MacKenzie Scott donated $7.2 billion in just one year, more than what Jeff Bezos and most other billionaires have given in their lifetimes

Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott had an outstanding year in 2025: She , making her cumulative philanthropic contributions through her organization, Yield Giving, reach an astonishing across more than 2,700 gifts in just the past five years.

In fact, Scott’s philanthropic giving in 2025 alone exceeds what many of the world’s wealthiest individuals have contributed throughout their entire lives—including her ex-husband, billionaire founder Jeff Bezos, the world’s fourth-richest man.

Forbes states that Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, have given approximately $4.7 billion to charity over their lifetimes. That’s only about one-fifth of what Scott has donated since her 2019 divorce from Bezos, when she received about 4% of Amazon stock, amounting to roughly $36 billion to $38 billion at that time. Scott’s net worth continues to grow, though. Year-to-date, Scott has seen her net worth increase by $268 million, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, at an estimated $39.2 billion. This means Scott has given away $26 billion and can afford to do so again. In January 2019 (when Bezos and Scott got divorced) . Today, Amazon’s market cap is $2.24 trillion, and it’s the , surpassing .

Scott, at the time of the divorce, the majority of that by signing the Giving Pledge, a campaign launched by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett in 2010 that encourages the world’s wealthiest people to commit most of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

Most of the signers to that pledge have not fulfilled it, with stating that it was very difficult to give away money effectively. “There are a lot of things you can fund that will not yield results,” Howard Buffett, the 71-year-old son of Warren Buffett, recently told CNBC. “If you’re not addressing the real issue of the rule of law, then you just can’t achieve success.”

While Bezos has not signed the giving pledge, he and Sánchez Bezos have recently increased their philanthropic giving, donating to organizations combating homelessness across the U.S. The gifts are part of the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, which has donated more than $850 million to organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam.

That’s part of a $2 billion commitment, but even that entire giving plan is overshadowed by Scott’s giving. While Bezos has also pledged billions toward climate efforts and other causes—primarily through his Bezos Earth Fund—his verified disbursements remain in the low billions, most of which are earmarked rather than spent. Scott, in contrast, has already transferred vast sums directly to the hands of grantees, many of whom had never before received a gift of that magnitude.

Many of the gifts that Scott makes are the largest donations grantees have ever received, including historic donations to HBCUs and organizations focused on climate and DEI.

Scott’s average annual giving has exceeded $5 billion per year since her divorce, with 2025 being her most remarkable year. According to Forbes, Scott is the third-most generous philanthropist, having given away 46% of her net worth.

Scott even outshines the most philanthropic members of the billionaire class, including Michael Bloomberg, George Soros, Steve Ballmer, and Mark Zuckerberg and Dr. Priscilla Chan.

A radical model of trust

Scott’s giving style overturns the traditional philanthropic approach. She writes few press releases, operates without a large foundation staff, and gives mainly through a model called trust-based philanthropy. This approach allows recipients to decide for themselves how to best use the funds, without the usual restrictions or reporting requirements.

“Unlike traditional funding processes that often involve long applications, specific restrictions, and reporting requirements, her style enables organizations like ours to determine how to most effectively direct funds quickly and innovatively to address pressing issues,” Noni Ramos, CEO of Housing Trust Silicon Valley, in late 2024, when her organization received a $30 million gift from Scott.

In a 2021 on her Yield Giving website last year, Scott described her approach simply: “Because we believe that teams with experience on the front lines of challenges will know best how to put the money to good use, we encouraged them to spend it however they wish.”

“Many reported that this trust significantly enhanced the impact of the gift,” Scott continued. “There is nothing new about magnifying gifts by relinquishing control. People have been doing it in living rooms and classrooms and workplaces for thousands of years. It empowers receivers by making them feel valued and by unlocking their best solutions.”

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