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Mackenzie Scott before a conference in Idaho
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Key Takeaways

For some time, MacKenzie Scott has been hard at work turning her multibillion-dollar Amazon fortune into one of the most aggressive philanthropic runs in modern history. Mainly through her Yield Giving outlet, she distributed more than $19 billion to over 2,000 organizations, largely in the form of unrestricted grants that let recipients decide how to use the money.

Higher education — specifically, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) — sits at the center of that strategy. Scott gave about $560 million to 23 HBCUs in 2020, then returned in 2025 with another wave: More than $700 million to over a dozen HBCUs in just a few months, including some of the largest gifts in those institutions’ histories.

Her approach is consistent: Large, often record-setting gifts; no restrictions; and a focus on long-term stability. Schools are using these funds to build endowments, expand scholarships, open research centers, and upgrade facilities. In some cases, the 2025 grants build directly on earlier eight- and nine-figure donations from Scott, deepening her bet on campuses that serve Black students and first-generation, low-income communities.

Below are nine of her biggest community- and education-focused commitments to date, with a focus on how each one is intended to support students and surrounding communities.

1. Howard University

In 2025, Howard University announced an $80 million unrestricted gift from MacKenzie Scott, one of the largest single donations in its history (over 150 years). The funds include $63 million for the main university and $17 million for the College of Medicine, supporting health-professional training, campus facilities, and relief for students with overdue balances.

2. Morgan State University

Baltimore’s Morgan State University received a $63 million unrestricted gift in 2025, the largest single private donation in its history and Scott’s second major gift after a $40 million contribution in 2020. The university plans to strengthen its endowment, support financially vulnerable students, and develop new research centers in areas like brain science and artificial intelligence.

3. Prairie View A&M University

Prairie View A&M University in Texas secured a $63 million gift in November 2025, the largest single donation the HBCU has ever received. The grant follows a $50 million gift in 2020, bringing Scott’s total support there to $113 million. PVAMU plans to expand scholarships, academic support, and research in fields including AI, cybersecurity, public health, and space exploration.

4. North Carolina A&T State University

North Carolina A&T State University announced a record $63 million unrestricted investment from Scott in 2025, raising her cumulative support for the school to $108 million after an earlier $45 million gift. The funds will help accelerate A&T’s “Preeminence 2030” strategic plan, bolstering its endowment, student success efforts, and research in engineering, agriculture, life and health sciences, data science, and artificial intelligence.

5. Bowie State University

Bowie State University in Maryland received a $50 million unrestricted donation in November 2025, the largest single contribution in the institution’s history across more than 150 years, and Scott’s second gift after $25 million in 2020. The university says the new funds will strengthen its endowment, expand scholarships, support research and innovation, and advance priorities in its “Boldly Forward” strategic plan.

6. Virginia State University

In 2025, Virginia State University announced a $50 million gift from MacKenzie Scott, the largest single donor contribution in the school's 140+ years of history, and a follow-up to her $30 million gift in 2020. VSU plans to use the funds to advance its strategic plan by focusing on academic excellence, innovation, and holistic student success, including leadership development, experiential learning, and career readiness initiatives.

7. Alcorn State University

Alcorn State University, the nation’s oldest public historically Black land-grant university, received a $42 million unrestricted gift in 2025 — the largest single donation in the school's history and Scott’s second major gift after a $25 million contribution in 2020. The university highlights the grant as a milestone for expanding access, strengthening student support, and reinforcing its mission to serve rural and regional communities.

8. Spelman College

Spelman College in Atlanta secured a $38 million unrestricted gift from Scott in 2025, among the largest donations in the college’s history and her second major investment there. Spelman reports that the funds will expand student access, grow its endowment, and advance technology-driven initiatives aligned with its strategic priorities.

9. United Negro College Fund (UNCF)

In 2025, the United Negro College Fund announced a landmark $70 million gift from MacKenzie Scott to support its $1 billion capital campaign. The donation will be invested in UNCF’s Members Pooled Endowment Fund, designed to strengthen the long-term financial health of all 37 private UNCF-member HBCUs through shared endowment growth and annual payout streams.