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Philanthropist and early Amazon contributor MacKenzie Scott has donated more than $461 million to California public education institutions since 2021.
The gifts are part of the $26 billion Scott has distributed since 2019 through unrestricted grants, allowing recipients to decide how to use the funds.
According to her organization’s website, Scott’s team conducts “quiet research to identify candidate organizations working to advance the opportunities of people in underserved communities.”
$461.5million
The approximate total amount MacKenzie Scott has given to California public schools, community colleges and school districts from 2021 to 2025.
16
California public education institutions that received MacKenzie Scott grants from 2021 to 2025.
Cal State Northridge and UC Merced have each received two grants from Scott, totaling $151 million apiece. Cal State East Bay, the only Bay Area public entity to receive a grant from Scott, was awarded $50 million last year.
The amount Scott donated to Lemoore College, a community college south of Fresno, in 2021 has not been disclosed.
According to Scott’s website, some recipients choose not to publicly disclose the amount of the gift.
$103million
The total California State University, Northridge received from MacKenzie Scott through two gifts — $40 million in 2021 and $63 million in 2025, making it the largest recipient among California public institutions since 2021.
90%
The share of MacKenzie Scott’s $416 million in California public education gifts that went to the state’s higher education system from 2021 to 2025.
4
The number of California school districts that received MacKenzie Scott grants. Fresno Unified School District received the most at $20 million in 2022.
Data source: Given by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott through her Yield Giving organization