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Fortune

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MacKenzie Scott's $19 billion donations have turned philanthropy on its head—why her style of giving actually works

MacKenzie Scott Philanthropy Bob Woodruff Yield Giving Fortune

Photo of MacKenzie Scott (Credit: Dia Dipasupil—Getty Images)

As CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, Anne Marie Dougherty has encountered a lot of high-net-worth individuals and how they approach philanthropy. But few are like MacKenzie Scott, Dougherty told Fortune.

Scott’s signature philanthropic style is giving unrestricted gifts—a rarity in the industry. It means organizations who receive a gift from the billionaire philanthropist, novelist, and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos can use the donation how they see fit. That style contrasts with many other high-profile donors, who put conditions like donation-matching or performance goals around gifts. This can lead to confusion and delays in putting the money to use.

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