Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife and billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated around $7 billion in 2025, accounting for more than one-third of America’s largest charitable gifts that year, according to a report by Fortune. The contributions made by Scott helped power a record $617.2 billion in overall U.S. charitable giving, according to Giving USA and the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The other major donors included Michael Bloomberg ($4.3 billion), Bill Gates ($3.7 billion), Warren Buffett ($1.34 billion), and Susan and Michael Dell (nearly $1 billion). Despite making all these donations Scott failed to appear in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual list.
Why MacKenzie Scott was missing from the list
Despite the massive donations made by Scott, she did not appear on the annual philanthropy ranking list of Chronicle of Philanthropy. The publication mentioned that it was ‘impossible’ to verify all the contributions made by Scott as her representatives decline to provide all the needed information. Also, Scott has consistently avoided publicity around her donations and has always preferred a low-profile approach. Since the year 2020, Scott has donated around $26.2 billion to thousands of organisations supporting affordable housing, disaster recovery, diversity initiatives, and education. In a December essay, Scott reflected: “It is these ripple effects that make imagining the power of any of our own acts of kindness impossible.”
Net worth still strong
Even after her massive donations, Scott’s net worth remains around $30 billion, largely due to the appreciation of her Amazon holdings. Amazon shares have gained more than 33% over the past five years, ensuring her continued presence among the world’s wealthiest individuals.
MacKenzie Scott donated $26 billion
According to a report by Fortune, Scott has given away more than $26 billion across 2,700 gifts through her philanthropic organization, Yield Giving. The year 2025 was the biggest year of her donations. Last Scott donated $7.2 billion which is more than both Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos have given in their lifetimes, as per Forbes. This year, Scott also received the title of the third-most generous philanthropist globally, having already given away 46% of her net worth.
Scott believes in trust-based philanthropy
As per the Fortune report, Scott’s style of giving is unconventional. She writes unrestricted checks with no applications, progress reports, or publicity requirements. Philanthropy experts describe her approach as trust-based giving, empowering institutions to use funds freely. “She practices trust-based philanthropy,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation.