MacKenzie Scott Donates $139 Million to HBCUs in Historic Month

MacKenzie Scott’s $139 million in new donations marks a defining month for HBCUs, including $63 million to Morgan State University, $38 million to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and $38 million to Alabama State University.

The Story

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, known for her unrestricted and trust-based approach to giving, has made another historic round of donations to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

In October 2025, Scott donated a combined $139 million to three leading public HBCUs:

• $63 million to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland
• $38 million to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
• $38 million to Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama

Each gift represents the largest single donation in the recipient university’s history, underscoring Scott’s continued commitment to empowering HBCUs through large-scale, unrestricted investments that institutions can direct toward their own strategic priorities.

MacKenzie Scott, an author and philanthropist with an estimated net worth of about $34 billion, has pledged to give away the majority of her wealth. Since 2020, she has donated billions to educational, cultural, and community organizations through her platform, Yield Giving, which emphasizes trust-based, unrestricted philanthropy that empowers recipients to decide how best to use their funds.

University Responses

Morgan State University (Baltimore, MD)

Morgan State, the nation’s third-largest HBCU, described Scott’s $63 million as a “transformative, unrestricted gift”—her second major donation to the university following a $40 million contribution in 2020.
According to President David K. Wilson, the gift will strengthen the university’s endowment, expand student success programs, and enhance Morgan’s position as a leading public research institution.

“To receive one historic gift from Ms. Scott was an incredible honor; to receive two speaks volumes about the confidence she and her team have in our institution’s leadership and trajectory,” Wilson said. “This is more than philanthropy—it’s a partnership in progress.”

Scott’s first gift helped seed Morgan’s “Leading the World Endowment Fund” and launch initiatives in health equity, AI, and urban research—projects that have become models of public impact scholarship.

University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne, MD)

Scott’s $38 million donation to UMES was called “nothing short of transformational” by President Heidi M. Anderson—her second major gift to the university following a $20 million contribution in 2020.
The funding will support four major priorities:

• Expanded scholarships and paid learning opportunities to improve affordability
• Seed funding for interdisciplinary research in agriculture, health, and coastal resilience
• Modernization of classrooms and student spaces for collaborative learning
• Community partnerships to create local jobs and economic mobility

“MacKenzie Scott’s support affirms our mission and our progress,” Anderson said. “It recognizes the hard work of our students, faculty, and alumni—and validates the lofty goals we’ve set together.”

The gift brings Scott’s total giving to UMES to $58 million, reinforcing national confidence in the university’s momentum and leadership.

Alabama State University (Montgomery, AL)

Alabama State University announced its largest donation in 158 years—a $38 million unrestricted gift from Scott.
President Quinton T. Ross, Jr. called the contribution a “game changer”, emphasizing that the funds will bolster student success initiatives, expand research and technology capacity, and grow the university’s endowment.

“Her gift not only honors ASU’s legacy as a leading historically Black university,” Ross said, “but also underscores our growing recognition as a forward-thinking institution setting the pace for innovation and transformation.”

Ross added that the gift aligns with ASU’s Focus 2030 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes technology, global education, and community advancement.

Quick Facts: MacKenzie Scott & Yield Giving

Detail	Description
Full Name	MacKenzie Scott (formerly MacKenzie Scott Bezos)
Background	American novelist and philanthropist; author of The Testing of Luther Albright (2005) and Traps (2013). Holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Princeton University, where she studied under Nobel laureate Toni Morrison.
Marriage to Jeff Bezos	Married Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 1993; divorced in 2019 after 25 years. As part of the settlement, Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon—then worth about $38 billion—instantly placing her among the world’s richest women.
Philanthropic Focus	Committed to giving away most of her wealth during her lifetime through large, unrestricted donations supporting equity, education, the arts, and community-based nonprofits.
Estimated Net Worth	Approximately $33.9 billion (Forbes 2025), fluctuating with Amazon’s market performance.
Platform	Yield Giving — her philanthropic initiative dedicated to distributing wealth through transparent, trust-based giving.
Total Granted (as of late 2025)	Over $19 billion distributed to thousands of nonprofit organizations, including major grants such as the $60 million gift in October 2025 to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.
Giving Model	Unrestricted, trust-based philanthropy — funds are awarded with no reporting requirements, allowing organizations to decide how best to use the money.
Core Philosophy	The name Yield reflects “adding value by giving up control,” emphasizing Scott’s belief that true impact comes from trusting communities and leaders closest to the work.
Transparency	Recipients and donation amounts are publicly listed on yieldgiving.com, though updates are periodic and her selection process remains largely private.

What It Means

MacKenzie Scott’s latest round of giving is more than a financial boost—it’s a reaffirmation of trust in institutions driving access, innovation, and community impact.
For HBCUs, the funds will accelerate strategic goals: strengthening endowments, expanding research, and empowering more students to graduate without heavy debt.

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