The amount of her annual giving has fluctuated, ranging from a reported $2.1 billion in 2023 to $7.1 billion in 2025. This year, Scott’s gifts show a focus on supporting higher education and climate.
“What we’re now seeing is different years have different focus areas,” said Gabrielle Fitzgerald, founder and CEO of The Panorama Group. “So last year, there was a really big economic security focus. This year, I really see education and climate.”
The Global Methane Hub, which grants out about $100 million a year to projects that seek to reduce methane emissions, received its second gift from Scott, this time for $60 million. CEO Marcelo Mena called the flexible and generous funding “magical” and said it comes at a crucial time as the Trump administration has undermined collective government action on climate change.
“This is when the philanthropic funding is actually absolutely key,” said Mena. “Because it’s the bridge that we need because we can’t discontinue this fight to reduce emissions and keep the climate safe for everyone.”
When Scott started detailing her giving in 2020, her fortune was valued around $36 billion, according to Forbes. It’s fluctuated over the years, but today, Forbes estimates her net worth to be $33 billion, even as she’s given away more than $26 billion.
Initially, Scott told grantees not to expect or plan for a second gift, but over time, she has given additional gifts to some of the same organizations, often larger than her original grant.
“She clearly is getting comfortable with reinvesting in partners that she thinks are doing good work,” said Fitzgerald.
In addition to at least $783 million Scott gave to historically Black colleges and universities in 2025, her website details many gifts to tribal colleges, community colleges and scholarship funds.
Marybeth Gasman, a professor at Rutgers University and expert on HBCUs, said she noticed that what sets many of the HBCUs who receive Scott’s funding apart from others is steady, consistent leadership and Gasman said, “She’s very interested in institutions that are rooted in community.”
Scott does not put any conditions on her donations, allowing recipients to decide how and when to spend the funds. Unrestricted funding is rare from major donors and foundations, with many choosing to support very specific projects over specific timeframes.
Additionally, Scott allows groups the flexibility to decide whether to publicly share how much they’ve received, with more than a third of recipients in 2025 not disclosing the grant amounts in Scott’s grant database. Fitzgerald said altogether, she thinks Scott tries to not make her giving about herself.
“In her essays, she’s always talking about other stakeholders and other people’s contributions,” Fitzgerald said. “So it’s very different than many other philanthropists who are often the center of the story of their gift.”
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