$42 million new gift from MacKenzie Scott to 10,000 Degrees, a nonprofit that has spent over four decades helping low-income students across California pursue and complete college degrees

Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has once again made headlines with a transformative gift — a $42 million donation to 10,000 Degrees, a San Rafael-based nonprofit that has spent over four decades helping low-income students across California pursue and complete college degrees.

The grant, made through Scott’s Yield Giving organization, marks one of her most substantial recent contributions to higher education. It will help fuel 10,000 Degrees’ mission of promoting educational equity by ensuring that students from underprivileged backgrounds not only gain college access but also receive the mentorship and financial support they need to thrive once there.

“This remarkable investment will deepen our impact and help even more students achieve their college and career dreams,” wrote Jin Choi, the organization’s scholarship director, expressing gratitude for Scott’s confidence in their work.

Since its founding in 1981, 10,000 Degrees has awarded more than $105 million in scholarships to over 60,000 students. The organization pairs each scholarship recipient with a mentor, a model that has led to an impressive 80% graduation rate for four-year college students—well above the national average for low-income or first-generation scholars.

Scott’s donation arrives as 10,000 Degrees prepares to nearly double the number of students and families it serves annually under a new five-year plan. The timing could not be more pivotal: in California, where the cost of living and education continues to climb, access to affordable higher education remains one of the strongest predictors of upward mobility.

For Scott, this latest act of generosity reflects both consistency and evolution. Since her 2019 divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, she has given away more than $19 billion to organizations focused largely on education, equity, and community empowerment. Despite her rapid pace of giving, Her net worth is estimated at around $32.5 billion—nearly the same as when she first began her philanthropic journey.

In September alone, she donated $70 million to the United Negro College Fund, which supports historically Black colleges and universities, and another $50 million to the Native Forward Scholars Fund, which provides scholarships to Native American students.

These gifts reflect her strategic focus on education as a means of systemic change—empowering individuals and communities rather than institutions alone.

When Scott signed the Giving Pledge in 2019, joining fellow billionaires Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, she committed to giving away at least half of her fortune during her lifetime.

Few, however, have executed that commitment with such speed, scale, and discretion. Her approach—offering unrestricted grants and trusting nonprofits to decide how best to use them—has drawn praise across the philanthropic world.

A recent study by the Center for Effective Philanthropy found that the large, flexible grants Scott provides have not led to the negative consequences many traditional funders fear, such as operational strain or mismanagement. Instead, they have often been “transformative,” allowing organizations to expand their reach, pay staff more fairly, and build long-term sustainability.

With her $42 million gift to 10,000 Degrees, Scott reinforces her belief that investing in education is investing in the nation’s future.

In the quiet, steady way that has become her hallmark, she continues to reshape the landscape of American philanthropy—one life-changing grant at a time.