In 2024, MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, awarded $640 million to 361 nonprofits, how her open-call programme helped more organisations access major funding

MacKenzie Scott awarded $640 million to 361 nonprofit organisations in 2024, which happened through an open-call programme. This gave eligible groups an opportunity to apply for major funding. The programme was launched in March 2023, and was run by Scott's philanthropic organisation Yield Giving. The prime focus was on community-led organisations working to improve the lives of people and families with limited financial resources.

The initiative was designed to identify organisations doing work in their communities, including those operating in both urban and rural areas across the US. According to Lever for Change, which supported the programme, the selected organisations represented 38 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

How did the programme work?

Unlike traditional grantmaking approaches in which funders select organisations to receive support, the Yield Giving Open Call invites eligible nonprofits to submit applications.


The selection process included peer reviews, followed by further evaluation and due diligence. lever for Change, a nonprofit that helps donors identify organisations working on social challenges, supported the process.

Yield Giving announced the selected organisations on March 19, 2024. Of the 361 recipients, 279 received $2 million each, while 82 received $1 million each.

Significance of the programme

The open-call approach gave eligible organisations a route to compete for substantial funding by presenting their work. Although thousands of groups applied, only 361 were selected, but the final number was higher than the original target of 250 recipients.

For nonprofits, grants of this size can help cover operating costs, support staff, expand existing programmes or fund new initiatives. The precise use of the money depends on each organisation's needs and priorities.

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What does research say about Scott's donations?

Scott's broader approach to philanthropy has also been examined by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP). Its three-year study looked at the effects of her large, unrestricted donations on nonprofit organisations.

In its final report, published in February 2025, CEP found that recipient organisations generally reported positive effects from the funding. Nearly 90% of nonprofit leaders surveyed said the grants had moderately or significantly strengthened their organisation's long-term financial sustainability. Meanwhile, 94% said the funding had improved their ability to achieve their missions.

Unrestricted donations give organisations greater freedom to decide how the money should be spent, rather than requiring them to use it for a narrowly defined project.

Notably, the findings of CEP covered Scott's broader giving. Also they were not an evaluation of the 2024 Open Call alone.