In 2020, Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University received their largest donations to date. The effects are still being felt today. MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, gave $55 million to these three institutions in a series of historic and unrestricted donations. They helped fund new initiatives and have inspired other philanthropic organizations to contribute as well.

MacKenzie Scott donated $55 million to Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University

In 2019, Scott made headlines after it was announced that she would divorce Jeff Bezos after 25 years of marriage. The split culminated in her receiving over $38 billion worth of Amazon stock. Shortly after, Scott vowed to dedicate her fortune to philanthropic efforts. This included the funding of several HBCUs.

In July 2020, she donated $20 million each to Morehouse and Spelman. She then followed up with a third donation in December 2020, when she donated $15 million to Clark Atlanta University. Not only were these donations, but they were also unrestricted, which means that each school could use the funding as they saw fit.

“It was refreshing to see a donor who really genuinely wants to help organizations without having any restrictions,” Hodan Hassan, Morehouse’s VP of the Office of Institutional Advancement and chief advancement officer, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “What that really conveys is trusting those organizations to utilize the resources as they need and as they see fit.”

How was MacKenzie Scott’s $55 million donation used?

Clark Atlanta University allocated $10 million to its endowment, according to the school’s president, George T. French Jr. The HBCU also used $3 million to renovate its W.E.B. Du Bois Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy, $1.5 million toward its Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development and $500,000 to fund full-tuition scholarships for Atlanta Public Schools students.

“Ms. Scott’s generous gift has been a true turning point for Clark Atlanta University. It has helped us fortify our financial base, enrich our academic offerings, expand opportunities for our scholars, and significantly enhance our visibility and reputation,” French said.

Spelman College used $11 million out of the $20 million donation towards its endowment. In 2020, each student received a $3,5000 award, while another $1.1 million was used to fund the HBCU’s Social Justice Scholars program. The rest of the donation was used to fund scholarships, as well as upgrades to its technology offerings and academic programs.

MacKenzie Scott’s generous donation inspired other philanthropists to pay it forward

Not only did Scott’s donations help fund scholarships and construct new buildings, it also inspired philanthropists and organizations to follow suit. Morehouse College used the $20 million donation to build a new three-story, 58,000-square-foot campus center for students. The HBCU was able to raise an additional $25 million out of the $80 million needed toward the project.

Hassan said that Scott’s donation “really built the confidence for other philanthropists that Morehouse is worth the investment.”

CAU received $5.5 million in gifts from other philanthropists, as well as a $10 million award from the National Science Foundation following Scott’s donation.

“One of the most significant indirect effects of Ms. Scott’s gift has been its catalytic impact on our fundraising efforts,” French said.

Scott’s fortune is now estimated to be at nearly $34 billion, according to Forbes.