MacKenzie Scott's Unrestricted Donations Stand Out from Traditional Philanthropy Models

MacKenzie Scott's approach to philanthropy has made headlines in recent years due to its generosity and lack of strings attached. Since 2019, she has given away over $26 billion, often allowing recipients to decide how to use the donations.

In contrast, many prominent donors to democracy programs have chosen a different path by establishing institutions that bear their names. A new report highlights this trend, counting 18 gifts worth $1 million or more since 2006, totaling $369.2 million.

The majority of these large donations were made in recent years, with 72% of the total coming from 2021 to 2025. This period saw a peak in giving in 2024, with $84 million donated to democracy-related programs. Universities received the bulk of this funding, collecting around four out of every five dollars.

The largest donations were made to university institutes that carry the donors' names, amounting to a combined total of $189 million from just four gifts. This model is distinct from Scott's approach, which typically involves giving unrestricted funds and allowing recipients to decide how to use them.

The approach of MacKenzie Scott's philanthropic efforts continues to stand out in contrast to traditional donation methods. Unlike some organizations that receive significant funding from prominent donors and are expected to build institutions bearing their names, Democracy Works was able to utilize an unrestricted gift from Scott without having to establish a new entity.

This model is distinct from the one used by other major donors, who often tie their contributions to specific projects or initiatives that bear their name. For instance, the Bob Woodruff Foundation received $15 million in 2022 and another $20 million in 2025 from Scott, with no stipulations on how the funds were to be used.

Named gifts can still have a significant impact, as seen in the case of Leonard Schaeffer's donation to the University of Southern California. His $59 million gift in 2024 established the Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service, which is headquartered at USC's Capital Campus in Washington, D.C.

The new institute builds on an existing entity, the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, which was created with a 2009 donation from Schaeffer and his late wife. This demonstrates that even substantial contributions can be used to expand or enhance existing initiatives rather than creating entirely new ones.

It's worth noting that Scott's approach is not limited to specific areas of focus, but is instead a hallmark of her philanthropic efforts across various sectors.

The University of Notre Dame received a significant donation from Francis and Kathleen Rooney, totaling $55 million, which will be used to endow the Rooney Democracy Institute. This institute was previously known as the Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy, established by the couple's foundation in 2008. Francis Rooney has a background in politics, having represented Florida's Fort Myers area in the House from 2017 to 2021.

In addition to his political experience, Francis Rooney also has business credentials, having served as CEO of investment and holding company Rooney Holdings Inc. The Rooneys' philanthropic efforts extend beyond their support for democracy programs, with a long history of charitable giving through their foundation. Their $55 million donation to the University of Notre Dame is one notable example of their generosity.

The University of Virginia has also received significant funding for its democracy initiatives, thanks in part to a $50 million gift from Bruce Karsh and his wife Martha. As cofounders of Oaktree Capital Management, the couple has a strong background in finance and philanthropy. They emphasized the importance of protecting and strengthening democratic institutions through their donation.

The Karsh Institute of Democracy at UVA is not the only recipient of significant funding for democracy programs. John Nau III's foundation provided an additional $15 million to endow the institute, bringing the total amount received by UVA on this list to $65 million.

Richard Kinder and his wife Nancy have also made a substantial donation to support democracy initiatives, giving $25 million to the University of Missouri in 2022. This gift expanded the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, which was first endowed by the couple's foundation in 2015.

The significant donations made by MacKenzie Scott and other major donors to democracy programs are notable exceptions rather than the norm when it comes to their overall charitable giving. While these gifts may be substantial, they account for a relatively small portion of their total contributions.

Despite this, democracy initiatives receive less funding compared to other areas such as education and health care, which continue to dominate the philanthropic efforts of these wealthy donors.