MacKenzie Scott — Philanthropist — Nonprofit

**MacKenzie Scott** is one of the world's most influential philanthropists, having donated over $14B since 2019 to more than 1,600 organizations, primarily through unrestricted gifts. The former wife of Jeff Bezos and a novelist, she has fundamentally challenged traditional philanthropy with her approach: trust-based giving, minimal application requirements, no strings attached, focus on organizations led by people from the communities they serve, and a preference for organizations with strong track records over those with flashy proposals.\n\nMacKenzie's giving philosophy inverts the traditional power dynamic between funder and grantee — she believes nonprofits know their communities better than foundations do.