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MacKenzie Scott

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

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

MacKenzie Scott is an American novelist and philanthropist known for donating large, unrestricted gifts to nonprofit organizations. She was previously married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and received a major Amazon stake in their divorce settlement, which has funded her philanthropy.

Early life and education

MacKenzie Scott was born in San Francisco in 1970. Public biographies identify her as an American novelist and business figure with an early connection to Amazon.

Amazon and divorce settlement

Scott was married to Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos from 1993 to 2019. Her divorce settlement left her with a substantial Amazon stake, which became the basis of her later philanthropic capacity.

Philanthropy and Yield Giving

Since 2019, Scott has given away billions of dollars through large, mostly unrestricted grants to nonprofits. Yield Giving was established to manage and publicize this giving strategy.

Giving style and impact

Her approach is notable for its speed, scale, and lack of donor-imposed restrictions. Recipients include organizations working in education, housing, racial equity, environmental justice, and other social causes.

Key facts

  • MacKenzie Scott began publicly announcing major philanthropic gifts in 2019.
  • Her donations are typically unrestricted, allowing recipient organizations to decide how to use the money.
  • Yield Giving states that her network has made more than 2,700 gifts totaling over US$26 billion.
  • Her giving has focused on areas including education, housing, food security, disaster recovery, environmental justice, and social equity.
  • She has signed the Giving Pledge, committing to give away most of her wealth over her lifetime.
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Canadian context

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

Frequently asked 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.
How much has she donated?
Public reporting and Yield Giving say her giving has exceeded US$26 billion, spread across more than 2,700 gifts.
What kinds of causes does she support?
Her grants have supported education, housing, food security, disaster recovery, environmental justice, and social equity.
What makes her philanthropy unusual?
Her gifts are often unrestricted, with few reporting requirements and no application process for many recipients.

References

  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.