Social Innovation & Philanthropy
How did Mackenzie Scott give away $15 billion in five years?
Mackenzie Scott, who was married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is determined to give away her multi-billion-dollar fortune. In just five years Scott has already donated $15 billion, going from being “relatively unknown in the U.S. philanthropic community to arguably its single most influential figure,” HKS Associate Professor Matthew Lee, and two Harvard co-authors, write in a deep analysis of her giving. The researchers looked at the areas and issues Scott has focused on, including the size of the organizations she gave to, their location, and the type of work they did so that they could begin to understand her philanthropic strategy. Her overall approach, they write, suggests “an impatience to give away her wealth, a belief in giving as a way to empower the good works of others, and an unusual willingness to cede control.” |