MacKenzie Scott has once again made headlines with her powerful act of giving. She donated $40 million to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a historic move that shows her continued support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This gift is the largest single donation the organization has ever received and is twice the amount she gave to the same group back in 2021.
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It works to save and celebrate places that tell the stories of Black history in the United States — including homes, churches, museums, and important landmarks. The group has received funding requests worth more than $1.2 billion, while only 2% of sites on the National Register of Historic Places reflect the Black experience.
Scott’s new $40 million gift makes up 20% of all the money the organization has raised so far. Leaders of the fund called the donation “transformative,” saying it will help them reach more communities and preserve more stories that have been forgotten or ignored for too long.
Just days before this gift, Scott also donated $42 million to 10,000 Degrees, a nonprofit that helps low-income and first-generation students go to college.
Her philanthropy website, Yield Giving, shared a message on October 15, saying that more donations will soon be announced. It reminded readers that “the dollar total is only a small part of the personal expressions of care being shared into the world this year.”
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Standing firm for DEI during challenging times
Scott’s donation comes at a moment when many organizations are under pressure to cut back on DEI programs. According to a report, about one in five major companies in the United States plan to reduce their DEI budgets in 2025.
In this environment, Scott’s donation sends a strong and hopeful message. By tripling down on her DEI support, she is showing that investing in cultural and social equity is more important than ever.
The Action Fund has played a key role in restoring places like historic churches, homes of civil rights leaders, and museums that preserve the Black experience. These spaces often stand as living symbols of courage, creativity, and community. But without proper funding, many of them are at risk of being lost forever.
The group’s leaders expressed their gratitude for Scott’s generosity, saying that her support would allow them to continue protecting these spaces for generations to come. They also emphasized that this gift will help them respond to the growing demand for preservation grants across the country.
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A unique style of giving that changes lives
Since finalizing her divorce from the founder of Amazon in 2019, MacKenzie Scott has given away more than $19 billion to over 2,000 non-profits. Her estimated fortune is around $41 billion, and she has pledged to donate most of it during her lifetime.
Scott often provides large, unrestricted gifts, meaning the receiving organizations can decide how to use the money without strict rules or detailed applications. This approach, known as trust-based philanthropy, allows groups to act quickly and focus on impact rather than paperwork.
In the past year alone, she has directed more than $110 million specifically to DEI initiatives, supporting projects that promote fairness, equal opportunity, and cultural preservation. Her latest donation to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund strengthens this mission even further.
Preserving heritage through purposeful giving
The organization supported by Scott has already helped with hundreds of preservation efforts across the U.S. — from restoring historic Black churches to saving landmarks connected to the Civil Rights Movement. Yet, the need remains vast. Many of these important sites still face decay or demolition because of a lack of funds.
Scott’s $40 million donation offers a lifeline — helping these stories, places, and communities continue to inspire future generations. By choosing to focus on DEI and cultural heritage, Scott stands apart in today’s philanthropic landscape.
At a time when discussions around diversity and inclusion are facing pushback, her generosity serves as a reminder of the power of purposeful giving. Her latest gift is more than a number — it’s a symbol of belief in equality, history, and preservation. For many communities working to protect their cultural legacy, it represents hope, validation, and a future where every story is remembered.