Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated about $7 billion in 2025, taking her total giving to more than $26 billion in recent years. A significant share of that philanthropy has gone toward education, including $461 million to 16 California public education institutions between 2021 and 2025.The donations, made through Scott's philanthropic organization Yield Giving, were unrestricted. That means the institutions were allowed to decide how to use the money rather than follow a set of conditions imposed by the donor. The average gift among the 16 California institutions was about $28.8 million.Also Read: MacKenzie Scott has donated more than Elon Musk, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos combinedCalifornia State University received the biggest shareCalifornia State University, Northridge received the largest cumulative amount, with $103 million from Scott. The total includes a $40 million donation in 2021 and another $63 million gift in 2025.The timing was significant for CSUN, which was dealing with a $16.3 million budget deficit. The university serves about 36,000 students, with around 70% identified as first-generation college students and about 60% coming from historically underrepresented groups.Also Read: Elon Musk says MacKenzie Scott is ‘making the world a worse place’"MacKenzie Scott's increased investment reflects confidence in both our mission and in our demonstrated ability to deliver transformational outcomes for students," Robert Taylor, chair of the CSUN Foundation Board of Directors, said after the 2025 donation.UC Merced received $58 millionThe University of California, Merced received $58 million through two Scott donations — $20 million in 2021 and $38 million in 2025.The funds were intended to support student success initiatives, faculty research programs and capital projects. UC Merced, like CSUN, has a large population of first-generation college students.Also Read: Jeff Bezos' ex-wife MacKenzie Scott once needed $1,000 to stay in collegeCalifornia State University, East Bay also received a $50 million donation, which the institution described as transformational. The university chose to direct the money toward student success, career outcomes, paid internships and the creation and growth of a permanent endowment.Why Scott favors unrestricted givingScott has said her philanthropy focuses on "mission-aligned ventures" and groups that are "generally undercapitalized," including women and people of color.In a 2024 essay published by Yield Giving, she explained that directing money toward such organizations could help improve economic mobility while also supporting ideas and services shaped by diverse perspectives.Her approach gives recipient institutions significant control over how the money is spent. Universities can respond to budget gaps, student needs and other priorities without having to seek approval from Scott's organization for individual expenditures.Giving extended beyond universitiesScott's California education giving was not limited to four-year universities. Her donations also reached community colleges, including institutions in Pasadena and Porterville, as well as four K-12 school districts.Fresno Unified School District received $20 million from Scott in 2022. Still, roughly 90% of her California education donations went to higher education institutions.The unrestricted model, however, has also faced scrutiny. As reported by Fortnue, in Santa Barbara, City College received a $20 million Scott gift in 2021. In early 2026, the college's foundation disclosed that about $10.5 million had been spent on its Promise Program without board authorization. Trustees subsequently began an investigation.