January 18, 2024 As We Enter a New Era of Checkbook Philanthropy, Can Donors Avoid the Pitfalls of the Old One? January 18, 2024/ Philip Rojc Giving without rigorous strategy or metrics was once the target of ridicule, but lately, we’ve seen a move toward more ad hoc forms of giving with few strings attached. Will this approach advance social justice? Read More
January 03, 2024 MacKenzie Scott Backs Community Health Centers as Another Path to Advancing Equity January 03, 2024/ Connie Matthiessen In 2023, MacKenzie Scott once again stood out in the philanthrosphere with hundreds of large, unrestricted gifts. This time, health equity was a theme with major support for small centers that serve many low-income patients. Read More
December 21, 2023 Some Funders Still Think Nonprofits Can’t Handle MacKenzie Scott’s Gifts. Nonprofits Disagree December 21, 2023/ Mike Scutari A new report from the Center for Effective Philanthropy finds that nonprofits have capably handled MacKenzie Scott’s large and unrestricted gifts. So why are surveyed funding leaders still not sold on her approach?Read More
December 14, 2023 Here’s What You Need to Know About MacKenzie Scott’s 2023 Giving December 14, 2023/ Mike Scutari In a new letter published on MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving site, she announced $2.2 billion in donations to 360 organizations in 2023. Who were the big winners? What were her top priorities? We crunched the numbers.Read More
December 06, 2023 Six Questions for Molly Talbot-Metz, President and CEO of the Mary Black Foundation December 06, 2023/ Mike Scutari This legacy health funder in South Carolina received $8 million from MacKenzie Scott and will channel funds toward behavioral health. The foundation’s leader tells us about that decision and more.Read More
December 05, 2023 The 50 Most Powerful Women in U.S. Philanthropy December 05, 2023/ IP Staff Women are wielding more power in philanthropy than ever before — as mega-donors, organization leaders, and catalysts. To spotlight these power players, we’ve compiled our most extensive list of women making an impact in the sector today.Read More
September 11, 2023 Hands-On Help: The Other Side of MacKenzie Scott’s Recent Early Childhood Ramp-Up September 11, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen In her early childhood giving this year, MacKenzie Scott is pairing advocacy with direct service funding, including support for programs that provide one-on-one, in-home maternal and infant healthcare.Read More
August 28, 2023 MacKenzie Scott’s Recent Giving for Early Education Spotlights the Power of Advocacy August 28, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Much of the celebrated megadonor’s recent giving has made its way to organizations promoting early childhood care and education. Many place their focus on advocacy, a strategy some other funders are hesitant to support.Read More
May 18, 2023 Behind the Scenes of MacKenzie Scott’s Open Call — and a New Service that Emulates Her Approach May 18, 2023/ Mike Scutari Registration for Yield Giving’s open call for proposals closed in early May. Cecilia Conrad of Lever for Change, which is running the competition, shares early findings and a new service allowing others to replicate the process.Read More
May 11, 2023 An Audacious Effort to Transform the Foster Care System Gets a Big Funding Boost May 11, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Think of Us has a bold mission: to transform the foster care system from the ground up. The organization’s approach, which elevates those with lived experience, landed a major haul from The Audacious Project and others. Read More
April 25, 2023 “Defend, Develop, Decolonize.” Inside NDN Collective, a Thriving Backer of Indigenous Causes April 25, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen NDN Collective, a growing philanthropic intermediary and organizing force, works to build Indigenous power and has racked up an impressive array of backers. Its leaders would still like to see philanthropy go further and move faster.Read More
April 19, 2023 Who’s Providing Funding for Women and Girls’ Mental Health? April 19, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Philanthropic funding specifically addressing women and girls’ mental health remains vanishingly small. Some funders have been paying attention, though, and the organization Mindful Philanthropy wants to grow their ranks.Read More
April 11, 2023 Is MacKenzie Scott the Leading Social Justice Funder? Yes and No April 11, 2023/ Michael Hamill Remaley MacKenzie Scott has moved huge sums to social justice groups, but should we think of her chiefly as a social justice funder? What exactly is a social justice funder, anyway? We took at close look at 20 grants in search of answers. Read More
March 22, 2023 MacKenzie Scott's Open Call Is Live. Here's What You Need to Know March 22, 2023/ Philip Rojc Yield Giving teased an open call for applications last year, and now it’s here. Scott’s giving away 250 gifts of $1 million apiece, offering community organizations in the U.S. a chance to “nominate themselves.” Read More
February 24, 2023 Here Are Four Major National Funders Supporting Rural America February 24, 2023/ Martha Ramirez Rural communities are chronically overlooked by large national funders, with most rural grantmaking coming from place-based or regional givers. It’s a short list, but here are a few bigger names to note.Read More
January 31, 2023 With Big Backing From MacKenzie Scott and More, Co-Impact Targets Global Gender Inequality January 31, 2023/ Liz Longley Co-Impact seeks to improve health, education and economic outcomes for women across the Global South by tackling underlying forces at play. Here’s why the philanthropic collaborative has been a big draw for funders.Read More
January 10, 2023 A Matter of Trust: With a Big Boost from MacKenzie Scott, GiveDirectly is on the Rise January 10, 2023/ Liz Longley GiveDirectly, a leader in the push to give unconditional cash donations to those in need, has grown significantly since the pandemic hit. Part of that growth is a result of some huge gifts from MacKenzie Scott. Read More
January 05, 2023 MacKenzie Scott Is Funding to Empower People Globally. Here’s What We Know About Her Priorities January 05, 2023/ Liz Longley and Tate Williams At the end of the year, we gained a lot of new data about what MacKenzie Scott is funding, including a growing international portfolio. Here’s what we’re learning based on the latest donations and a new database.Read More
December 21, 2022 Green Heavyweights: The Nation’s 25 Largest Environmental Grantmakers December 21, 2022/ Michael Kavate We compiled a list of the top green funders in the U.S., based on the most recent full year of giving data available. One big takeaway: Living billionaires now dominate the list.Read More
December 15, 2022 MacKenzie Scott’s Website and Grants Database Have Arrived, Open Call for Applications on the Way December 15, 2022/ Michael Kavate and Tate Williams The long-awaited website detailing MacKenzie Scott’s norm-shattering philanthropic project is here — complete with a searchable grants database and dollar amounts. The site also brings some good news for those hoping to apply.Read More