MacKenzie Scott Foundation & Grant Explained
It’s no secret that grants are often game-changers for nonprofits. Unlike individual donations, they usually come from established foundations capable of gifting large lump sums—sums that can push an organization into a new phase of growth and impact. However, securing these grants is no easy feat. Finding the right grant foundation for your nonprofit is just the first hurdle as the application process is often complex, time-consuming, and comes with strict spending guidelines.
But what if another solution existed? What if nonprofits could be given funding in a simpler way? Enter MacKenzie Scott and Yield Giving—a billionaire philanthropist and her foundation who together are transforming the grantmaking process.
MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving foundation awards unrestricted grants, typically ranging from $1 million to $2 million, to nonprofits through two distinct processes: a private "Quiet Research" model and an occasional public Open Call. Since 2019, Scott has donated over $19 billion to more than 2,000 organizations, making Yield Giving one of the most consequential philanthropic forces in the nonprofit sector today.
This guide explains exactly how Yield Giving selects recipients, what nonprofit leaders can do to get noticed, and which similar funders offer comparable large-scale opportunities.
Grant FAQ
What is Yield Giving, and who is Mackenzie Scott?
If you like to keep tabs on the ultra-rich, MacKenzie Scott is a name you’ve likely heard. She first gained public attention as the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and, more notably, the $38 billion she received following their divorce. A sum of money that skyrocketed her to the top spot on the list of wealthiest women in the world—a list she still ranks in the top five of. Since then, she’s made quite the name for herself in the nonprofit sector. Given that she’s donated over $19 billion to 2,000 organizations since 2019, it’s safe to say she’s earned the recognition.
In 2022, following criticism over the secrecy of her donations, MacKenzie Scott founded Yield Giving with the aim of providing transparency to the causes and organizations she supports. From the beginning, Yield Giving took an untraditional approach to grantmaking by providing unrestricted funding to nonprofits, allowing them to use the money as they see fit. Fortunately for nonprofits, there is now an application process for grant consideration!
Naturally, you might be wondering, how then does Yield Giving decide who receives a grant? It’s a question you’re not alone in.
Yield Giving’s grant selection process
If you take a perusal of Yield Giving’s website, you’ll notice how bare bones it is—especially when it comes to information about their process. “Shrouded in secrecy” could honestly be the motto for this foundation. However, we do know they rely on two models for their grant selection.
1. Quiet research (invite-only)
The Quiet Research model is Yield Giving's primary, and most common, funding pathway. In this process, Yield Giving's team proactively identifies organizations through internal research and reaches out directly. There is no public application and no standing portal to submit your organization's information.
What the process typically looks like, based on accounts from past recipients:
- A nonprofit leader receives an unexpected call from a Yield Giving representative
- One or two conversations follow to discuss the organization's work and impact
- A grant is transferred directly to the organization—often $1 million or more
- Recipients are told two things: use the funds however the organization sees fit, and do not expect recurring funding
Because this pathway is entirely invitation-based, it is inaccessible to organizations that are not already on Yield Giving's radar. This limitation is precisely why the Open Call model was introduced.
2. Open call (competitive application process)
Given that fact, in 2023 Yield Giving announced their first Open Call in partnership with Lever for Change. According to Lever for Change, the inaugural round focused on “community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to advance the voices and opportunities of individuals and families of meager or modest means, and groups who have met with discrimination and other systemic obstacles.”
The Open Call process included:
- A narrative application estimated at approximately 10 hours to complete
- A multi-round peer evaluation process conducted by nonprofit practitioners
- A nine-month selection timeline from application to award
Despite this intense undertaking, participants claimed they appreciated the transparency through the multiple rounds of review. And the effort paid off—big time. In 2024, Yield Giving awarded a total of $640 million to 361 organizations, which, when broken down, equated to 279 organizations receiving $2 million each and 82 organizations receiving $1 million each. In true Yield Giving fashion, this came as quite the surprise as the original goal was to award 250 organizations with $1 million each.
With such a clear penchant for extreme charity, you probably have a few questions on how your nonprofit can be considered for Yield Giving Funding.
How to position your nonprofit for Yield Giving funding
While Yield Giving does not publish explicit eligibility criteria for its Quiet Research process, patterns across past grant recipients and the structured requirements of the Open Call point to a consistent set of factors.
Characteristics consistently associated with Yield Giving recipients:
- Multi-year track record: Organizations with demonstrated, sustained impact over several years are prioritized over newer startups.
- Stable finances: Recipients tend to have sound organizational infrastructure and financial management—grant funding is meant to accelerate impact, not rescue struggling organizations.
- Measurable outcomes: The ability to clearly articulate and document the change your organization creates is central to how Yield Giving evaluates fit.
- Mission alignment with underserved communities: A significant share of grants has gone to organizations serving people with low incomes, marginalized groups, and communities facing systemic barriers.
- Thematic alignment: Yield Giving often awards grants in thematic batches. Monitoring publicly announced funding themes and aligning your communications and impact reporting accordingly can increase visibility.
Practical steps nonprofit leaders can take:
- Publish clear, accessible impact data on your website and annual reports
- Monitor yieldgiving.com for Open Call announcements and eligibility requirements
- Ensure your organization's financials are audited and publicly available (e.g., via Form 990 on GuideStar/Candid)
- Build relationships with peer organizations in your funding ecosystem—peer reviewers play a meaningful role in Open Call evaluations
- Avoid submitting unsolicited applications to Yield Giving outside of announced Open Calls; they are not accepted
Nonprofit grants similar to Mackenzie Scott’s Yield Giving
While MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving has redefined large-scale philanthropy, several other grantmakers offer similar opportunities for nonprofits seeking transformational funding.
Final thoughts
MacKenzie Scott and Yield Giving are disrupting the traditional grantmaking process. While secretive, their Quiet Research removes the usual hurdles of lengthy applications, strict spending guidelines, and rigorous reporting requirements. Meanwhile, while intensive, their Open Call creates a pathway for greater accessibility and broader impact. However you slice it, it’s clear MacKenzie Scott truly cares about nonprofits and the work they do.
And while not the most transparent of foundations, Yield Giving seems to have three key takeaways for nonprofit organizations—remain mission-driven, maintain financial stability, and demonstrate measurable impact. Do that, and you may just be the surprise recipient of a life-changing grant.
