To be sure, Forbes counts “lifetime giving” as money that has already been donated, and not funds that are just parked in a foundation for now. The list showed Scott is the fifth-most generous philanthropist, behind Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, George Soros, and Michael Bloomberg.
In a matter of months, Scott donated hundreds of millions of dollars to organizations focused on DEI, education, and disaster recovery. Just a sample of her largest recent gifts include:
Scott’s philanthropic style is considered unique because she makes gifts unrestricted, meaning the organizations can choose how to use the donations.
Scott has also been particularly focused on DEI, education, and disaster relief recently, three areas where the Trump administration has made major cuts. This could suggest Scott’s philanthropy is trying to fill the void from the White House.
“The potential of peaceful, non-transactional contribution has long been underestimated, often on the basis that it is not financially self-sustaining, or that some of its benefits are hard to track,” she wrote. But what if these imagined liabilities are actually assets? What if these so-called weaknesses foster the strengths upon which the thriving (or even survival) of our civilization depends?”
