Unrestricted-gift model and scale of nonprofit giving.
  6. Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/01/13/mackenzie-scott-26-billion-philanthropy-playbook-saving-organizations-federal-funding-cuts/
    Supports: Giving focus areas, Yield Giving role, and current net worth context.