MacKenzie Scott Becomes America's Biggest Philanthropist After Donating Nearly USD 7 billion In One Year

MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated nearly USD 7 billion (around Rs. 10.6 kharab) to charities across the United States during 2025, making her responsible for about one-third of all major charitable megagifts in the country. The donations were made through her philanthropic initiative, Yield Giving, with the aim of providing flexible, unrestricted funding to non-profit organisations working in education, disaster recovery, housing, healthcare, community development, and social welfare.

Scott's total charitable giving since 2019 has now surpassed USD 26.3 billion (around Rs. 39.9 kharab), benefiting more than 2,700 organisations. Unlike many major donors, she provides unrestricted grants that allow charities to decide how the money is used without lengthy reporting requirements, a model widely praised for helping organisations respond more effectively to local needs. Her 2025 giving made her the largest individual donor in the United States, ahead of Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Michael Bloomberg, while contributing to a record USD 617.2 billion in overall US charitable giving.