MacKenzie Scott, the former spouse of Amazon.com’s founder Jeff Bezos, has magnanimously donated $640 million to 361 non-profit organizations, surpassing her initial charitable plan by more than double.
In a concise statement posted on her website this Tuesday, Scott expressed her gratitude towards Lever for Change, the organization responsible for managing the applications, and the evaluators, recognizing their pivotal roles in establishing a pathway to support those striving to enhance access to essential resources within their communities.
She hailed them as indispensable catalysts for societal transformation.
Since her divorce from Bezos in 2019, Scott has generously distributed billions of dollars, with her team meticulously researching and handpicking organizations without a formal application process, deeming the contributions as “gifts.”
When the application process commenced, a staggering 6,353 nonprofits vied for the $1 million grants. Eligibility was restricted to nonprofits with annual budgets ranging from $1 to $5 million.
A total of 361 grassroots non-profits were singled out for their exceptional contributions by peer organizations and a second evaluation panel, recognized for their exemplary endeavors.
These selected NGOs, as outlined by the Yield, championed the causes of marginalized individuals and families, as well as communities facing discrimination and systemic barriers.
Of the 279 nonprofits that garnered top scores from an external review panel, each was granted $2 million, while 82 organizations in a secondary tier received $1 million apiece.
Many of these organizations cater to very specific demographics or regions, such as Asian Americans in central Texas or South Asian youth in New York.
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