MacKenzie Scott Makes One of Her Biggest Nonprofit Gifts Ever

MacKenzie Scott, one of the world's richest women and most influential philanthropists, has donated $60 million to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, according to a Tuesday announcement from the nonprofit. The donation is among the largest single gifts that Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has made to a nonprofit, and the largest the center has ever received, reports the AP.

• The $60 million grant will go toward "improving disaster preparedness, addressing the root causes of vulnerabilities to hazards, and providing vital resources for the long-term recovery of disaster-affected communities," per a CDP statement. President and CEO Patricia McIlreavy called the gift a "transformative investment" that would help the nonprofit "strengthen the ability of communities to withstand and equitably recover from disasters."

• Founded in 2010, CDP offers advice and resources to donors seeking to maximize their impact on communities recovering from climate disasters and other crises. The organization emphasizes medium- and long-term recovery, two oft-neglected phases of disaster response. CDP also does its own disaster giving, including through its Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund, which will soon support Hurricane Melissa recovery in the Caribbean, according to the group.
• The gift comes at a time when climate disasters are becoming more frequent and costly. The US has experienced at least 14 disasters this year that exceeded $1 billion in damages, totaling $101.4 billion, according to Climate Central. That count doesn't include July's deadly Texas floods, which are still being assessed.
• President Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which manages the federal response to disasters. He has denied major disaster declaration requests to states even when FEMA assessments proved extensive damage, and his administration has also cut billions in disaster resilience funding.
• The uncertainty is challenging for survivors, and for donors and philanthropists who can't anticipate where and when their support will be most needed, said McIlreavy. "When people are facing disasters across this country, not knowing what may come, how they may get assistance and from whom, that steals a bit of the hope that is intrinsic in any recovery," she said.

More here.