Amazon co-founder donates $46M to Bay Area nonprofits
Several Bay Area nonprofits received millions in donations from Amazon co-founder Mackenzie Scott as she progresses on her pledge to share her wealth.
Scott, who is the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos and has a net worth of more than $35 billion, according to Forbes, donated $640 million across 361 nonprofits, she shared Tuesday through Yield Giving, which tracks the donations. Of that, about $46 million went to 26 different nonprofits in the Bay Area, according to Yield Giving data.
Of the total 361 recipients, 279 were awarded $2 million, and the remainder received $1 million each, according to Lever for Change, an organization helping potential donors find philanthropic opportunities.
The 361 nonprofits that received donations were chosen from a pool of more than 6,000 applicants who responded to an open call, according to Lever for Change.
Each donation recipient showed “outstanding work advancing the voices and opportunities of individuals and families of meager or modest means, and groups who have met with discrimination and other systemic obstacles,” according to Scott on Yield Giving.
One of those chosen was a San Rafael-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting children of incarcerated parents, Project Avary. The group received a $1 million donation.
Project Avary responded to the open call a year ago and began the selection process that included peer and panelist evaluations, according to a Project Avary news release.
“This grant is a significant source of support for us, but it’s just the beginning,” said Zachary Whelan, Project Avary’s executive director. “This grant will serve as a catalyst for our planned expansion to double the number of youth we serve over the next five years.”
The initial plan was to select only 250 nonprofits to be awarded $1 million each, according to Lever of Change. The plan shifted as the selection process began with 6,353 organizations to sift through, according to Lever for Change.
The organizations chosen vary greatly in the work they do and operate in different fields including the arts, civic engagement and education. The recipients also span across 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, according to Lever for Change.
An Oakland based nonprofit, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, which strives for racial and economic justice, was also among the local organizations receiving a donation.
“This award will transform our work allowing us the tools and resources necessary to effect shortand long-term change that our communities need,” the nonprofit posted on social media.