MacKenzie Scott Doles Out $7 Million in Donations to Four Cleveland Nonprofits

Four Cleveland nonprofits were among 361 beneficiaries of massive donations this week from MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire philanthropist who pledged to give away everything "until the safe is empty" after divorcing Amazon overlord Jeff Bezos.

Birthing Beautiful Communities ($2 million), the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland ($2 million), Fairfax Renaissance Development Corp. ($1 million) and Towards Employment ($2 million) shared announcements today on the historic donations, which totaled $641 million nationally.

More than 6,000 groups applied for funding after an open call last year from Yield Giving, Scott's non-profit, as it sought to seed "community-led, community-focused" groups.

“For our board, staff and partners who care about our work, this is a dream come true," Jill Rizika, Towards Employment President and CEO said in statement. "The world of work is rapidly changing, and this is a great opportunity to thoughtfully identify how this one-time investment can be a catalyst that ensures high-impact equitable community change.”

Phyllis Harris, executive director of the LGBTQ Center said:  “We are sincerely moved by this transformative gift supporting the LGBT Community Center of Cleveland, fueling our unwavering dedication to service excellence. The LGBTQIA community can trust in the Center’s leadership to be visionary and accountable stewards of this invaluable support.”

Scott has previously made donations to CMSD, the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, and the YMCA and YWCAs of Greater Cleveland.

"We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations," Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, said in a statement. "In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”