Buteau, E., Buchanan, P., Lopez, M., Malmgren, K., & Im, C. (2022). Giving Big: The Impact of Large, Unrestricted Gifts on Nonprofits. The Center for Effective Philanthropy.
From the website:
“In late July 2020, MacKenzie Scott shocked the philanthropic and nonprofit worlds with the announcement that she had given $1.7 billion to 116 nonprofit organizations. The gifts came in the form of massive, unrestricted grants, with a significant proportion targeted to organizations focused on issues of equity, and were made with no restrictions – only an expectation of an annual three-page letter back to the donor for the three years following their receipt.
Do nonprofits believe this gift has increased their impact? In what ways?
How did these nonprofits allocate the grant? And why?
Have the nonprofits experienced unintended negative consequences of the gift? What have been the downsides of receiving this gift, if any?”
With a survey among recipients of MacKenzie Scott’s giving, this report provides insights in how these big, unrestricted gifts affected nonprofits’ operations. This is the report of year one of a three year study.
Download the full report here.
