Tech mogul Elon Musk described the philanthropic efforts of MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, as “concerning.” His comment came in response to a social media post scrutinising Scott’s extensive donations, alleging that her initiatives primarily fund non-profits promoting divisive ideologies rather than addressing pressing global issues.
The post highlighted Scott’s “trust-based philanthropy,” which involves providing no-strings-attached grants to over 2,500 non-profits. It alleged that her focus on causes such as racial equity, immigrant rights, and LGBTQ justice feeds what the post described as an “NGO/non-profit complex,” creating jobs for individuals seeking to validate their expensive degrees. The post further detailed Scott’s $16 billion in donations over five years, noting her wealth remains substantial at $36 billion, boosted by Amazon’s rising stock price.
Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has become one of the most prolific philanthropists in recent years. Through her “Yield Giving” initiative, she has pledged more than $19 billion since 2019 to causes ranging from girls’ education in Africa to affordable housing in the United States. Scott has championed a transformative approach to philanthropy, providing large, unrestricted grants that allow organisations to allocate funds as needed.
In 2024 alone, Scott made repeat donations to several organisations, a rare move given her typical “one-time grant” approach. For example, CAMFED, which supports girls’ education in Africa, received its third donation this year. Another notable beneficiary, Enterprise Community Partners, was unexpectedly awarded an additional $65 million after initially receiving $50 million in 2020.
This year also marked a significant shift in Scott’s giving strategy, with her introducing an open-call application process for the first time. Over 6,000 non-profits applied, and Scott committed $640 million to more than 360 organisations, far exceeding her initial promise. Grantees praised the unrestricted nature of her grants, describing them as transformative not only for individual organisations but also for entire sectors like affordable housing.