MacKenzie Scott is continuing her mission to earmark most of her wealth to support worthy causes. According to a report from Philanthropy.com, Scott plans to launch a $250 million “open call” for community-focused nonprofits.
Her organization Yield Giving plans to allocate $1 million in unrestricted donated funds to 250 nonprofits selected in the process, which she calls a “new pathway to support for organizations making positive change in their communities.”
“Teams on the front lines of challenges have insights no one else can offer,” Scott said in a statement according to the outlet. “So there are three big headlines here in my heart: Community change-makers can nominate themselves. Community change-makers get feedback from their peers. Community change-makers have a powerful role in funding decisions.”
Nonprofits with an annual operating budget larger than $1 million but less than $5 million for at least two of the past five years are encouraged to apply.
This is the first time nonprofits are able to reach out to Scott for potential funding, since the billionaire philanthropist’s team has only ever secretly contacted organizations they were interested in making a donation.
To date, Scott has given away more than $14 billion in unrestricted funds to 1,600 organizations, $2 billion of which has specifically been allocated to Black and Brown community-serving nonprofits.
According to the outlet, she said she was excited to partner with nonprofit Lever for Change, which will manage the open-call process to find community-focused organizations advancing people of modest means and groups who have met with discrimination and other systemic obstacles.
“This open call is designed to empower and strengthen communities across the United States that are often overlooked,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, an affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation per a statement shared with Philanthropy.com. “We are looking for organizations that are making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. The awards will recognize teams that demonstrate the potential to make progress toward reducing disparities in health, education, economic outcomes, and other critical issues.”
Registration should be completed by May 5 and applications are to be submitted by June 12.