FARGO 鈥� One woman is handing out $640 million to nonprofit organizations across the nation in 2024, including several in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.
Through her organization Yield Giving, billionaire MacKenzie Scott has already given away $17.3 billion of her wealth to over 2,300 different nonprofits, according to her
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She has no intention of stopping.
" to give the majority of my wealth back to the society that helped generate it, to do it thoughtfully, to get started soon, and to keep at it until the safe is empty," "There鈥檚 no question in my mind that anyone鈥檚 personal wealth is the product of a collective effort, and of social structures which present opportunities to some people, and obstacles to countless others."
The focus for these donations should not be on her, Scott wrote in 2021, but on the community organizations receiving the funding to help them continue the work they've been doing for years.
With 6,000 applications and 361 organizations receiving funding nationwide, there are 11 organizations in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota that each received seven-figure boosts from Yield Giving.
Gender Justice 鈥� working throughout all three states 鈥� was given $2 million to support their efforts to advance gender equity through the law.
For their work advocating for members of the LGBTQ+ community, OutFront Minnesota was given $2 million. As part of their work, OutFront Minnesota combines advocacy, education and supportive services to combat sexual and gender-based violence and other societal inequities.
In Minnesota, WellShare International out of Minneapolis received $2 million to help promote access to health care and public health infrastructure across all races, ethnicities and neighborhoods. They operate out of Mankato, Minneapolis and St. Paul.
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Appetite For Change, a Minneapolis-based group, was given $2 million to harness food as a societal changemaker by helping communities grow healthier and wealthier.
ISAIAH, another group out of Minneapolis, focuses on building a diverse democracy, a strong economy with opportunities for everyone, and equitable climate policies. They were given $2 million.
Also operating out of the Twin Cities is Dream of Wild Health, a group dedicated to restoring the health and well-being of Indigenous communities through knowledge and access to traditional foods, medicine and culture. They received $1 million.
Immigrants and refugees headdr to Hennepin County will find CAPI USA ready with a helping hand. They were given $2 million to help promote financial inclusion, workforce development and social equality.
Build Wealth Minnesota, a group in Minneapolis-St. Paul, received $2 million to help families build social and economic wealth to strengthen communities through financial products and services.
In North Dakota, Youthworks was given $1 million. They work to provide youth with shelter and development opportunities.
SAGE Development Authority on the Standing Rock Reservation received $2 million to fund renewable and sustainable energy practices.
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Operating in South Dakota and New Mexico, the National Indian Youth Leadership Project was given $2 million to help Indigenous youth create healthy lifestyles, achieve their goals, connect with nature, and develop leadership skills.
"People who have experience with inequities are the ones best equipped to design solutions," Scott wrote on her website. "If you鈥檙e craving a way to use your time, voice, or money to help others ... I highly recommend a gift to one of the thousands of organizations doing remarkable work all across the country."
Scott was once married to Jeff Bezos, founder of online shopping giant Amazon, and has a 4% stake in the company.
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