MacKenzie Scott gave California public education $461 million—and let the recipients decide how to spend every dollar
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott had her banner giving year in 2025, with an eye-popping total of $7 billion in donations across a variety of organizations. In all, she’s donated more than $26 billion in just the past few years.
MacKenzie Scott donated $461 million to California public education institutions between 2021 and 2025, with the majority going to higher education. These unrestricted gifts allowed institutions like CSU Northridge and UC Merced to address budget shortfalls and fund various initiatives. While the model is largely successful, one instance at Santa Barbara City College faced scrutiny over fund usage.
- MacKenzie Scott donated $461 million to California public education institutions from 2021 to 2025.
- Donations were unrestricted, allowing institutions to use funds as they determined best.
- California State University, Northridge (CSUN) received the largest cumulative amount, totaling $103 million.
- UC Merced received $58 million, primarily for student success, faculty research, and capital projects.
- Other recipients included California State University, East Bay, community colleges, and K-12 school districts.
- Scott stated a preference for donating to ‘mission-aligned ventures’ and ‘generally undercapitalized groups’.
Continue reading https://fortune.com/2026/08/21/mackenzie-scott-461-million-california-public-education-donations-unrestricted-gifts/
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