Billionaire MacKenzie Scott donated $15 million to African conservation group; How her generous contributions helped 28 organisations sustain ecology in Africa

Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $15 million to Maliasili, an organisation supporting community-led conservation across Africa. But the significance of the gift extends beyond the headline figure: an earlier donation from Scott helped establish a conservation fund that has since supported 28 partner organisations and attracted more than $14 million in funding. The latest unrestricted grant, received in late 2025, comes as Maliasili begins a new strategic plan running through 2030. It could help the organisation expand a funding model designed to give local conservation groups greater flexibility and long-term support.

How MacKenzie Scott’s Earlier Donation Helped Build A Conservation Fund

Maliasili confirmed the latest contribution in its announcement, Momentum and Investment. Scott’s first grant to the organisation, awarded in 2021, provided seed funding for the Maliasili Conservation Fund (MCF). Rather than financing only individual projects, the fund combines flexible grants with organisational development and fundraising assistance. According to Maliasili, it has mobilised more than $14 million and supported 28 partner organisations over three years.

The fund’s reported results suggest that flexible funding can help conservation groups attract further investment. Maliasili says partners secured roughly $3 in additional funding for every $1 provided through MCF. Reporting by Devex on Scott’s wider philanthropy also highlights her growing support for organisations working in lower-income countries, including groups focused on conservation, climate and community development.

Why Flexible Funding Matters For Conservation

Conservation work often requires sustained investment in staff, planning and community relationships, not just money for a single environmental project. Yet restricted grants can limit how organisations spend funds, even when their operational needs change. Maliasili works with African organisations that partner directly with communities to manage land and natural resources. Their work spans forests, grasslands, wildlife habitats and coastal ecosystems, linking environmental protection with local livelihoods.

Its 2025 annual report says its partners were working across 71 million hectares of land and seascapes. It also highlights projects ranging from efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe to expanding community conservancies in Kenya and protecting forests and species in Madagascar. These outcomes are reported by Maliasili and should not be interpreted as the direct result of Scott’s latest grant alone. They illustrate the broader work of the network her philanthropy is helping to support.

What Comes Next For Maliasili?

Under its 2026–2030 strategic plan, Maliasili aims to strengthen more than 100 African conservation organisations, develop over 400 conservation leaders and mobilise at least $75 million for partner organisations. Scott’s $15 million gift provides additional unrestricted capital as the organisation pursues those goals. Its longer-term significance will depend on how effectively that funding strengthens local organisations and helps them sustain their work. The donation also highlights a wider question in conservation finance: whether funders can create lasting environmental benefits by investing not only in individual projects, but in the local organisations and communities responsible for protecting ecosystems over time.