MacKenzie Scott
Flickr/mewspartner & UNCF

Philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott has given a landmark $70 million (£52m) donation to the United Negro College Fund, prompting its CEO Dr Michael L Lomax to call her 'Saint MacKenzie Scott' and confess he nearly 'lost it' upon hearing the news.

The donation, one of Scott's largest single gifts to date, was announced during HBCU Week 2025 and marks a significant boost to UNCF's ongoing $1 billion (approx. £740 million) capital campaign aimed at strengthening historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the United States.

A Transformational Gift

The UNCF confirmed that Scott's donation will be invested in its Members Pooled Endowment Fund, which supports the long-term financial health of 37 private HBCUs. Each institution will receive a $5 million (around £3.71 million) stake, with the UNCF working alongside them to raise matching funds, creating a $10 million (roughly £7.4 million) endowment per school.

'This extraordinary gift is a powerful vote of confidence in HBCUs and in the work of UNCF,' said Dr Lomax. 'It provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our member institutions to build permanent assets that will support students and campuses for decades to come.'

The impact is expected to be substantial. According to the UNCF, the median endowment of its member schools is expected to increase by 63%, rising from $15.9 million (£11.8 million) to $25.9 million (£19.22 million).

Rewriting the Rules of Philanthropy

Jeff Bezos & MacKenzie Scott
Heute.at

Scott, who gained her wealth following her 2019 divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has become one of the most prolific philanthropists in modern history. She signed the Giving Pledge in 2019, committing to donate the majority of her fortune 'until the safe is empty.'

Since then, she has given away more than $19 billion (approx. £14 million), often in unrestricted grants that allow recipients to allocate funds as they see fit. Her approach has been widely praised for its trust-based model, which contrasts with the often rigid stipulations of traditional philanthropy.

'She is rewriting the book on philanthropy, not just in this country, but in the world,' said Lomax in an interview with ABC News.

Supporting Historically Underserved Institutions

Scott's commitment to racial equity and education is evident in her giving history. In 2020 alone, she donated over $500 million (£371 million) to HBCUs, including Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University. Her previous donation to UNCF in 2020 was $10 million, making this year's gift seven times larger.

UNCF's capital campaign, launched in 2021, aims to raise $1 billion to close the funding gap between HBCUs and their predominantly white counterparts. HBCUs have historically been underfunded, with endowments trailing by at least 70% compared to non-HBCU institutions.

A Call to Action

Lomax hopes Scott's generosity will inspire other philanthropists to follow suit. 'She's choosing institutions like HBCUs, which have been starved by major philanthropists, with few exceptions in the past, and she's setting a new standard,' he said (ABC News).

The donation comes at a time when federal support for HBCUs is increasing.

In fiscal year 2025, the US Department of Education is making a major one-time investment in HBCUs and TCCUs, recognising their unique and historic contributions to higher education. It is allocating over $1.34 billion (approx. £994 million) to HBCUs—a 48.4% increase—and more than $108 million (approx. £80 million) to TCCUs, marking a 109.3% rise.

This includes an additional $495 million (approx. £367 million) in funding beyond the anticipated annual allocation, reinforcing long-term support for these institutions.

As UNCF continues its campaign, Scott's gift has brought it significantly closer to its goal. The organisation now calls on others to 'do more and to give more,' echoing Lomax's sentiment: 'We often say we do more with less. Now it's time for us to do more with more.'

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