• Billionaire philanthropist distributes over $700 million to 15 historically Black colleges this fall
• Prairie View A&M receives $63 million while Howard University secured $80 million donation
• Unrestricted gifts allow institutions to address critical infrastructure and scholarship needs independently

UNITED STATES — Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated more than $700 million to over a dozen historically Black colleges and universities this fall, marking some of the largest single contributions in the institutions’ histories and accelerating momentum for schools that have faced decades of systemic underfunding.

Scott’s latest wave of contributions arrived Friday, with Prairie View A&M University in Texas receiving $63 million, Bowie State University in Maryland securing $50 million, and Philander Smith University in Arkansas obtaining $19 million. These gifts represent the fifteenth HBCU to receive unrestricted donations from Scott since the start of the current academic year, continuing a philanthropic pattern that has reshaped higher education funding for Black colleges.

Record-breaking institutional support

Howard University received Scott’s most generous gift to HBCUs this year when the school was awarded $80 million at the start of November. Norfolk State University in Virginia received $50 million, which officials said will “catapult” the institution toward its next level of excellence. The average gift amounts to approximately $47 million per institution across multiple states from Alabama to Virginia.

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Bowie State President Dr. Aminta H. Breaux called the donation pivotal. “Her generosity arrives at a pivotal moment in our 160-year story,” Breaux said in a statement. “It empowers us to expand access, elevate our research and academic excellence, and uplift generations of students who will lead, serve and innovate.”

United Negro College Fund receives transformational boost

In September, Scott also awarded the United Negro College Fund with a $70 million contribution for a pooled endowment that will provide $10 million to each of UNCF’s 37 member HBCUs, representing one of the largest collective boosts to Black colleges in decades.

UNCF President and CEO Michael L. Lomax called Scott “Saint MacKenzie Scott,” stating that “she is rewriting the book on philanthropy, not just in this country, but in the world.” The charitable giving approach Scott employs stands in sharp contrast to traditional philanthropic models by providing unrestricted grants that allow institutions to allocate funds where most needed.

Historical context of HBCU underfunding

The timing proves critical for HBCUs facing financial challenges rooted in historical inequity. Education experts attribute the financial problems to America’s history of racial inequality, with historically Black land-grant universities underfunded by $13 billion over 30 years compared to predominantly white institutions.

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However, HBCUs recently received over $400 million from the Department of Education through funding redirected to them for their commitment to educational outcomes, increasing HBCU federal funding for fiscal year 2025 to $1.3 billion. The fall gifts follow Scott’s 2020 donations of about $560 million to 23 HBCUs, with many institutions calling the unrestricted funds “transformative.”

Philanthropic philosophy and commitment

Scott, formerly married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, signed the Giving Pledge in 2019, committing to donate the majority of her wealth during her lifetime. “In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share,” Scott said. “My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.”

The unrestricted nature of Scott’s gifts enables institutions to address critical infrastructure needs, expand scholarship programs, strengthen research capabilities and grow endowments. Many HBCUs have used Scott’s donations for scholarships, to strengthen research, improve facilities and grow endowments, providing flexibility that typical restricted grants do not allow.

The contributions arrive during a period of growing enrollment at HBCUs despite national declines in college attendance, underscoring the vital role these institutions play in providing educational opportunities for Black students and underrepresented communities. Fifty-four percent of Black colleges’ total revenue depends on federal and state funds, compared with just one-third for other colleges and universities. As federal support fluctuates and political uncertainty looms, Scott’s donations provide essential stability for institutions historically excluded from equitable philanthropic investment.

Should other billionaire philanthropists follow MacKenzie Scott’s model of unrestricted giving to historically underfunded institutions?

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