MacKenzie Scott has emerged as the third-biggest philanthropist of all time after donating $26.4 billion in less than seven years, including a record $7.2 billion in 2025. Her lifetime giving has now surpassed the combined donations of Elon Musk, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos, according to reports.
Scott’s giving has been marked by large, unrestricted grants and relatively little fanfare. She has donated to more than 2,500 organisations, including at least $760 million to 18 historically Black colleges and universities. In 2025 alone, she gave $7.2 billion to about 225 organisations, making her the world’s biggest individual philanthropist that year.
