Women in Philanthropy: A Noble Responsibility

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Mackenzie Scott, a billionaire philanthropist, has donated a sum of $640 million to 361 non-profit organizations, an explosive surge in her initial $250 million plan for the year. Since her divorce with Jeff Bezos in 2019, Scott has given away $16.5 million as the fourth richest woman in the world, with a net worth of $37.5 billion (Halpert). 

The money largely comes from her 4% ownership of Amazon, settled during her divorce with Jeff Bezos, founder of the company. The donations are carefully distributed to individuals, families, and groups among 6,000 applicants which, as reported by BBC, are dedicated to advancing marginalized voices; this award approach reached $2 million for hundreds of organizations, and $1 million for just under a hundred. 

But this is just one of many women billionaires carving their legacy as philanthropists, leaving a lasting mark on the world, and the marginalized in need of the donations. According to Detroit Legal News, 90% of women that come from wealthy households contribute to charitable causes, a quarter of which are specifically driven to assist girls and women. Accordingly, studies show that women give more than men, both in the practice itself, and the monetary amount, regardless of income level; this marks a stark disparity between women and men-led families.

Despite these practices cutting into their wealth, these women are undaunted, putting titles like the Forbes Billionaire List behind them. These donors are driven by a range of causes when it comes to giving away their fortunes. According to surveys from those committed to the Giving Pledge campaign, established by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, they possess a strong desire to make a meaningful impact on the world, and ingrained them is a fervent passion to give back, the personal fulfillment that tags along philanthropy—a sense of noble responsibility. And at its purest is their drive to make a difference.