Jeff Bezos' Ex-Wife MacKenzie Scott's $19B Donations Are Transforming 2,000+ Nonprofits: Report

The ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott‘s unrestricted gifts totaling over $19 billion have significantly transformed more than 2,000 nonprofit organizations over the past five years, according to recent research.

What Happened: Scott, who amassed her wealth from her divorce settlement with Amazon AMZN founder Jeff Bezos, has been generously donating to nonprofits since 2019, revealed a research from the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP). The recipients of these no-strings-attached gifts, which average around $5 million, have been permitted to utilize the funds as they deem fit.

The report, based on a three-year study, surveyed around 800 organizations that received donations from Scott, highlighting the significant impact these contributions have had on their initiatives.

The beneficiaries were chosen through a discreet vetting process, known as “quiet research,” with Scott refraining from accepting donation solicitations. These organizations have strategically managed the large gifts, impacting thousands of lives, according to Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Vice President of Research at CEP.

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Why It Matters: With a net worth of $32.2 Billion and a 4% stake in Amazon, MacKenzie Scott conducts her philanthropic activities through her organization, Yield Giving. Scott’s unrestricted donations allow organizations to allocate funds where they see fit, providing them with greater flexibility and autonomy. While most have appreciated MacKenzie Scott for her exemplary charitable initiatives, on a past occasion, Tesla Co-founder, Elon Musk, had called Scott’s donations ‘Concerning’. Scott, one of America's biggest philanthropists, has donated to racial equity, social justice, and LGBTQ+ causes. Her giving strategy contrasts sharply with other tech billionaires, including Musk, who has focused his recent attention on political causes, including substantial support for President Donald Trump‘s election campaign.

Just like Scott, Bezos has also been involved in a lot of philanthropic activities. Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, made significant contributions, such as awarding $50 million each to actress Eva Longoria, also retired Navy admiral and Bill McRaven, a veteran and former chancellor of the University of Texas System, for charity purposes. In 2021, Bezos also introduced the Courage and Civility Award to support philanthropists.

Bezos has also been associated with a lot of projects dedicated to climate change initiatives. However, this month, his $10 billion Earth Fund withdrew support from a key climate initiative, which could be a move to avoid conflicts with President Donald Trump.

READ MORE: Jeff Bezos Says ‘Good Old Days’ Are ‘Such An Illusion’ As Far As Planet Earth Is Concerned, But There’s One Exception

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.